Flash hotels and highrises can't compete with the Ocean View Motel at Coolangatta as retro getaways become fashionable Jenny Westerlund, the manager of the cool-again Ocean View Motel in Coolangatta, with pooch Daisy. PIC: Luke Marsden Source: The Courier-Mail FLASH hotels and highrises are out for fans of the 50-year-old Ocean View Motel at Coolangatta. One of the last of its kind on the Gold Coast, the pink walk-up, dwarfed by glass apartment towers, is caught in a time warp so kitsch it's cool. Little has changed at the 19-room motel since it opened in 1963, but that doesn't stop the place being booked out most weekends, school holidays and even mid-week, manager Jenny Westerlund said. Lovers of luxury will not find the motel quite to their taste, but for those wanting cheap and cheerful accommodation right opposite the beach, Ms Westerlund said it was hard to go past the Ocean View. "It's old-fashioned but it's clean, comfortable and friendly," she said. Vintage motels like the Ocean View Motel in Coolangatta are proving popular again. PIC: Luke Marsden A lot of people are into the whole retro thing and this place definitely fits the bill. I get three or four emails a week from people wanting to do photoshoots here. The Ocean View was built by northern NSW banana farmers as their holiday haven, but is now owned by Sydney investors. Along with the likes of the nearby Sunset Strip guest houses and holiday flats, the Ocean View is among a smattering of vintage tourism infrastructure still standing on the Glitter Strip. 1960s vintage motels like the Ocean View Motel in Coolangatta are proving popular again. Picture: Marsden Luke The motel featured in the hit Australian movie Muriel's Wedding and has accommodated celebrities, including singer John Farnham. Ms Westerlund said the beach-side location and budget rates made it a popular holiday spot. "One old guy loved the place so much he stayed for eight months," Ms Westerlund said. It's like the Hotel California - you can check out, but you can never leave. The 1960s-era motel the Ocean View, at Coolangatta, is proving popular with vintage-loving tourists. Megan Wigham, 17, brother Jake, 15, and dad Glenn are from NSW. NSW man Glenn Wigham and his children Megan, 17, and Jake, 15, are staying at the Ocean View Motel for the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at North Kirra this week. "My wife found it on the internet and thought it looked pretty cool," Mr Wigham said. It's a lot cheaper than staying in a highrise and the kids don't to have to lug their boards up and down elevators. We're very happy here.