It's Time To Reconsider Motel 6

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed)
May 27th 2010 at 8:02AM

Confession: When Motel 6 won a design award from Travel + Leisure earlier this year, I was a bit skeptical. Really, how nice can a room that costs less than $50 a night really be? Besides which, Motel 6 has been my standard hotel design denigration metaphor for years -- I even used it recently in this description of Silversea's Silver Spirit.

I suppose I'll have to stop doing that, with all due apologies to Motel 6. The hotel started its "Phoenix" redesign program in 2008, which it's now rolling out across its more than 1,000 locations, including the very first Motel 6, which opened in Santa Barbara, California in 1962 and is still in business today. I recently stopped by that location to take a look at the new rooms, and I must say that I thought the whole thing was rather brilliant.

London design firm Priestmangoode went with a Scandinavian-style approach, and as any IKEA devotee knows, Scandinavian design stands up well to low, low budgets.

Accor, which owns Motel 6, describes the rooms this way:

The "Phoenix" design features wood-effect flooring, ambient lighting, settee area for two, and a 32-inch flat-screen TV. The entertainment unit which houses the TV conceals the door-less wardrobe behind it, combining two needs into one unit...the modern bathroom features double doors, black granite counter top with a vessel/raised sink, a walk-in shower and a large vanity area.

My take: getting rid of dubious carpeting in favor of "wood-effect" flooring was a good move. The linens were a notch above what I'd expect at a motel, which is to say, don't expect high thread count or Egyptian cotton, but you may be able to tolerate the feel of the sheets and towels. To me, the bathroom is usually the worst part of any budget hotel room, but it was not overlooked. I actually loved the cunning yellow towel cubby built in to the mirror.

Gallery: The First Motel 6 in Santa Barbara, Redesigned

Sitting Area, with Flat Screen TV/Wardrobe

When the Santa Barbara Motel 6 opened in 1962, room cost $6 a night. Reflecting the tony area, rooms now start at $69.99 a night, midweek single occupancy, which puts it on the pricier side for this no-frills hotel chain, although well below the average for hotels in the area.

I don't know about you, but I find it comforting to know that if there's ever a time when my travel circumstances are much reduced, at least I won't have to sacrifice good design.

Tags: hotels, Motel6, motels, redesign

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

rwayne52 May 27th 2010 8:55AM

A few days after being comped a suite in the Bellagio, I over paid for two nights in a Motel 6 near a family reunion. It was your typical well worn cheap motel experience except that it was clean and functional, the staff were friendly though poorly trained.

Fortunately I had kept some Bellagio soaps and shampoos. Unfortunately I did not keep any Bellagio towels.

If necessary I would stay in a Motel 6 again without complaining, hopefully it would be a redesigned one in Santa Barbara.

Tom May 27th 2010 12:09PM

Where is this author finding any motel for less than $50 per night? (Especially in CA.)

The only one I have found in the last few years was a very nice 3-story Motel 6 in Brownsville, TX. It was $49.11, was very clean, and the staff people were extremely efficient.
It's right on the major highway (77) near downtown, and is close to restaurants and convenience stores. I'd recommend it to anyone traveling that way.

I don't travel nearly as much for business as I used to, but find that most motels start at about $70 and go up from there.
Many exceed $100.

What really irks me is that, in major cities, motels/hotels tack on a 12% "entertainment" tax and another 15% tax to pay for the city's new sports stadium.
Heck....., I'm there for business; not to watch some ball game.
(The same holds true for rental cars.)

Given the nature of my travel, I have, at times, asked for an exemption of the additional ridiculous taxes.
As you might imagine, I was about laughed out of the lobby.

I am most familiar with motels in Houston.
Their billboard ads on the interstate advertise $48 rates.
However....., when you try to check in, you'll be told that the rate is restricted to 2 rooms and they are already booked.
Freaking, lying, camel bangers and their misleading ads!

jawsfll May 27th 2010 12:51PM

I travel quite a bit for pleasure and make it my business to stop at Motel 6, whenever I can. I've paid 30 something many times and gotten wonderful service from the staff and the motel provides the necessities that I need to sleep, shower and move on. It works and I've been all over the country and find the places that have Motel 6 on my itinerary. I've worn out many a directory and look forward to the new image. I'm a fan.

kthannisch May 27th 2010 12:24PM

The photos were encouraging, however, when I see wrinkled blankets and sheets I have to truly wonder about just improved they really are. I have woken up in the morning with a bruise in the shape of the inner spring mattress on my hip. Sorry, all the visible upgrades in the world will not undo poor mattresses, bad pillows and wrinkled bedding.

jan May 27th 2010 12:44PM

are there smoking tooms one first flppr and pet friendly..and are they good for handicap...

Pat May 27th 2010 12:49PM

While traveling I would stay at motel 6, Until I stayed in Wheatridge Co and found hair in the sheets where they haven't been changed. no remodeling will repair that. You get what you pay for.

