Visit the American Historic Love Motel before it's too late

At first glance, Cove Haven Resort (100 miles northwest of New York City) in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania may pass a road-driving motel. When you pull into the parking lot, the low-low buildings stretch endlessly towards the horizon. But on closer look, the magic begins to reveal itself: a bitch resident deer playing on the grass, swirling hand-drawn heart signs with whimpering lettering, and a golden heart-shaped rocket on a nearby fence Secure the

Still, there's nothing to prepare me the moment I open the door to the Champagne Tower Suite. There, a 7-foot-high champagne glass whirlpool bath bubbles in the center of the room. The rose petal trail pulls me into the boudoir on the second floor. There, the secondary narcissistic circular bed in its design is endlessly reflected on the mirrored ceiling above. With equal old Hollywood charm and fantastic kitsch, once you enter the space you feel like you're stepping into Liberus' wildest dreams.

It's impressive, but I'm still confused about how this fantasyland was surrounded by hills in eastern Pennsylvania. The answer is in the garden of the hotel's Eden Apple Suite. Here, the center is a red heart-shaped bath of cherry blossoms in this windowless sanctuary. After its introduction by Cove Haven Resort in 1963, it was this lover's bathtub that played an important role in turning the Pocono Mountains into a honeymoon hotspot.

The heart-shaped whirlpool bath, the creator of owner Morris Wilkins, is said to have come to him as a late-night vision. Before this Eureka moment, I never cried out any particular romance about the countryside Poconos. Instead, postwar gas shortages made it a faster drive for Lovebirds on the East Coast than Niagara Falls, but the dawn of the sexual revolution saw soulmates seeking a more risqué and playful escape . Later in 1971, Life Magazine issued a double-page spread photo of a couple blushing with a spoon on one of their heart-shaped buses, officially pinning their self-proclaimed “land of love” to the map. Soon after, more adult-only resorts appeared, each one more gorgeous than last time.

Carol Turcott, a local from Poconos who currently runs the farm market in the area, vividly remembers those glorious days. Dressed in a gold trimmed slinky toga leading the goddess Aphrodite, Carol once worked as a cocktail waitress at Paradise Stream, a sister property in Cove Haven. “This was in the 1980s, when the resort was still thriving around here.” “The resort was filled with young couples celebrating their honeymoons and anniversary, so it really had a lively and happy atmosphere.” She remembered fondly, adding that Mr Quiz and the nightly comedian were included at the resort's nightclub.

Heartbreak Hotel

Unfortunately for Poconos, the true love course did not run smoothly. By the 1990s, the expectations of newlyweds had changed dramatically, but the romantic resorts remained frozen in time. Escape to the elegant European cobblestone streets and now the sun-soaked sand of Caribbean beaches, the American Love Motel is nothing more than a campy relic of a bygone era. And that was until decades until a flame of desire was unexpectedly incited for a new generation.

On the way to meet one of such newcomers, I pass through the hotel cocktail lounge. A vision of pink and glittering gold will make you feel like a disco groovy in the 1970s. – Eat a buffet serving nostalgic cheese brinz. Meet hotel guest Laura Heizey in the hotel's indoor swimming area. There, the waterfall cascades fake rock walls that could become a set of flintstones. Laura and her partner discovered the Cove Haven Resort just 18 months ago, but the Pennsylvania pair are already on their fifth visit.

“We live in a busy family with our teenagers, so we're coming here as a couple for a little break. We've already booked our next stay on Valentine's Day,” she said. We shared and added that the furniture may be in use for a bit of time, but the place has a pleasant familiarity. “The staff are always the same people, but what's really coming back is the atmosphere. It reminds me of holiday camp from the movie's dirty dance,” she laughs.

Retro Revival

Like most young guests, Laura has discovered the land of love through the internet. The recent Renaissance dates back to London-based photographer Juno Calypso, who spent a week at Poconos Pleasure Palace, and filmed himself in the retro suite of the 2015 cult series The Honeymoon. The creepy images attracted the attention of American creative Margaret and Cory Bienart who decided to check in in in 2018.

It was a game-changing decision – urging them to travel around the globe in search of an incredibly themed hotel room. But it also influenced Margaret on a more personal level. “I grew up super religiously and anything that focused on love, romance, sex was hidden, so it's why walking into that room and celebrating your own side is truly life-changing. It felt like that,” she says of her debut stay in the suite, featuring a dimly lit pink freestanding tub and a mirror prism lined up against the wall. “Visiting these sexy hotels has become my therapy,” she adds with a hard time.

Despite the revival of interest among hip, vintage followers, the land of love is hanging with the threads of the carpet of the Chagpile. Most honeymoon hotels are closed, including the 50-year-old Pocono Palace Resort. Previously, he used backgrounds in his fashion shoots for Marc Jacob and a music video by singer Lucy Dacus. It will be on sale in May 2024 for the reported $17.8 million (£14.6 million) and will not resume as a couple's retreat. Queue your passionate online campaigns through the A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour Socials and A change.org page.

Only two love motels remain in Poconos today. Cove Haven Resort and Paradise Stream Resort. I run 30 miles north to visit the latter. In my lover's lane, Voldello's red sign – heart-shaped, in nature – welcomes me to the land of love. Looking around, it's as if it was one of the mid-century postcards that were filmed in brilliant technicolors and sold in gift shops. The couple plays indoor mini golf and strikes at a duckpin bowling alley, pushing into lobster ravioli, soaked in sherry cream sauce, as their grandparents once did.

Bubble gum pink foam lovers tub calling me, so I'll leave them to them. Margaret's previous words are reflected in her mind as she approaches the honeymoon suite. “If you want to see these historically important motels, go now. They'll never be around forever – and they don't make them the way they used to.”