Motel
Encyclopedia
A motor hotel, or motel for short, (also known as motor inn, motor court, motel , motor lodge, tourist lodge, cottage court, auto camps, tourist home, tourist cabins, auto cabins or even a auto court) is a hotel
designed for motorists
, and usually has a parking
area for motor vehicles. In the United States, the term is considered somewhat outdated; few motel chains still exist, such as Econo Lodge
, Family Inns of America, and Wigwam Motel
(Motel 6
and Super 8 Hotels are two of the most popular still in existence). Motels peaked in popularity in the 1960s with rising car travel. In the year 2000, the American Hotel-Motel Association removed 'motel' from its name after considerable market research, and is now the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The association felt that the term 'lodging' more accurately reflects the large variety of different style hotels, including luxury and boutique hotels, suites, inns, budget, and extended stay hotels.
Entering dictionaries
after World War II
, the word motel, a portmanteau of motor and hotel or motorists' hotel, referred initially to a type of hotel consisting of a single building of connected rooms whose doors faced a parking lot and, in some circumstances, a common area; or a series of small cabins with common parking. As the United States highway system began to develop in the 1920s, long distance road journeys became more common and the need for inexpensive, easily accessible overnight accommodation sited close to the main routes, led to the growth of the motel concept.
Auto camps predated motels by a few years. Unlike motels, auto camps and tourist courts typically provided bed and breakfast
or hotel-style service, usually with stand-alone cabins. After the introduction of the motel, auto camps continued in popularity through the Depression years and after World War II, their popularity finally starting to diminish with the construction of freeways and changes in consumer demands. Examples include the Rising Sun Auto Camp
in Glacier National Park and Blue Bonnet Court
in Texas. Such facilities were "mom-and-pop"
facilities, on the outskirts of a town, that were as quirky as their owners. The 1935 City Directory for San Diego, CA lists "motel" type accommodations under Tourist Camps.
In contrast, though they remained "Mom and Pop" operations, motels quickly adopted a more homogenized appearance and were designed from the start to cater purely to motorists. The motel concept originated with the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo
, originally called the Milestone Mo-Tel, which was constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heineman. In conceiving of a name for his hotel Heineman abbreviated motor hotel to mo-tel. Many other businesses followed in its footsteps and started building their own auto camps. However, due to the fact that many auto camps was a haven for many crimminals of the 1920s, especially Bonnie and Clyde
, who had a shootout in the infamous Red Crown Tourist Court
, to hide out in. In 1940, J. Edgar Hoover waged what he called "a war against motels." He called motels "camps of crime", and declared that they should be shut down. However, his efforts were futile as motor courts (what motels were called in the 1930s and 1940s), grew in number and popularity.
-The modern campgrounds of the 1920s and 1930s provided running water, picnic grounds and restroom facilities. They also kept those pesky "tin can tourists" out of the farmer's fields.
-Before the 1930s
, auto tourists adapted their cars by adding beds, makeshift kitchens and roof decks. In the 1930s, the first travel trailers became available, and this made camping even more popular. In town, tourist homes were private residences advertising rooms for auto travelers. Unlike boarding houses, guests at tourist homes were usually just passing through. Small comforts were few and far between at cabin camps, which were basically just auto camps with small cabins instead of tents. Travelers in search of modern amenities could find them at cottage courts and tourist courts. Here, the cabins had electricity, indoor bathrooms, and sometimes even a garage or carport. They were arranged in attractive clusters or a U-shape. Often, these camps were part of a larger complex containing a filling station and cafe. When the individual cabins of the tourist court were combined under a single roof, you had the motor court or motor hotel. Some motor courts were beginning to call themselves motels, a term that was coined in 1926 when a motel owner couldn't fit the words "Milestone Motor Hotel" on his sign.
