|  | Caribbean
Motel, night & day, circa 1950s |
| | 
First
opened to vacationers in 1956 at the height of the Wildwoods' "Doo Wop"
heyday, the Caribbean Motel was among the most daring, imaginitive structures
to be built in the resort during that era of post-World War II optimism and leisure
when everyone had one eye on the future and the other on dreams of exotic vacation
destinations. The Caribbean rolled both of those fascinations into one with a
motel that sported ultra-modern architectural elements like a futuristic "levitating"
ramp, canted glass walls, and recessed "spaceship" lights along with
"exotic" landscaping and theming including the very first plastic palm
trees to be "planted" in the Wildwoods, giving vacationers the feeling
of being in a far-away tropical paradise while only a short drive from home on
the Jersey Shore.
| |
| NYC-based
designer Darleen Lev pictured in the Caribbean Motel's newly renovated Cabana
Lounge |
Newly
renovated rooms have been professionally designed by New York-based interior designer
Darleen Lev, and are a re-interpretation of classic 1950s kitsch, combining vibrant
colors and giddy optimism with a flare for the exotic. A mix of authentic and
retro-reproduced Eames-era furnishings along with enchanting "Caribbean Deco"
colors and shapes now define the motel's interior spaces, from the lobby to the
lounge to the new "Doo Wop" rooms.
Here's what Darleen had to
say about her role in shaping the Caribbean Motel's funky new interiors...
"My
goal with The Caribbean was not only to restore it to an accurate representation
of the aesthetics of the 1950's, but also to create a fantasy that doesn't end
with the glowing crescent-shaped pool and multi-colored lights in the eaves. I
wanted guests to feel they are experiencing the Caribbean inside the room, thus
the fresh green carpet and the grass wall. One
detail that stands out from my own trips to the Caribbean is the primitive beauty
of the handpainted signs; the handmade palm trees on the grass walls above the
beds are artwork with a decidedly human touch, rather than the usual bland, mass
produced "painting" that blends in with the wallpaper. The palm trees also represent
the Caribbean Motel's distinction as being the first in Wildwood to import plastic
palms. Stripes were big in the 50's, and so was color. The drapes and bedding
pick up the colored lights in the eaves, and contribute to the techinicolor fantasy.
For
me, when a technicolor movie ends, I feel a certain sadness that the world doesn't
look this way in real life. But while staying at The Caribbean Motel, I can live
that fantasy, and isn't that what a trip away from home is supposed to be about?" | |
 | Architect/designer
Anthony Bracali unveils the Caribbean's new logo during the motel's grand re-opening
reception in May 2005 |
Philadelphia-based
architect Anthony Bracali is working with the Caribbean Motel to help re-invent
the property for the 21st century while maintaining the motel's classic 1950s
architectural design and character.
"The
Caribbean motel is really one of a kind", said Bracali, who has also designed
the Caribbean's new logo and identity scheme. "It assembles in one place
all the elements that compose the WiMo (Wildwood Modern... aka "Doo Wop")
style: signature neon signage, a fantastic, futuristic lobby with elevated ramp
and a distinctive central pool. Our
logo design work for the motel focuses on these architectural features, because
they are the most tied to creating a brand for the building. Through the logos,
the architecture and the image and experience of the building become one."
Bracali
has also designed some of the motel's newly refurbished features including its
upper sundeck with a colorful, whimsical pattern, and will be developing plans
for future expansion of the property... | |
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Directions:
Garden
State Parkway south to Exit 4B;
Route 47 (Rio Grande Ave) east to Ocean Ave;
turn right; drive about 1/4 mile
to Ocean Ave & Buterrcup Rd
Caribbean
Motel
5600 Ocean Ave
Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260
609-522-8292
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