How the Poconos Became the Birthplace of the Heart-Shaped Bathtub

When diving into the world of retro, kitschy hotels, there’s one place you’re bound to end up: the Poconos. Known as the birthplace of the heart-shaped tub, this mountainous region of eastern Pennsylvania has a rich history of welcoming couples with its cheesy, lighthearted approach to romance, as well as influencing the decor of hotels around the world.

Tourists started coming to the Poconos as early as 1829, drawn by the region’s diverse natural beauty and the fact that it was just a short trip from major metropolitan areas (90 miles from New York City and Philadelphia and roughly 300 miles from Boston and Washington, D.C.). The very first honeymoon resort in the area, the Farm on the Hill, opened in 1945. (Not located on a hill at all, this hotel started the long-lasting Poconos tradition of advertising a fantasy to its patrons.) 

The end of World War II saw a sudden rise in marriages, and therefore honeymooners. The Farm on the Hill was quickly joined by other hotels attracting young couples. The designs of these first honeymoon hotels were wholesome and rustic and had Early American interiors that mimicked the cozy countryside, as if to give newlyweds a homey feel while they became better acquainted and embarked on their lives together. Activities from volleyball and hayrides to evening performances and parties were offered throughout the properties, so visitors had a chance to go out and meet other couples in a similar stage of life.

In 1958, two new hotel developers entered the scene and changed the course of couples hospitality throughout the region and, soon, the entire country. When Morris Wilkins and Harold O’Brien purchased Hotel Pocopaupac, they changed the name to Cove Haven and immediately got to work on improvements. This was the era that ushered in the sexual revolution, the launch of Playboy magazine, and Elvis Presley gyrating on national television. America was ready for something risqué, even explicit, and Cove Haven would offer just that. Most notably, it was the site of Morris Wilkins’s most famous creation: the heart-shaped bathtub. This iconic bathtub ignited a huge shift in the Poconos, and before long, every other resort in the region had one. 

Tubs were not the only common feature getting a heart-shaped makeover. Mattresses, sinks, windows, and even entire bars were being built in the symbolic shape. And that’s not where the sexy face-lifts ended: Shag carpeting on every surface, mirrors on walls and ceilings, silky drapes and sheets, multilevel suites, round beds, and crystal chandeliers replaced the once-rustic, suburban decor. Morris Wilkins was designing spaces people were used to seeing only at the cinema, offering lovers a chance to enter a fantasy world full of glamour and sex.

The 1971 Life magazine article that put the heart-shaped tub on the map included a two-page spread featuring a couple in one of Cove Haven’s tubs surrounded by mirrors. Despite the article calling these Poconos resorts emblematic of a national "surfeit of affluent vulgarity," it helped the region gain even more popularity and earn the title of "Honeymoon Capital of the World." The Poconos were officially drawing more newlyweds than Niagara Falls, and before long, Cove Haven had expanded by opening several new properties that offered similar amenities to meet the demand. Every resort in the region was competing to attract customers, promoting full-service, all-season vacation experiences that included live music and comedy, horseback riding, golfing, skiing, bowling, tennis, indoor and outdoor pools (often in the shape of a heart or wedding bells), spas, and more.

The 1980s saw even more developments in the Poconos, and the region continued to receive a steady stream of visitors. In 1981, an LGBTQ-friendly establishment called Rainbow Mountain Resort opened, and in 1982, Andy Griffith starred in a made-for-TV movie called For Lovers Only that was shot at Cove Haven. By the mid-nineties, however, these massive resorts were seeing smaller crowds. Air travel was becoming more affordable, and couples had more vacation options. Cruises to the Bahamas; resorts in Orlando, Florida; and even Las Vegas casinos that had taken on a similar decor style to that of the Poconos were getting a huge piece of the honeymoon market. With visitors dwindling, many of the resorts struggled to keep up with the huge cost of running such expansive properties, let alone update them. 

In order to survive, some Poconos resorts pivoted to cater to families instead of couples. Others started to try to reach niche audiences; the Birchwood Resort hosted bondage weekends and spanking parties. Once the local paper, the Pocono Record, wrote about fetish events, there was an overwhelming amount of negative publicity, and Birchwood was pressured to cancel its alternative-lifestyle parties (the Pocono Record announced the decision in an article titled "Resort: Thanks but No Spanks"). Many in the community were relieved, but Birchwood could no longer stay afloat, and it soon closed its doors for good. Hotels in the region continued to struggle, and visitors began to complain that the resorts were not receiving any updates, and that some weren’t even being maintained. By the early 2000s, nearly every resort had been rebranded or was completely abandoned. The honeymoon heyday was over.

And yet Cove Haven, along with its two sister properties, Paradise Stream and Pocono Palace, is still open and catering to honeymooners and couples. Unlike their nearby competition, they never rebranded or removed the elements that made them stand out. Visitors are still enjoying heart-shaped tubs and explicitly sexy suites along with live performances and employee-led activities, from bingo to the Newlywed Game, which take place at their aptly named Spooner’s Bar and Grille. And, of course, the "romantic kitsch" style that the Poconos popularized has gained a cult following and can be seen in contemporary hotel designs everywhere from California to Ibiza.

Fueled by love, lust, and sheer curiosity, the Poconos effect is part of the rich American history of innovators and inventors. For some folks, it’s more than enough to simply revisit the photos of a bygone era and delight in (or cringe at) the cheesiness through projects like Dead Motels USA, an online resource of retro hotels and motels throughout the United States that have shut down or otherwise rebranded. But there are still those—ourselves included—who love to fully immerse themselves in over-the-top romance and escape to the Poconos.

Excerpted from Hotel Kitsch by Margaret and Corey Bienert, published by Artisan Books. Copyright © 2023.

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Top Image: Courtesy of the Poconos Resorts. Excerpted from Hotel Kitsch by Margaret and Corey Bienert, published by Artisan Books. Copyright © 2023.

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