-The first motel chains were born in the 1930s. In 1935, Scott King opened a modern motor court in San Diego. In 1939, he renamed it TraveLodge, and it became the first motel in the TraveLodge (Now Travelodge
) chain. In 1929, Edgar Lee Torrance built the first Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts motel in East Waco, Texas
. In 1931, a second location was opened, and by 1936 there were seven motels in the Alamo chain. The was when motels were called "motor courts" due to building in a "C" shape with a courtyard in the center. Many motels began advertising on colorful neon signs that they had air cooling (a early term for "air conditioning") during the hot summers, or they were heated during the cold winters.
-The 1950s
and 1960s
was the pinnancle of the motel industry in the United States. As older mom-and-pop motor hotels began adding newer amenties such as swimming pools or Color TV(an luxury in the 1950s), motels were built in wild and impressive designs. As many motels vied for their place on busy highways, the beachfront motel instantly became a success. In major beachfront cities such as Miami, Florida
, rows of colorful motels in all shapes and sizes became a commonplace occurence. However with the 1952 introduction of Holiday Inn, plus the construction of the interstate
, many highway motels lost customers as motel chains built along the new highways drew them in instead.
-The 1970s
and 1980s
signaled the age of decline for the motel industry. As motel chains such as Motel 6
and Ramada
became popular, while the independently-owned motels fell to attracting long-term renters and high crime rates. However, many of the motels in tourist towns and cities still were in popularity.
-The 1990s
was the start of interest in decaying motels. As motel chains started to decline, and Holiday Inn moved up to more upscale lodging, the old mom-and-pop motels were renovated and reopened. This continued up to the 2000s
.
motels, especially in the early 1950s, sought more visual distinction, often featuring eye-catching colorful neon
signs which employed themes from popular culture, ranging from Western
imagery of cowboy
s and Indians
to contemporary images of spaceship
s and atomic era
iconography. U.S. Route 66
is the most popular example of the "neon era". Many of these signs remain fully intact to this day.
Motels differ from hotels in their location along highways, as opposed to the urban
cores favored by hotels, and their orientation to the outside (in contrast to hotels whose doors typically face an interior hallway). Motels almost by definition include a parking lot, while older hotels were not usually built with automobile parking in mind.
's Holiday Inn
of America , the mom-and-pop motels of that era started to decline. The emergence of the interstate highway system, along with other factors, such as the development of the motel chain, led to a blurring of the motel and the hotel, though family-owned motels with as few as five rooms may still be found, especially along older highways. Another important note is that, with the emergence of the interstate, many older motels further away from the interstate became abandoned due to lost clientele.
In the late 20th century, a majority of motels in the United States came under the ownership of people of Indian descent, particularly Gujaratis
.
dated from the 60's and earlier, were razed for development, especially along many older highways. It was then that concern over preservation of the old lodging establishments came into view. Many motels that were abandoned were then renovated and reopened to customers as either low-income housing, a boutique hotel
, apartments, or was simply restored as a motel. Along the famous Lincoln Highway
and the even more infamous U.S. Route 66
, many historic motels were restored to their former glory. Many of these renovated vintage motels, some dating back to the 1930s, have been successful to being added on the National Register of Historic Places
listing. The process of renovating and reopening continues to the present, as more motels are being bought and renovated. Since 1998, over 1400 formerly abandoned and/or run down motels were restored and reopened, some of which were on the brink of demolition.
s or efficienies, or a motel room with a kitchen. However, even though most of these establishments that were previously called motels may still look like motels, most are now called hotels, inns, lodges, etc.
The Bates Motel is an important part of Psycho, a 1959 novel by Robert Bloch
and Alfred Hitchcock
's 1960 film, Psycho
. Film sequels, Psycho II and Psycho III
, also feature the motel as does the 1987 television movie
, Bates Motel
. The motel makes appearances in Psycho IV: The Beginning
, but is not featured as much as in previous films. The Bates Motel returned to prominence in the 1998 remake
of the original film.
