Aztec Motel
411 E. Lavender Road  
Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260  
(p): (609) 522-7000  
 

 
Official Website
http://www.aztecmotel.com/
 
Wildwood Doo Wop Profile
http://www.wildwooddoowop.com/doowopspots/?page=12&ID=180
 
 
Past Doo Wop Discussions…
 
Doo Wop Discussion #12: Blue Water Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1188571525  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #11: Sea Shell Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1187359905  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #10: Florentine Motor Inn (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1186753986  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #9: Sea Gull Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1186152373  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #8: Astronaut Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1185547540  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #7: Bonito Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1184945900  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #6: Carideon Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1184339880  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #5: SurfSide West Diner (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1183739599  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #4: Jolly Roger Motel (Wildwood Crest)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1183094699  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #3: Pink Champagne Motel (Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1182520248  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #2: New England Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1181906799  
 
Doo Wop Discussion #1: Isle of Capri Motel (North Wildwood)
http://www.doowopusa.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1181234853  
 
 
Thanks again to Rob for kick starting the ‘Doo Wop Discussion’ feature last week. I haven’t done one of these in a while, but am looking forward to it…
 
This week we return again to the Crest, but we’re not going too far south. Our stop is the Aztec Motel, located just off of Atlantic Ave. on Lavender Road (four blocks south of the Wildwood border).
 
So, what do we know about the Aztec?
 
- Off the top of my head, the Aztec is the only motel with a Central American theme in the Wildwoods. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are (or were) at least a few others, but nothing immediately comes to mind.
 
- The Aztec is comprised of a pair of linear structures. The ‘main’ building is three stories (originally two) located in the middle of the 400 block of Lavender Ave., between Atlantic and Ocean. Rooms face east, toward the back of the American Safari Motel.
 
The ‘annex’ is a two-story building that stands right on the northeast corner of Atlantic and Lavender. Rooms face south toward the Ebb Tide Condominium complex across Lavender (formerly the Markay Motel/Ebb Tide Motel area).
 
- The main building opened as the Aztec Motel in 1960. The building now known as the annex opened in 1958 (same year as the nearby Caribbean and Satellite) as the Coral Sands Motel.  
 
- When it first opened, the Coral Sands had an unobstructed view of the beach and ocean to the east, two blocks away. Both the Coral Sands and Aztec stood on sandy lots during their formative years, with unpaved parking areas.  
 
- I do not have the exact date in which the Coral Sands was absorbed into the Aztec, so if anyone can provide any info on that, I’d appreciate it!
 
- These days, the two Aztec structures and the American Safari Motel (located right next to the main Aztec building at Ocean & Lavender) operate as one larger ‘resort’ of sorts, as they are owned by the same family.
 
- The Aztec underwent a good deal of renovation within the past decade. The rooftop sign on the annex building and the larger vertical sign attached to the main building are relatively new, but are considered to be two of the better examples of neon signage in the area.
 
Personally, I was very relieved to see the Aztec (and American Safari) survive the ‘condo boom’ of a few years ago, especially as so many motels nearby fell like dominos (Ebb Tide, Markay, Carousel, etc.).
 
The owners have invested a great deal in their properties and obviously take a lot of pride in them. The Aztec seems to get overlooked at times, but it has many of the hallmarks of a great ‘Doo Wop’ property. It’s also in a great location and is high on my list of ‘new’ places to try for ‘08!
 
Anyone else…?  

very nice.. We almost stayed here a few years ago.. But I was not crazy about the location.. Other then that its a dandy lil motel. Well kept...

A friend of my dad stayed there over the summer and had nothing but good things to say. Wasn't there an old postcard of this place posted here at one point?

I have old postcard images of both the Aztec and Coral Sands, as well as many more recent pics of the motel, on my home computer; I'll post them when I get home, for sure.
 
I'm on my laptop now and, well, guess where I'm en route to?  
 
Yep, rainy, cold, miserable morning, and my bro and I are on our way to Wildwood for a visit. We had nothing else planned for today, so we figured, what the heck. We haven't been down since August, and need our fix... so, here we go!  
 
Have a great Saturday, everyone!  

Quote from crazyaboutwildwood on Nov 10^th, 2007, 5:52am:

 
O.K., I think I remember now. It looked totally different than it does now.

I'm still digging for those old postcard images of the Aztec/Coral Sands, but I'll post 'em soon...
 
Beachrat, great catch about the sunrise designs on the Aztec's room doors. They are a very nice touch. Nice photo as well; I love the tall vertical sign, and the way it sits back in the middle of Lavender Rd. There aren't many notable neon examples on 'side streets' in the Crest. Most are prominently displayed on the main drags (Atlantic & Ocean Aves.).
 
Rob, I suppose you're right about the Sahara. I guess that's one of those wacky 'hybrid' themes, whether it was intentional or not. Kinda like the Royal Hawaiian (Polynesian theme with a space ship on the roof).