Motels near airports are not usually places where you can eat well and drink cocktails while being lavishly entertained but in 1961 the Miami Skyways Motel, directly opposite Miami Airport, was just that kind of place.

It was all down to entertainer and nightclub owner Ronnie Leonard. Boston-born, he made his home in South Florida, and we’ve found comments from former customers about how he ‘kept the place swinging.’

By all accounts, Ronnie was a genial entertainer who played keyboard alongside singers called Ronnie’s Girls. There was also a band of musicians called the Four Bits.

The motel, directly opposite the airport, had 200 soundproof bedrooms, a swimming pool and a plunge pool. There was the Cockpit Dining Room, the Captain’s Table Dining Room and the Hangar Lounge – we think this was unofficially named ‘Ronnie’s.’

This menu is from 1961when commercial air travel was beginning to grow and flying was still a glamorous experience.

Pan Am and TWA were among the major airlines and their stewardess schools were nearby. Trainee stewardesses often came after work to relax at Ronnie’s where cocktails cost 75c on average.

Ronnie Leonard went on to take over another nightclub in Southern Florida called G Whizz and former guests remember a fun-filled atmosphere where everyone was given cans filled with beans to shake, rather than applauding, and couples filled the tiny dance floor.

We’re not sure when the Miami Skyways Motel was demolished. Ronnie Leonard, the entertainer fondly remembered by many, passed away in 2013 at the age of 80.