The scenario of an isolated motel being operated by a serial killer, whose guests subsequently become victims, has been exploited in a number of other horror films, notably Motel Hell
(1980) and Mountaintop Motel Massacre (1986). More recently, the genre has been revived with such films as Mayhem Motel (2001), Murder Inn (2005), Vacancy
(2007), and its direct-to-video prequel, Vacancy 2: The First Cut (2009).
Several of these horror films also incorporate the sub-theme of voyeurism, whereby the motel owner spies on (or even films) the sexual exploits of the guests. This plays on the long-established connotations of motels and illicit sexual activity, which has itself formed the basis for numerous other films, variously representing the thriller, comedy, teen film and sexploitation genres. Stephen C. Apostolof's Motel Confidential (1967) and the porn film Motel for Lovers (1970) were two notable early examples. More recent manifestations include Paradise Motel (1985), Talking Walls (1987), Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel
(1991) and the Korean films Motel Cactus (1997) and The Motel
(2005).
In countless other movies and TV series, the motel - invariably depicted as an isolated, rundown and seedy establishment - has served as the setting for sordid events often involving equally sordid characters. Examples include Pink Motel (1982), Motel Blue 19 (1993), Backroad Motel (2001), Stateline Motel (2003), Niagara Motel (2006) and Motel 5150 (2008). In the film Sparkle Lite Motel (2006) and the TV miniseries The Lost Room
(2006), the motel made forays into the realms of science fiction.
In the theatre, the seedy motel room has been the setting for two-hander
plays, Same Time, Next Year
(1975) and Bug
(2006). Both were later adapted as films. Broadway musicals have also paid homage to the lowbrow reputation of motel culture, demonstrated by songs such as 'The No-Tel Motel' from Prettybelle
and 'At the Bed-D-by Motel' from Lolita, My Love
.
, prostitution
, or other serious crimes. These motels would have daily to monthly rates.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
designed for motorists
Driving
Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus.Although direct operation of a bicycle and a mounted animal are commonly referred to as riding, such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road...
, and usually has a parking
Parking
Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...
area for motor vehicles. In the United States, the term is considered somewhat outdated; few motel chains still exist, such as Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge
Econo Lodge is an economy motel chain based in the United States and Canada. Econo Lodge is the second largest brand in the Choice Hotels system. It is one of the best known brands in its category and aims to provide affordable rooms to budget travelers. Econo Lodge properties contain a minimum of...
, Family Inns of America, and Wigwam Motel
Wigwam Motel
The Wigwam Motels, also known as the "Wigwam Villages", is a motel chain in the United States in which the rooms are built in the form of teepees, hence the name "wigwam". It originally had seven different locations: two locations in Kentucky, a location in Alabama, another location in Florida, one...
(Motel 6
Motel 6
Motel 6 is a major chain of budget motels with more than 1,000 locations in the United States and Canada, and is the largest owned and operated hotel chain in North America. It is owned and operated by Accor Hotels.-History:...
and Super 8 Hotels are two of the most popular still in existence). Motels peaked in popularity in the 1960s with rising car travel. In the year 2000, the American Hotel-Motel Association removed 'motel' from its name after considerable market research, and is now the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The association felt that the term 'lodging' more accurately reflects the large variety of different style hotels, including luxury and boutique hotels, suites, inns, budget, and extended stay hotels.
Entering dictionaries
Dictionary
A dictionary is a collection of words in one or more specific languages, often listed alphabetically, with usage information, definitions, etymologies, phonetics, pronunciations, and other information; or a book of words in one language with their equivalents in another, also known as a lexicon...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the word motel, a portmanteau of motor and hotel or motorists' hotel, referred initially to a type of hotel consisting of a single building of connected rooms whose doors faced a parking lot and, in some circumstances, a common area; or a series of small cabins with common parking. As the United States highway system began to develop in the 1920s, long distance road journeys became more common and the need for inexpensive, easily accessible overnight accommodation sited close to the main routes, led to the growth of the motel concept.
