The year was 1962. John F. Kennedy was in the White House, the New York Mets held their inaugural—and historically bad—first season and “The Beverly Hillbillies” was the No. 1 TV show in the country. In Santa Barbara, CA, William Becker and Paul Greene, two local building contractors, developed a plan to build motels with rooms at low-cost rates.
They decided on a $6 room rate per night, which would cover building costs, land leases and janitorial supplies. Sixty years later—although the price per night has gone up—Motel 6 is still a leader in the economy lodging segment.
The first Motel 6 opened in Santa Barbara, CA, in 1962. It underwent renovations in 2020.
Motel 6 is the largest standalone brand in the economy segment with more than 1,400 Motel 6 and Studio 6 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Its brands now include the classic Motel 6, Studio 6 Extended Stay and Studio 6 Suites.
“I’m thrilled to be celebrating this milestone with our team members and owners around the country,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO, G6 Hospitality, the parent company of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. “We have come a long way over the last six decades, and I am incredibly proud of where we are today. Thanks to their fearlessness and loyalty to the brand, we stand as strong as ever.”
The two founders were road-trip enthusiasts, according to Palleschi. “Motel 6 started in response to a simple yet unmet need: provide consistently affordable, clean and comfortable lodging,” he said. “Six decades ago, the economy lodging segment was born thanks to this vision and, today, Motel 6 is one of the most recognizable brands in the United States.”
Rob Palleschi G6 Hospitality
According to the book, “The Motel in America,” by John A. Jakle, Keith A. Sculle and Jefferson S. Rogers, the founders specialized in building low-cost housing developments, and they wanted to provide an alternative to other major hotel chains, whose locations were becoming increasingly upscale in quality and price in the 1960s, after starting out with a budget-oriented concept. They spent two years formulating their business model and searched for ways to cut costs as much as possible. During the chain’s early years, rooms featured coin-operated black-and-white television receivers instead of the free color televisions found in the more expensive motels, along with functional interior decor, to reduce the time it took to clean the rooms.
“For 60 years, Motel 6 has been committed to leaving the lights on for budget-conscious travelers who are often underserved in the travel industry,” said the CEO. “We were founded on the concept that everyone has the right to travel, and we remain committed to providing that welcoming place to rest today.”
He said that concept remains paramount to the company. “We continue to focus on value and quality, offering our guests what is important to them—a clean, comfortable place to rest, where kids and pets always stay free. We also look to deliver strong ongoing support for our franchisees on the ground through our Lightkeeper training, which is designed to help them excel in their roles.”
The company is acknowledging the anniversary in a variety of ways—especially highlighting everyone involved with bringing the company to what it is today. “We are celebrating this milestone by looking back on the years with fondness, admiring where we have been and looking forward to where we are headed,” he said. “I recently expressed my pride and gratitude for both our team members and our guests [through a video], knowing that we could not be where we are today without them. We are also honoring our 60th anniversary by recognizing the hard work and dedication our owners bring each and every day. Our shared values make them great partners in fulfilling our brand promise.”
Motel 6 has grown from its original location in Santa Barbara, CA, to more than 1,400 properties today.
While the company is celebrating its history of success, it is also looking to the future, including making the transition to a fully franchised model this year. “As we embark on this new journey, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of remaining true to our value proposition—for guests, that simple promise of clean, comfortable and affordable, and for owners, low-cost, easy-to-use tools that help them drive revenue and profitability,” said Palleschi.
He said the company will also remain committed to its values to build a better world. “As we look at our next 60 years, we remain committed to our ESG [environmental, social and governance] priorities and will continue many indispensable partnerships within our communities with a focus on veterans, racial justice, anti-human trafficking, underserved youth and disaster relief.”
The company is also committed to growing in the extended-stay segment. “I’m also excited for what’s to come as it relates to the extended-stay segment and our Studio 6 brand,” said Palleschi. “As one of the largest franchised brands in the segment, demand is currently outpacing supply, and we are thrilled to continue to explore growth in this sector.”
Through the years
Some of the highlights from Motel 6’s 60-year history include:
1962
The first Motel 6 opens in Santa Barbara, CA, welcoming guests for the low price of $6 per night.
1986
Tom Bodett begins role as official spokesman, coining the phrase, “We’ll leave the light on for you.”
1990
Accor S.A. acquires Motel 6 and begins renovations and upgrades throughout the portfolio.
1994
Expansion accelerated by adopting the franchise model with its first franchise location in Williams, AZ.
1999
Studio 6, the economy, extended-stay lodging brand, launches its first location, in El Paso, TX (there are 162 locations today).
2000
Motel 6 begins international expansion, opening its first location outside the U.S. in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
2011
Motel 6’s 1,000th property opens in Cleburne, TX.
2012
Blackstone acquires Motel 6 from Accor S.A. and begins the most recent era of transformation. G6 Hospitality is formed.
2022
Motel 6 is the last remaining scaled and privately owned hotel brand in the economy space, with more than 1,400 franchise-owned properties across the 49 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces, serving more than five million guests annually. Two in five of these guests are repeat guests.