TLC May 27th 2010 12:55PM

I stay at Motel 6 almost everytime I travel. I can find a nice clean working room form $25 to $70. depending on where I travel to.
A few months ago while traveling with a friend we stayed at a Quality Inn and never again will I pay that kind of money for a room. (We were limited on hotels due to some military graduation) The room was horrid. Bath tub had a big hole in it and was covered with duct tape. The toilet overflowed and flooded the room. When they came to clean up the water we were told we had to leave the room. Our stuff was thrown on the floor, medication was stolen, we had booked the room for 2 nights but checked out right away. We complained to the manager who did nothing. We called Quality Inn customer service and they did nothing.
Needless to say I will book Motel 6 when ever I can even if I have to travel a few miles from my destination.

Ali May 28th 2010 7:54PM

The remodeled Motel 6s that I have stayed in are nice enough. Now, if they would just stop charging for the internet access! But, I have found that you can actually get a nicer hotel for the same price for 2 people if you go through hotwire which is the first site I go to when I travel. I use Motel 6 as a last resort and only the remodeled ones.

EF May 27th 2010 1:28PM

Sorry - I don't care if they make them look like the Hilton, I will not stay at a Motel 6 again. Just last month stayed at a Motel 6 outside of Columbus, OH for a national wrestling tournament that my grandson was participating in. When we arrived (at nearly midnight) to the room the toilet was clogged and did not work. This was reported to the front desk. Did not receive any service. Had to go to a convenient store across the street to use the facilities ! Attended the (wrestling) event the next day - upon arrival to the room the room had not been serviced at all - beds not made, and the toilet was still clogged.
This was all reported to the manager and all we got was a "sorry for any inconvenience", well this went way beyond inconvenience.

TodayLA09 May 27th 2010 1:35PM

$49.00 a night in Santa Barbara? I know this Motel 6 and it's a half a block away from the beach and it's always booked. More like $100.00+ a night, good deal if you can score it because all the other hotel are $300.00+ a night. And where's the carpet? The last time I booked this hotel for out of state guests, they complained the whole time. Another thing, the pool heater is always broken.

AT May 27th 2010 1:59PM

I definitely "reconsidered" Motel 6 in March when I flew into Phoenix and drove to Eloy near an event I was attending. I have been using Days Inns for the most part, but this Motel 6 was recommended because a pleasant restaurant was adjacent. I had forgotten to pack any shampoo. NONE IN THE MOTEL 6 ROOM!How cheap can you get? The desk had none, not even an apology. Next morning I drove across the highway to -- of course! -- the Days Inn who happily GAVE me a few at no charge. Their room rate was about the same as the Motel 6. So reconsidering, as we are here, my absolute LAST CHOICE from now on is Motel 6. Their TV line-up lacked my choices too. Days Inn had them.

Genie E May 30th 2010 12:57AM

We recently stayed at Motel 6 in Kelso, Wash. $60 wasted! It was awful. The bed was small and lumpy. There were no shelves, tables or dressers to put anything on. Not even in the bathroom. And it smelled terrible, like cat pee.

bird May 27th 2010 2:38PM

... that's nice and all, but those pictures are not from the first Motel 6. The first Motel 6 is at 443 Corona Del Mar, and the picture of the sign featured above is the outside of the Motel 6 at 3505 State Street.

Tim Orris May 28th 2010 11:59AM

I am in hotels 360 nights a year, and motel 6 about 30 nights a year. If you are looking for a jacuzzi and bottled water this is not the place. But if you are traveling on business , most are one flooror if more than i floor have elevator. I lovr the big desk space in the rooms and the wide comfortable cairs. , pick up the coupon books at rest stops, truck stops, Dennys , and Shoneys and room rate drops below50. every place below Washington DC.
What jacks rates up are idiotic taxes ,Sales tax, hospitality tax, convention center tax, sports authority assesment, tourism advisory board tax, county, and city tax. worst states for add ontaxes are NewYork, Conn., Mass. R.I. NJ. MD. Some combined taxes come close to total of room rent. Yesterday I found a school/libary fee of 3.70 this makes no sense.

LAMAR C CHAPMAN III Jun 1st 2010 12:11PM

HEY AMERICA!!!!!

Even if Tom Bodett left the lights on, I couldn't find any reason why I would want to stay in a Motel 6. Upscale? Please!

Lamar C. Chapman III

LifeTravelStyle Jun 1st 2010 9:55PM

I actually stayed at the beachfront Motel 6 in Santa Barbara when I went on a surprise trip with my best friends. Needless to say, our friendship was damaged, and it still hasn't recovered. Customer service was pretty pleasant, but the cost cutting was too much to bear. We also stayed at a Motel 6 in Hollywood (can you see why the friendship started to lose it's luster?) and in both cases the toilet clogged. When my friend called the front desk to request a plunger, she had to walk down there to get it herself. I don't expect to have my hand held, but they could have sent someone to see that everything was okay - the property is their investment. Also in both cases, there was ONE IRON for the entire motel. In Hollywood we had to wait on it while someone else returned it to the front desk, and in Santa Barbara, the same friend left some collateral at the desk (don't remember what) in order to use it. Crazy!