History
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
or hotel-style service, usually with stand-alone cabins. After the introduction of the motel, auto camps continued in popularity through the Depression years and after World War II, their popularity finally starting to diminish with the construction of freeways and changes in consumer demands. Examples include the Rising Sun Auto Camp
Rising Sun Auto Camp
The Rising Sun Auto Camp, also known as the Roes Creek Auto Camp and the East Glacier Auto Camp preserves a portion of the built-up area of Glacier National Park that documents the second phase of tourist development in the park...
in Glacier National Park and Blue Bonnet Court
Blue Bonnet Court
The Blue Bonnet Court, originally called the Bluebonnet Tourist Camp, is a historic motor court-style motel in north-central Austin, Texas. Built in 1928-1929 by Joe and Elizabeth Lucas, the motel is situated on the northwestern corner of the Hyde Park subdivision along what was then the main road...
in Texas. Such facilities were "mom-and-pop"
Small business
A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...
facilities, on the outskirts of a town, that were as quirky as their owners. The 1935 City Directory for San Diego, CA lists "motel" type accommodations under Tourist Camps.
Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo
Created in 1925 by Arthur Heineman, the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo is the first motel in the world. It is located in San Luis Obispo, California.- Concept :...
, originally called the Milestone Mo-Tel, which was constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heineman. In conceiving of a name for his hotel Heineman abbreviated motor hotel to mo-tel. Many other businesses followed in its footsteps and started building their own auto camps. However, due to the fact that many auto camps was a haven for many crimminals of the 1920s, especially Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
, who had a shootout in the infamous Red Crown Tourist Court
Red Crown Tourist Court
The Red Crown Tavern and Red Crown Tourist Court in Platte County, Missouri was the site of the July 20, 1933 gun battle between lawmen and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde and three members of their gang. The outlaws made their escape, but would be tracked down and cornered four days later near Dexter,...
, to hide out in. In 1940, J. Edgar Hoover waged what he called "a war against motels." He called motels "camps of crime", and declared that they should be shut down. However, his efforts were futile as motor courts (what motels were called in the 1930s and 1940s), grew in number and popularity.
Timeline of Motels
-The first campgrounds automobile tourists were constructed in the late 1910s. Before that, tourists who couldn't afford to stay in a hotel either slept in their cars or pitched their tents in fields alongside the road. These were called auto camps.-The modern campgrounds of the 1920s and 1930s provided running water, picnic grounds and restroom facilities. They also kept those pesky "tin can tourists" out of the farmer's fields.
-Before the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
, auto tourists adapted their cars by adding beds, makeshift kitchens and roof decks. In the 1930s, the first travel trailers became available, and this made camping even more popular. In town, tourist homes were private residences advertising rooms for auto travelers. Unlike boarding houses, guests at tourist homes were usually just passing through. Small comforts were few and far between at cabin camps, which were basically just auto camps with small cabins instead of tents. Travelers in search of modern amenities could find them at cottage courts and tourist courts. Here, the cabins had electricity, indoor bathrooms, and sometimes even a garage or carport. They were arranged in attractive clusters or a U-shape. Often, these camps were part of a larger complex containing a filling station and cafe. When the individual cabins of the tourist court were combined under a single roof, you had the motor court or motor hotel. Some motor courts were beginning to call themselves motels, a term that was coined in 1926 when a motel owner couldn't fit the words "Milestone Motor Hotel" on his sign.
-The first motel chains were born in the 1930s. In 1935, Scott King opened a modern motor court in San Diego. In 1939, he renamed it TraveLodge, and it became the first motel in the TraveLodge (Now Travelodge
Travelodge
Travelodge refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and Australia...
) chain. In 1929, Edgar Lee Torrance built the first Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts motel in East Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. In 1931, a second location was opened, and by 1936 there were seven motels in the Alamo chain. The was when motels were called "motor courts" due to building in a "C" shape with a courtyard in the center. Many motels began advertising on colorful neon signs that they had air cooling (a early term for "air conditioning") during the hot summers, or they were heated during the cold winters.
