Following what has to be one of the most prolonged demises in the history of hostelry, Motel Raphael on Ste. Anne de Bellevue Boulevard just south of Montreal West has closed and been boarded up after declaring bankruptcy.

The motel, which was acquired a few years ago by the Knights Inn chain, was pervaded with 1950s kitsch, including a roadside swimming pool. Over the years, a number of film makers sought out Motel Raphael as an atmospheric period location for shoots.

Motel Raphael had its heyday in an era before the construction of the nearby Autoroute 20 elevated interchange, when Ste. Anne de Bellevue Boulevard was the starting point of the main highway between Montreal and Toronto.

More than 40 years ago, Motel Raphael already had a seedy reputation as a haunt favoured by jailbirds. While a good number of motels continue to operate on the St. Jacques Street strip, they are small in comparison to the sprawling Motel Raphael, which had many dozens of units.

The motel’s future is in the hands of bankruptcy trustees Samson, Belair, Deloitte, Touche. Located across the street from the area where Transport Quebec plans to demolish the Montreal West segment of the Turcot interchange, the Motel Raphael site sits directly opposite the point where the provincial ministry plans to configure new exits and entrances to the autoroute.