Pony Canyon Motel

Cheap, good beds, heaters and fridge are a goddamn racket each, refrigerators do not freeze so do not bring anything frozen. Doors fail to latch and lock, bathrooms vent vaguely under a porch, no fans, showers get very humid. Wireless is as good as it gets in Austin: cellular does not work, wifi is satellite mud. Parking is good, staff is friendly, next door to the Chevron mini mart. All together, charming enough that I’ll return.

What the heck, I was just grateful for a tank of gas and a place to lay my head. It’s a hick motel in a hick town, the room was fairly clean, but be careful you don’t fall on your ass when walking on the board porch. I’ve been in a few places that were worse.
63 bucks for a single was OK, had to ask for some ice cubes, tv worked ok, room didn’t stink — all in all, it’s better than sleeping in your car!

The room was very basic, though had a nicer TV. The manager overcharged us for a double room when we had requested a single bed. Instead of explaining that they were out of singles, she just charged our credit card without explanation for the extra bed. It was late and we were exhausted, so I didn’t question it that night. In the morning, she argued and wouldn’t refund us the difference.

Price is pretty much no object when you’ve just driven several hundred miles on the Loneliest Road in America and you need a clean, comfortable place for a night. BONUS: They have one dog-​friendly room (#6) which has two queen beds. Room cost was just under $ 70 for a Friday night.
It was pretty basic, but there was a flat screen TV with some standard channels, plenty of hot water in the very clean bathroom, and you’re right next door to the gas station with snacks in case you need to stock up on late night munchies (ahem), you’re right next door to the dirt road that leads up to the abandoned castle with the MOST amazing sunset views, and you’re a block or two away from the handful of gem and souvenir shops, cafes, and bars in town.
Wifi is supposedly available, but I couldn’t get it. If you’re on AT&T for a cellular phone, you won’t have much luck with service, but apparently Verizon users get better reception.

Clean, quiet, perfect if you are trying to make it across NV and need to stop. A bit pricey for what you get, which is just a room. No wifi or fridge, microwave or coffee maker. it was $ 67 total for basically a bed and bathroom. But it was clean and quiet with a nice hot shower.

katherine already said it. there is no great motel in austin.
if you haven’t arrived yet– go in knowing that. austin is in the middle of nowhere and chances are you’re arriving when you’re dead tired and it’s too far to the next town in either direction. :)
there are three motels in town:
pony canyon motel (western most)
mountain motel (middle)
lincoln motel (eastern most)
all in a row– right on main street/​highway 50.
the mountain motel is often full– or almost full– and the lot is packed full of huge trucks. i suspect there is a mine nearby that the workers come into town from. i haven’t stayed there, but it appears to be a row of mobile home/​trailers all strung together.
the lincoln motel is often empty– or almost– but they won’t answer the door after 9:00pm (even at 9:05) even if the lot is empty and they are inside the office, looking out at you… never stayed there either, but it looks pretty beat down.
the pony canyon is old, funky, and rustic… just like austin. the rooms seem pretty clean, but they are tiny (see my photo). i would expect that if you chose highway 50– you are either attracted to this strange, beautiful, lost part of the country and funky is fine by you… or someone has played a cruel trick at your expense.
last but not least– chances are you won’t have cell-​reception in austin, so you won’t be able to access this until it’s too late. do your homework on mileage, gas mileage, and driving times between towns before you venture out onto the loneliest highway in america.

There are really no great Motels in Austin, they are all about the same BUT this place is definitely the better one.
The owner is super friendly, the rooms are clean and it is very quiet at night. It is definitely your no frills motel, but that is what one gets way out on the loneliest road (Hwy 50).
There are no bugs and there is a small TV with cable.

I found refuge at the Pony Canyon Motel after foolishly trying, then failing to camp out during a thunderstorm near Austin, Nevada. Luckily, the Pony Canyon Motel was open and had a vacant room. The owner is friendly, and keeps the place clean and well-​run. Rooms are simple and inexpensive, and the place has a nice, not-​too-​tacky western decore. I rarely stay in hotels or motels of any kind, and when I do, I don’t look for anything fancy like room service or jacuzzis. So the Pony Canyon met my expectations for a clean, inexpensive room with good hot water and a friendly staff. There are a few hotels along main street (Route 50) in Austin, I recommend staying at the Pony Canyon Motel.