History of Flea Bitten Motel explored.

Flea Bitten Motel is and was one of Oak Hill’s motels that have been long forgotten next to Red Carpet Motel and No Tell Motel. Flea Bitten Motel is one of the long forgotten motels of Austin, Texas as well too. Not too many people know about this motel or its history


Flea Bitten Motel was located at Old Bee Caves Road & US 290 in Oak Hill. Flea Bitten Motel was located in Oak Hill’s “red light district” along with Red Carpet Motel and No Tell Motel.

1982 was the year Flea Bitten Motel was constructed. The building was a white rectangular building that was long and narrow. This motel was located on land owned by Elry Hudson. It was Elry Hudson, Barnett Lew, and Patricia Lew who owned that motel and property. Lew Barnett owned the parking lot. (Ref: Travis County Public Records, 0996900822)

Flea Bitten Motel was a sleazy motel where fights would occur. The furniture was uncomfortable. Bugs would often roam inside hotel rooms. Similar to how the setting for Western Hills Motel, Red Carpet Motel, and No Tell Motel were back the latter end of the 20th century.

The motel would not be around for long as other businesses were leaving the area for many reasons with business decisions, overcrowding, traffic, and road expansion being the main reasons. The people who owned these businesses needed more land properties to expand on. Oak Hill was getting too crowded and business owners were looking for bigger properties to expand their businesses on.

In 2004, Elry Hudson sold his land to TLC Properties, a small Austin conglomerate, on a warranty deed. He had already wanted to retire by then. So Elry Hudson and TLC Properties hired contractors to demolish the motel. Flea Bitten Motel was demolished in 2006. (Ref: http://propaccess.traviscad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?prop_id=311725)

TXDot had planned to widen US 290 into a 4-lane highway for a long time. With TLC Properties holding on to this land, TXDot needed something to be done about widening US 290. On the date of 7/19/2019, TLC Properties sold the land to the State of Texas on a right of way deed/street deed.

Nothing remains of Flea Bitten Motel today. All concrete drives have been removed.

Flea Bitten Motel was located at 6812 West Highway 290, Austin, Texas, US 78735.