What's the difference between a hotel and a motel?

Answer 1

A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging, usually on a short-term basis. Hotels often provide a number of additional guest services such as a restaurant, a swimming pool or childcare. Some hotels have conference services and meeting rooms and encourage groups to hold conventions and meetings at their location.

A motel is basically a motorist's hotel and usually refers to a single building or connected rooms around a parking lot. They grew in popularity after WWII in the US after the creation of the interstate highway system that allowed easy cross-country travel.

Motels differed from hotels in their emphasis on largely anonymous interactions between owners and occupants, their location along highways (as opposed to urban centres), and their orientation to the outside (in contrast to hotels whose doors typically face an interior hallway). Motels almost by definition included a parking lot, while older hotels were not built with automobile parking in mind.

Answer 2

Hotels are more expensive to stay in
Think of motel & then remember "Roach Motel"
To Compare:
Hotels will offer you star ratings for their establishments, so when looking for the nicest hotel you would look for a "5 Star" hotel, for example, any "Ritz Carlton" or the "Waldorf Astoria" are going to be the creme de' la creme of the hotels - their amenities & conceriege services are impeccable....

Motels are considerably cheaper & are very low in standards regarding rating purposes, for example, "Motel 6" is actually one of the more reputable chains, due to its well-known cheaper prices, but it is still a motel & does not have the same flare as a hotel....

For cross crountry trips you can't beat a quick, cheaper motel for a fast one-nighter, when you're just there to get some rest, but to enjoy the elegance of being away from home when traveling, then a hotel is the way to go....

Answer 3

A motel is more car oriented. The idea began in the 1950s to just drive up and park at your door rather than in a central parking and through a hotel lobby. Motel = MOtor hoTEL.

Answer 4

This is just my impression from traveling. I could be wrong.

Hotel: might have a gym, pool. Possibly maid service, etc. etc. Basically a full service stay, likely with a bar or resturaunt inside. Probably a little cozier than a motel. You will see lucky or well off businessmen, upper middle class (and higher) families staying here before flying to *insert expensive destination here* and the occasional convention attendee.

Motel: cheap stay, at best has a tv with standard cable stations (maybe internet too). Fancy motels also offer free ice! You will see lonely ramblers, traveling salesmen and minivans with families on vacation staying here.

Answer 5

You have to walk through the lobby in a hotel to get to your room and a motel has the doors to the rooms on the outside!

Answer 6

A motel is usually a single or two floor structure with outside access to the rooms. A hotel is a structure with many floors with room access from a hallway.

Answer 7

hotels, you have to go inside to get to the room, but motels, you are outside when you go to the room...i think, thats the only thing that makes any logic

Answer 8

I think it's just the size, hotel's are generallly bigger, MANY more amenities are included with hotels, (ie;shampoos,lotions,bath robe,newspaper,bottled water) but they don't advertise that they'll leave the light on for ya, if you want that stick with motel 6.

Answer 9

Hotel: In and out, no breakfest or luxury.
Motel: All that a Hotel dont have! Meaning better service and comfort.