-The 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
was the pinnancle of the motel industry in the United States. As older mom-and-pop motor hotels began adding newer amenties such as swimming pools or Color TV(an luxury in the 1950s), motels were built in wild and impressive designs. As many motels vied for their place on busy highways, the beachfront motel instantly became a success. In major beachfront cities such as Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, rows of colorful motels in all shapes and sizes became a commonplace occurence. However with the 1952 introduction of Holiday Inn, plus the construction of the interstate
Interstate
An Interstate is a type of high-speed, limited-access highway in the United StatesInterstate may also refer to:-Media:*Interstate 60 , a metaphysical comedy/drama road film...
, many highway motels lost customers as motel chains built along the new highways drew them in instead.
-The 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
and 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
signaled the age of decline for the motel industry. As motel chains such as Motel 6
Motel 6
Motel 6 is a major chain of budget motels with more than 1,000 locations in the United States and Canada, and is the largest owned and operated hotel chain in North America. It is owned and operated by Accor Hotels.-History:...
and Ramada
Ramada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
became popular, while the independently-owned motels fell to attracting long-term renters and high crime rates. However, many of the motels in tourist towns and cities still were in popularity.
-The 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
was the start of interest in decaying motels. As motel chains started to decline, and Holiday Inn moved up to more upscale lodging, the old mom-and-pop motels were renovated and reopened. This continued up to the 2000s
2000s
File:2000s decade montage3.png|From left, clockwise: The World Trade Center towers, in the wake of the September 11 attacks; the Euro enters into European currency in 2002; a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled during the Iraq War; U.S. troops heading toward an army helicopter during the War in...
.
Layout
Motels are typically constructed in an 'I'- or 'L'- or 'U'-shaped layout that includes guest rooms, an attached manager's office, a small reception and, in most motels, a swimming pool, some cases, a small diner. A motel could range from a small single story to a 6 floor high rise. formThe Post-warPost-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
motels, especially in the early 1950s, sought more visual distinction, often featuring eye-catching colorful neon
Neon
Neon is the chemical element that has the symbol Ne and an atomic number of 10. Although a very common element in the universe, it is rare on Earth. A colorless, inert noble gas under standard conditions, neon gives a distinct reddish-orange glow when used in either low-voltage neon glow lamps or...
signs which employed themes from popular culture, ranging from Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
imagery of cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s and Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
to contemporary images of spaceship
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
s and atomic era
Atomic Age
The Atomic Age, also known as the Atomic Era, is a phrase typically used to delineate the period of history following the detonation of the first nuclear bomb Trinity on July 16, 1945...
iconography. U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
is the most popular example of the "neon era". Many of these signs remain fully intact to this day.
Motels differ from hotels in their location along highways, as opposed to the urban
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
cores favored by hotels, and their orientation to the outside (in contrast to hotels whose doors typically face an interior hallway). Motels almost by definition include a parking lot, while older hotels were not usually built with automobile parking in mind.
Decline
With the 1952 introduction of Kemmons WilsonKemmons Wilson
Charles Kemmons Wilson was the founder of the Holiday Inn chain of hotels.-Personal life:He was born in Osceola, Arkansas, the only child of Kemmons and Ruby "Doll" Wilson. His father was an insurance salesman who died when Kemmons was nine months old...
's Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
of America , the mom-and-pop motels of that era started to decline. The emergence of the interstate highway system, along with other factors, such as the development of the motel chain, led to a blurring of the motel and the hotel, though family-owned motels with as few as five rooms may still be found, especially along older highways. Another important note is that, with the emergence of the interstate, many older motels further away from the interstate became abandoned due to lost clientele.
In the late 20th century, a majority of motels in the United States came under the ownership of people of Indian descent, particularly Gujaratis
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
.
