Description: When taking a road trip, you can spend your nights in a hotel, or a motel, or a tent, or maybe a bed-and-breakfast. But did you ever consider staying in a teepee? I didn’t think it was possible until stumbling upon the website for the Wigwam Village in Cave City, KY. This bizarre place is something straight out of 1950s America.
Located on Route 31W, just north of the main drag of town, Wigwam Village is a set of 15 teepees situated in a half-circle. Each teepee is like a room of a motel. Rates for each room run around $60 to $75. Our teepee had one bed, which seemed to be plenty. Apparently there are teepees with two beds, though I can’t imagine how they fit in the teepee. There is a big teepee that has the rental office and souvenir store inside. The souvenirs inside are worth a look. I found a giant plastic pocketknife glued to a fake wood plaque, sort of like how people will mount fish to a plaque.
The teepees are not made of leather, nor do they have a dirt floor with a fire in the center, nor a leather flap for the door, nor is there a spot to hitch a horse outside. They are actually wood and stucco buildings with a real door, linoleum floor, a bathroom with shower, cable TV, and a parking spot for your car. Inside is a unique wooden bed, and then there are a million little appliances, such as a window air-conditioner set to -50 degrees F, an Ionic breeze (of all things), a coffeemaker, a lamp with no shade on it, and a TV on a movable TV stand. Our wigwam also had a spot on the floor that was "overwaxed." Stepping on this spot felt like you were ice skating. The windows on the teepee are also very small, maybe 1x1.
As for cleanliness, it could have been a bit cleaner. Some of the towels had dirt stains on them, and the shower stall felt a little grungy. This is by far not a five-star hotel. I think the owners are only concerned with getting curious people (like me) to spend a night there and not spending to much time making each wigwam clean and nice.
All in all, staying at Wigwam Village was fun (aside from the kid who tried coming in our teepee at 7am when he mistook our teepee for his). How many people can say they spent a night in a teepee with cable TV? If you’re looking for a unique place to stay, check out their website for more information (
www.wigwamvillage.com).
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