Right in the heart of Bozeman Montana is a classic motor court style hotel. This little gem of a lodging is family owned and operated, and has recently transitioned to a new generation of owners. Brothers, Shiloh and Jacob Klatt, were raised in Southwest Montana and spent time visiting family at the motel as they were growing up. The Klatt’s have been working on an impressive plan to revitalize the iconic Motel since early 2020. The transformation comes complete with a brand new name and logo, and today they proudly reintroduce the Sapphire Motel.
If you’ve spent much time in Bozeman, you probably know this historic motel as the Royal 7 Inn. It’s located on 7th Avenue, just 3 blocks from Downtown Bozeman. The motel has been known as the Royal 7 since 1980, but has actually transitioned through several names throughout its history. Originally built in the early 1940’s, the motel has held such monikers as the Travelier and the Stardust Motel. As the new generation of owners took the helm, they decided to restore the motel and give it a fresh start and new name, while trying to maintain a strong link to the history of this family run business.
The Klatt’s, along with the motel staff have been working hard on everything from fresh paint and finishes, to new carpet, updated lighting, beds, new doors, a modern entry system, new signs, etc. The goal of this revitalization is to update and make improvements across the property that will make the motel more comfortable and enjoyable without losing any of the classic charm and mid-century modern style of the building. They are even updating the iconic sign on 7th Avenue, using historic photos of the original Stardust sign as the basis for the repair work.
Browse the gallery of images below to see some of the updates to the historic Sapphire Motel.
