-&-
we weren't able to slumber in the abode over night!?!
Which meant we had to locate some place else to lay our sleepy heads!?!
Being a Saturday night we were sure it was going to be very expensive to get a room
-but-
boy were we surprised!?!
We are able to get a room at a
Motel 6 in East Memphis
for a grand total (including tax) of $44.05
can't really beat that price!?!
And, the room wasn't that bad either...it was very clean -&- comfortable...I really liked their choice of bedspreads for some reason...lol!?!
After staying there last night I began to wonder "why" they were named "Motel 6" so I did a little online research -&- this is what I came up with!?!
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.
Motel 6 was founded in 1962 in Santa Barbara, California, by two local building contractors, William Becker and Paul Greene. The partners developed a plan to build motels with rooms at bargain rates. They decided on a $6 USD room rate per night that would cover building costs, land leases, and janitorial supplies; hence the company name "Motel 6".
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 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, though there is a considerable choice of restaurants nearby most properties.
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, plus HBO and later ESPN and CNN at no extra cost. By the 1980s these rooms cost 25 dollars a night nationwide. 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, and free wake-up calls. The chain does not provide extras that might increase costs, like hair dryers, continental breakfasts, or clock radios. But free coffee is served in the morning in the lobby. In most locations, an outdoor pool and a guest laundry are also offered. Many Motel 6 locations now have mini fridges available for an additional daily low rate.
Motel 6 was sold to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1985, and in 1988 began its now-legendary "We'll leave the light on for you" advertising campaign.
Although room rates have risen with inflation, Motel 6 corporate policy states that it will always have the lowest price of any national chain. Depending on the particular location and season, rooms now cost from $29 to $100 a night, on average. 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 declined throughout the 1980s, in part because of increased competition from other budget hotels. The company was bought by the French-based Accor in 1990. 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. Motel 6 also began to renovate all Motel 6 rooms, sold off under performing locations, and upgraded door locks and other security measures system wide. Newer properties, as well as acquisitions, have interior corridors. Its competitors include Budget Host, Econo Lodge, and Super 8 Motels.
"At Motel 6...We'll leave the light on for you"