Comeback
From the 1980s to the 1990s, many motels in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dated from the 60's and earlier, were razed for development, especially along many older highways. It was then that concern over preservation of the old lodging establishments came into view. Many motels that were abandoned were then renovated and reopened to customers as either low-income housing, a boutique hotel
Boutique hotel
Boutique hotel is a term popularized in North America and the United Kingdom to describe intimate, usually luxurious or unique hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized accommodation and services / facilities...
, apartments, or was simply restored as a motel. Along the famous Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
and the even more infamous U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
, many historic motels were restored to their former glory. Many of these renovated vintage motels, some dating back to the 1930s, have been successful to being added on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
listing. The process of renovating and reopening continues to the present, as more motels are being bought and renovated. Since 1998, over 1400 formerly abandoned and/or run down motels were restored and reopened, some of which were on the brink of demolition.
Long-term
Motels/hotels with low rates sometimes serve as housing for people who are not able to afford an apartment or have recently lost their home and need somewhere to stay until further arrangements are made. Motels catering to long-term stays often have kitchenetteKitchenette
A kitchenette is a small cooking area.In motel and hotel rooms, small apartments, college dormitories, or office buildings a kitchenette usually consists of a small refrigerator, a microwave oven or hotplate, and, less frequently, a sink...
s or efficienies, or a motel room with a kitchen. However, even though most of these establishments that were previously called motels may still look like motels, most are now called hotels, inns, lodges, etc.
Film, TV and stage depictions
Robert Bloch
Robert Albert Bloch was a prolific American writer, primarily of crime, horror and science fiction. He is best known as the writer of Psycho, the basis for the film of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock...
and Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's 1960 film, Psycho
Psycho (1960 film)
Psycho is a 1960 American suspense/psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. The film is based on the screenplay by Joseph Stefano, who adapted it from the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch...
. Film sequels, Psycho II and Psycho III
Psycho III
Psycho III is a 1986 sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. The film stars Anthony Perkins , Diana Scarwid, Jeff Fahey and Roberta Maxwell. The screenplay is written by Charles Edward Pogue...
, also feature the motel as does the 1987 television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, Bates Motel
Bates Motel
Bates Motel is a 1987 television movie about Alex West, a mentally disturbed youth who was committed to an asylum after killing his abusive stepfather. There he befriends Norman Bates and ends up inheriting the infamous Bates Motel.-Plot:...
. The motel makes appearances in Psycho IV: The Beginning
Psycho IV: The Beginning
Psycho IV: The Beginning is a 1990 made-for-cable-television horror film that serves as both the third sequel and a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho, as it includes both events after Psycho III while focusing on flashbacks of events that took place prior to the original film...
, but is not featured as much as in previous films. The Bates Motel returned to prominence in the 1998 remake
Psycho (1998 film)
Psycho is a 1998 American horror film produced and directed by Gus Van Sant for Universal Pictures, a remake of the 1960 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock...
of the original film.
The scenario of an isolated motel being operated by a serial killer, whose guests subsequently become victims, has been exploited in a number of other horror films, notably Motel Hell
Motel Hell
Motel Hell is a 1980 horror comedy film directed by Kevin Connor and starring Rory Calhoun as farmer, butcher, and meat entrepreneur Vincent Smith...
(1980) and Mountaintop Motel Massacre (1986). More recently, the genre has been revived with such films as Mayhem Motel (2001), Murder Inn (2005), Vacancy
Vacancy (film)
Vacancy is a 2007 American horror film, starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. It was distributed by Screen Gems and was released on April 20, 2007. Production was scheduled to commence in August 2006 with Nimród Antal signing on to direct it....
(2007), and its direct-to-video prequel, Vacancy 2: The First Cut (2009).
