Motel 6

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The first Motel 6 in Santa Barbara, still in operation to this day
The first Motel 6 in Santa Barbara, still in operation to this day

Motel 6 is a major chain of budget motels in the United States and Canada, operated by Accor Hotels.

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[edit] History

Motel 6 was founded in 1962 in Santa Barbara, California, by two local building contractors, William Becker and Paul Greene.[1][2] The partners developed a plan to build motels with rooms at bargain rates. They decided on a USD$6 room rate per night that would cover building costs, land leases, mortgages, managers' salaries and maid service, hence the company name.

Before starting Motel 6, Becker and Greene specialized in building low-cost housing developments, and they wanted to provide an alternative to other major hotel chains such as Holiday Inn, whose locations were becoming increasingly upscale in quality and price in the 1960s, after starting out with a budget-oriented concept. Becker and Greene spent two years formulating their business model, and searched for ways to cut costs as much as possible: during the chain's early years, Motel 6 emphasized itself as a "no-frills" lodging chain with rooms featuring coin-operated black-and-white TVs instead of the free color TVs found in the more expensive motels, along with shower-only bathrooms and functional interior decor (to reduce the time it took to clean the rooms). The first location in Santa Barbara had no restaurant on-site, a notable difference from other hotels of the era; most locations to this day have no on-site dining.

As the 1960s progressed, the Motel 6 idea became very popular in the lodging industry and other chains began to imitate the concept, as Motel 6 was slowly beginning to take a small share of the market away from the traditional hotels. Becker and Green set out on an ambitious expansion program and had 26 locations in operation by 1966. The occupancy rate by then was about 85 percent, well above the industry average, and as a result of the overwhelming success, Motel 6 became an attractive acquisition target. Becker and Greene sold the chain to an investment group in 1968.

In the 1970s, the coin-operated black-and-white TVs were replaced by free color TVs that received local over the air channels included plus HBO and later ESPN and CNN at no extra cost. Rooms also have telephones (with free local and toll free calls, and long distance calls charged to a major credit card), towels, soap, and cabinets. Full baths have been added to some recent Motel 6 properties. However, unlike most motel chains today, most rooms do not have hair dryers, shampoo, facial tissues, or clock radios. Free coffee is served in the morning in the motel lobby. Some branches have continental breakfasts. Many locations have a major restaurant chain adjacent to them or even on the property. By the 1980s these rooms cost 25 dollars a night nationwide. In most locations, an outdoor pool is also offered. Motel 6 was sold to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1985, and in 1986 began its now-legendary "We'll leave the light on for you" advertising campaign (see below).

A typical roadside Motel 6 Location
A typical roadside Motel 6 Location

In the 1990s, rates for rooms rose with inflation. Depending on the particular location and season, rooms now cost from $30 to $100 a night, on average, due to inflation through the years - but Motel 6 is still considered one of the nation's lowest-priced lodging chains. Prices are typically advertised on a brightly-lit sign visible from nearby highways; most of its locations are located on or near major interstate highways. Market share began to decline for the first time in part because of increased competition from other budget hotels.

In 1990, the company was bought by the French-based Accor. In 1991, Motel 6 purchased the Regal 8 Motel chain.

Unlike the majority of motel chains, Motel 6 allows pets, and directly owns and operates most of its locations. However, in order to expand more rapidly outside of its traditional Western United States base, the chain did start franchising in 1994. Accor management also took over motels that had previously been franchised by other chains. They also began to renovate all Motel 6 rooms, sold off underperforming locations, and upgraded door locks and other security measures systemwide. At the original Motel 6 locations, all rooms were accessed from outside. Newer properties, as well as acquisitions, have hallways and access to rooms from the inside (some consider this as providing more safety for the guest). Its competitors include Budget Host, Econo Lodge, and Super 8 Motels.

Motel 6 may be best known for a series of light humored radio and television ads featuring the folksy voice of writer Tom Bodett, with the quote "We'll leave the light on for you". The music in the background of the commercials was written by Tom Faulkner and is played on the fiddle by Milo Deering. The song won the 1996 Clio Award.

William Becker died on April 2, 2007, of a heart attack. He was 85 years old.

[edit] Studio 6

Since 1999, Motel 6 also operates Studio 6, a chain of extended stay hotels that offer more amenities and weekly rates. Studio 6 provides a kitchen area in all its rooms, and welcomes children and pets. Studio 6 hotels are located in 15 U.S. states and Canada. Its competitors include Extended Stay Hotels and Choice Hotels' Suburban Extended Stay Hotels.

[edit] Popular culture

  • The band Yo La Tengo wrote and perform a song called From A Motel 6 that is set inside a Motel 6 room. It's evidently a parody--though in title only--of the Bob Dylan song From a Buick 6.
  • In the Simpsons episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts", when the family's house faces demolition for the construction of the Matlock Expressway, Lisa despairs that they will be forced to live in a Motel 6 which Bart counters with the lament that Homer wouldn't be able to afford $6 a night.
  • Justice Sandra Day O'Connor made a mention of Motel 6 in her dissent regarding private property rights in the U.S. Supreme Court's Kelo v. City of New London decision. Justice O'Connor stated "The specter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the State from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory."
  • At Camp Nama, a secret detention, interrogation, and torture facility run by an Army commando unit known as Task Force 6-26, some detainees were held in an area known as Motel 6, consisting of crudely built plywood shacks reeking of urine and excrement.[3]
  • In the 1995 film Jumanji, Kirsten Dunst's character, Judy, comments that she will stay at Motel 6 because her younger brother, Peter, saw a bat in the attic.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0513beckerobit-ON.html
  2. ^ Motel 6 - Company History
  3. ^ Schmitt, Eric; Carolyn Marshall (19 March 2006). "Task Force 6-26: In Secret Unit's 'Black Room,' a Grim Portrait of U.S. Abuse". New York Times. 

[edit] External links

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