UPDATE, 7/26/17: America's creepiest motel is now on the market for $900,000, according to History.com. Owner Bob Perchetti has decided to retire, telling 8 News Now that he's "going to go fishing. I want to go enjoy myself. I'm going to do a little camping with the grandkids." There's just one catch for any potential new owners: They must keep the motel's clown collection intact. "Oh, I'm going to miss the clowns," Perchetti told reporters. "I'm going to come back. I'm going to come back and visit my clowns."
ORIGINAL, 1/16/2017: If you're a coulrophobic who happens to find yourself traveling down U.S .95 in Nevada searching for a clean and affordable place to rest your weary head, heed our advice and steer clear of the Clown Motel in Tonopah.
Not because it isn't clean or affordable, of course, but because its lobby is packed with over 500 antique and modern clowns, while each of the 31 guest rooms feature an array of clown paintings and clown-themed decor, according to the motel's Facebook page.
Yup, you couldn't pay us a million dollars to stay here.
But, if you do happen to be into clowns, the motel, which has been in business for over 20 years, comes highly recommended, with 4 out of 5 stars on Yelp. Reviewers say that while the accommodations are humble, the rooms are impeccably clean and the owners, fifth generation Tonopah natives Bob and Deborah Perchetti, are incredibly friendly.
The rooms—which feature two queen-sized beds, 19-inch color televisions, free Wi-Fi, refrigerators, and microwaves—run for about $40 a night, but if you want to up the clown factor, you can book the Clown Suite for $80, according to one Yelp reviewer, who was told the room was "the highest dose of 'clown' they had to offer."
While the motel touts its "quiet, family-oriented environment," Travel Nevada notes that some have claimed to see a clown ghost hanging around the property, as well as unexplained voices and footsteps. The motel has even appeared on an episode of Ghost Adventures. And if that's not enough to spook the living daylights out of you, there's also a makeshift miner graveyard just 100 feet away from the motel, according to TwentyTwoWords.com. (Tonopah was once a mining town and deadly accidents were common—not to mention a mysterious plague that decimated the town's population in 1902.)
If this sounds the vacation of your dreams (or nightmares), call (775) 482-5920 to make a reservation.
(h/t 22 Words)
Lauren (she/her) is the digital content director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, where she oversees online content and strategy for Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and other Hearst titles, including SEO, video, social media and e-commerce efforts. She has almost 20 years of experience writing and editing beauty, lifestyle, home, health, entertainment and product review content. She graduated from NYU with a degree in journalism and history.
