El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Arizona: A Star-Studded Route 66 Classic

Trovatore Motel on Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona. Page Hdr.

El Trovatore Motel: A Route 66 Icon on Andy Devine Avenue

Perched on a stony bluff overlooking Kingman, Arizona with sweeping views of the Hualapai Mountains and the vast Mojave desert, the El Trovatore Motel is one of the most storied and atmospheric vintage lodging stops on all of Route 66. One of the few surviving pre-World War II motor courts in Kingman, the El Trovatore has been welcoming road-trippers since 1937 — a history that includes Hollywood celebrities, Cold War travelers, and generations of Route 66 enthusiasts who appreciate its towering 100-foot neon sign, celebrity-themed rooms, and genuine old-highway character.

Where is the El Trovatore Motel?

Address: 1440 E Andy Devine Avenue (Route 66), Kingman, AZ 86401

Phone: (928) 753-6520

The motel sits on the east end of downtown Kingman along Andy Devine Avenue — the Route 66 alignment through town — on a rise known as El Trovatore Hill that provides dramatic desert and mountain views. It is approximately one mile east of the Arizona Route 66 Museum at the Powerhouse and close to Locomotive Park.

The History of El Trovatore Motel

Built by the Man Who Built Las Vegas’s First Hotel

The El Trovatore’s story begins in 1937, when developer John F. Miller — who had previously built the first hotel in Las Vegas (the Sal Sagev, which is Las Vegas spelled backwards, now the Golden Gate Hotel) in 1906 — established a service station on this prominent hillside location east of downtown Kingman. Two years later in 1939, Miller added the tourist court that became the motel proper.

“Trovatore” is Italian for troubadour, or traveler — a fitting name for a motor court built along one of the most traveled roads in America. The complex quickly distinguished itself from competing Route 66 lodging with its elevated hilltop setting, its dramatic desert views, and a feature that was extraordinary for its time: El Trovatore was reportedly the first air-conditioned motel in the state of Arizona. In the scorching summer heat of the Mojave Desert, this was not a minor amenity — it was a revelation, and it drew travelers who might otherwise have pushed on to the next stop.

Celebrity Connections

The motel’s location on what was then Arizona’s main Route 66 corridor brought a remarkable roster of guests through its doors over the decades. The El Trovatore has documented associations with Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Jeff Chandler, Charles Bronson, Jane Russell, James Dean, and Don Knotts — a who’s who of mid-century Hollywood that reflects both Kingman’s prominence on the cross-country route and the motel’s reputation for comfortable, distinctive accommodation.

The celebrity connections inspired the motel’s current signature feature: individually themed rooms celebrating Hollywood legends. Today guests can book rooms dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, John Wayne, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and other icons — a concept that has resonated powerfully with Route 66 travelers seeking an immersive vintage experience.

The Neon Tower and Route 66 Signage

The El Trovatore’s most visible feature is its extraordinary 100-foot-tall neon tower sign, which dates back to the 1930s and became one of the most distinctive roadside landmarks in Kingman. The tower fell dark for decades but was extensively restored and relit in 2012, making it once again one of the most photographed signs on the Arizona stretch of Route 66. At night, it serves as a beacon visible from considerable distance along Andy Devine Avenue.

The property also features a spectacular 206-foot mural depicting a map of Route 66 covering the entire front of the motel — a work painted by local artist Dan Louden that has earned recognition as the world’s longest Route 66 map mural.

Motel Rescue and Ongoing Restoration

The El Trovatore experienced a period of decline in the early 2000s when it shifted to long-term rentals, but a passionate restoration effort beginning around 2011 and 2012 brought it back to its original mission as a Route 66 overnight destination. The motel was subsequently featured on Episode 2 of Motel Rescue on the Magnolia Network, bringing it to a national audience and further cementing its status as a beloved Route 66 institution.

What to Expect at the El Trovatore

Hollywood-Themed Rooms

The celebrity-themed rooms are the heart of the El Trovatore experience. Each room is decorated with photographs, artwork, and memorabilia dedicated to its namesake star — from Elvis’s signature gold-and-black aesthetic to Marilyn Monroe’s glamorous pink-and-white palette. The rooms retain original architectural features including vintage tile and fixtures that connect guests to the motel’s 1930s origins. Amenities include air conditioning (still a welcome feature in Kingman’s summer heat), free WiFi, cable TV, microwaves, and small refrigerators.

The Views

El Trovatore Hill offers something few Route 66 motels can match: a genuinely spectacular setting. The elevated location provides sweeping panoramic views of the Hualapai Mountains to the south and the vast Mojave Desert landscape in multiple directions. Evenings on the motel’s patio, watching the desert sky shift through sunset colors while trains rumble through the valley below, rank among the most atmospheric experiences available to Route 66 travelers.

The Stargazing

Kingman’s low light pollution and high desert elevation make it an excellent stargazing location, and the El Trovatore’s hilltop position takes full advantage. Multiple guests have written about waking in the night and spending time watching the Milky Way arc overhead — an experience that connects the modern road-tripper directly to the generations of travelers who slept under these same desert skies during the highway’s golden era.

Tips for Staying at El Trovatore

Book ahead — the motel is small and themed rooms fill up quickly, especially during Route 66 festival season.
Check in before 11:30 PM — the lobby closes at that time, though owners typically live on the property and can assist if needed.
The motel is pet-friendly (excluding cats) with a fee — useful for Route 66 road-trippers traveling with dogs.
Ample parking is available, including space for RVs, tour buses, and motorcycles.
Photograph the neon tower at dusk — the combination of golden light and glowing neon against the desert sky is exceptional.
Combine your stay with dinner at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner and a visit to the Arizona Route 66 Museum for the complete Kingman Route 66 experience.

Final Thoughts on El Trovatore Motel

The El Trovatore is the kind of Route 66 motel that people who love road trips dream about finding — a genuine pre-war survivor with Hollywood glamour in its bones, a neon sign you can see from the highway, and views that remind you why the American Southwest is unlike anywhere else on Earth. It occupies a unique place in Kingman’s Route 66 heritage and in the broader story of the Mother Road — one of the oldest, most atmospheric, and most authentically Route 66 overnight experiences in the entire state of Arizona.