Matt K.
Yelp
An adorable little place with the right balance of modern amenities together with an authentic 66 nostalgia. The new owner has upgraded with thoughtful touches. According to the woman at the front desk, this is the longest continuously-operating motel on Route 66 (I'm not a fact-checker; I took the nice woman at her word). This would be an excellent choice for the Route 66 enthusiast traveling with a hostile travel partner, i.e., someone who says, "We can stop and look at any place you want, but I am NOT staying in one of those dirty, little fleabags motels." The Wagon Wheel is neat as a pin.
The bathroom is an example of where the more modest dimensions of the past may hem you in a bit, with a standing shower slightly bigger than a coat closet and a separate wash basin in the bedroom. The shower might be a tight fit for those over 6 feet and/or over 200 pounds, but it's new, clean, with excellent water pressure and truly hot water.
The stone cottages have a distinctly "Eastern 66" feel, nestled among trees and a sprawling, well-maintained green lawn, as opposed to the stucco, hiply-desolate desert motels like Tucumcari's excellent Blue Swallow. It's easy to feel you've stepped into a postcard advertising a gently adventurous journey West.
I didn't use the on-site laundry facilities, but they are a modern, thoughtful touch at such a small and "genuine" location, another sign the management knows how to blend the modern conveniences travelers need with the retro look that makes this an appealing alternative to, say, a Hampton Inn.
I need to ding the Wagon Wheel one star for a small but glaring annoyance: about an hour after I fell asleep, I was awakened by an insistent buzz-buzz-buzzzzzzzzz. It sounded exactly like a smartphone set on vibrate with its alarm going off; in fact, I was sure someone in the next bedroom had left their phone in the room, and it was ringing. I was able to locate the nuisance: the in-wall LG "Neo Plasma" air conditioning and heating unit near the door. After turning it off, I fell back to sleep without a problem. It was a balmy night, so I didn't worry about turning it off, but I wouldn't want to choose between staying warm and staying awake. Light sleepers may want to bring earplugs.
Overall, a terrific value worth planning a stop on your trip for. I'll be back.
Skip the convenience of the nothing-exceptional "Missouri Hick BBQ" next door unless you're famished and easy to please.