Several of these horror films also incorporate the sub-theme of voyeurism, whereby the motel owner spies on (or even films) the sexual exploits of the guests. This plays on the long-established connotations of motels and illicit sexual activity, which has itself formed the basis for numerous other films, variously representing the thriller, comedy, teen film and sexploitation genres. Stephen C. Apostolof's Motel Confidential (1967) and the porn film Motel for Lovers (1970) were two notable early examples. More recent manifestations include Paradise Motel (1985), Talking Walls (1987), Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel
Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel
Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel is a 1992 neo-noir black comedy written and directed by Alien Castle. The film stars Sherilyn Fenn, Whip Hubley, David Hewlett, David Johansen and Paul Bartel.-Plot:...
(1991) and the Korean films Motel Cactus (1997) and The Motel
The Motel (film)
The Motel is the debut feature from director Michael Kang. The film won the Humanitas Prize in the Sundance Film Festival category, and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature....
(2005).
In countless other movies and TV series, the motel - invariably depicted as an isolated, rundown and seedy establishment - has served as the setting for sordid events often involving equally sordid characters. Examples include Pink Motel (1982), Motel Blue 19 (1993), Backroad Motel (2001), Stateline Motel (2003), Niagara Motel (2006) and Motel 5150 (2008). In the film Sparkle Lite Motel (2006) and the TV miniseries The Lost Room
The Lost Room
The Lost Room is a science fiction television miniseries that aired on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States. The series revolves around the titular room and some of the everyday items from that room which possess unusual powers. The show's protagonist, Joe Miller, is searching for these objects...
(2006), the motel made forays into the realms of science fiction.
In the theatre, the seedy motel room has been the setting for two-hander
Two-hander
Two-hander is a term for a play, movie, or television programme with only two main characters. The two characters in question often display differences in social standing or experiences, differences that are explored and possibly overcome as the story unfolds....
plays, Same Time, Next Year
Same Time, Next Year
Same Time, Next Year is 1975 comedy play by Bernard Slade. The plot focuses on two people, married to others, who meet for a romantic tryst once a year for two dozen years.-Plot:...
(1975) and Bug
Bug (play)
Bug is a play by American playwright Tracy Letts. It was adapted into a film in 2006.- Synopsis :Most of the play takes place in a seedy motel room. Lonely cocktail waitress Agnes lives there, hiding from her violent ex-con ex-husband Jerry Goss. One night, her lesbian biker friend R.C. introduces...
(2006). Both were later adapted as films. Broadway musicals have also paid homage to the lowbrow reputation of motel culture, demonstrated by songs such as 'The No-Tel Motel' from Prettybelle
Prettybelle
Prettybelle is a musical with a book and lyrics by Bob Merrill and music by Jule Styne.Adapted from the Jean Arnold novel of the same name, its central character is a Southern woman who, long abused by her recently deceased law officer husband, turns to alcohol for comfort, becomes a nymphomaniac...
and 'At the Bed-D-by Motel' from Lolita, My Love
Lolita, My Love
Lolita, My Love was an unsuccessful musical by John Barry and Alan Jay Lerner, based on Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita. It closed in Boston in 1971 while on a tour prior to Broadway.-Production history:...
.
Legal problems
Motels have also served as a haven for fugitives from the law. In the past, the anonymity and a simple registration process helped fugitives to remain ahead of the law. However, several changes have reduced the capacity of motels to serve this purpose. Credit card transactions, which in the past were more easily approved and took days to report, are now approved or declined on the spot and are instantly recorded in a database, thereby allowing law enforcement access to this information. Some motels that are located in low-income areas may be places of high crime rates, such as drugsDRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, or other serious crimes. These motels would have daily to monthly rates.
External links
- Motel Americana - a page devoted to history, narratives, and design of postwar motels
- "Motel Memories" - from the Oct. 9 - Oct. 15, 1997 issue of Tucson Weekly
- Motel Signs - A collection of motel signs from around the US
- Motel Directory - A directory of motels from around the US
- WIGWAM Motel - Classic Route 66 Roadside attraction motel built in 1949 and operates as a motel 'til this day.
- USA Today Article: Old Style Motels Phasing Out