What is the difference between a Hotel & Motel?
Some people cringe at the word Motel & can’t believe that someone could get the two confused. Good grief it is like the unwritten cardinal sin in the overnight stay world to get the two mixed up. Who knew? In case you were wondering...the difference is simple-A Hotel has rooms that open to the interior of the building, along a hallway, and is multi-storied while a Motel is a hotel designed for motorist. They are usually found off interstate exits and the rooms often have external doors that you can drive up to and park outside.
Some people cringe at the word Motel & can’t believe that someone could get the two confused. Good grief it is like the unwritten cardinal sin in the overnight stay world to get the two mixed up. Who knew? In case you were wondering...the difference is simple-A Hotel has rooms that open to the interior of the building, along a hallway, and is multi-storied while a Motel is a hotel designed for motorist. They are usually found off interstate exits and the rooms often have external doors that you can drive up to and park outside.
Personally, I don’t care whether I stay in a Hotel or a Motel as long as it clean. I have just had so many bad experiences with unclean stays. I think some of them where horror movie Motels. Very scary for this germaphobic. I would have to admit too that most of them fit the description of Motel.
So maybe I do prefer a Hotel...Seriously, though…I am not that hard to please
I just WANT
~A vacuumed floor
~A scrubbed bathroom
~Clean white linens & fluffy pillows…I don’t even need chocolate on the pillow. (but if they want me back they will leave a little Dove love)
~Fresh smelling &
~Free of dust
Really, not too much to ask of the cleaning staff since they are getting paid to keep it clean.
Even if the Motel/Hotel has everything I am looking for & more in my stay…it is really hard to hand over so much cash for just a place to lay my head for the night. So the more amenities it has the better for my cash conscience...
~Like an indoor pool for the kiddos
~Wireless Internet for Me!
~Breakfast for the family
~Pepsi machine for the hubs
Again, the amenities only soften the blow for the cost of the room. The hotel we stayed in on the way back from Virginia was nice, but almost 15% of my monthly house payment. YIKES!
Dave Ramsey would be so sad. I hope he can forgive me.
What Hotel or Motel chain do you like to stay in when you travel?
What Hotel or Motel chain do you like to stay in when you travel?
We stay at a Hampton Inn!
Happy Vacationing & We’ll leave the light on for you!
Happy Vacationing & We’ll leave the light on for you!
Best Western is usually reasonable and still clean. No matter what, it is usually close to $100 per night after they add all the taxes to it. So might as well stay somewhere a little nice. When I was younger, I loved staying at hotels or motels or whatever, but now most of the time all I can think about was who stayed here last night and oooooohhhhh! So the more upper classes clean and nice the better. But, I am still not willing to pay too much for a place to lay my head at night just like you said.
ReplyDeleteHey Mimi,
ReplyDeleteWe were Marriott people for a long time. We just became Sheraton Club members this last weekend. I use AAA for discounts whenever I can. We don't travel that much but when we do we want a HOTEL! (something special) and it better be clean! You do get what you pay for.
Disclosure: My dad owns a motel. No offense, Dad!
Blessings
We are typically Holiday Inn folks. But, our philosophy is pretty much the same as yours - We are ONLY sleeping there, so clean bed, sheets, pillows and a scrubbed bathroom. That is about all we look for. And, trust me, this same philosophy has also awarded us a stay in some rather dicey places.
ReplyDeleteNot picky, just want it clean. I traveled all over the world and the US as a child, and have had many unusual sleeping quarters, that clean sheets, a warm shower and a clean potty go a long way.
ReplyDeleteThis post made me smile, because I remember getting the whole "hotel" and "motel" thing confused as a child.
I always love getting to stay away in a hotel, but we don't travel that much...and when we go to Florida we fly, and stay in a condo, which is kindof clean! haha! We laugh, because it's a little dated,but the owners are so nice...and we bring so much sand in anyway...oops! I feel like I clean the condo on vacation more than I clean my own home! Dan and I have stayed in some questionable motels in our day, though!
ReplyDeleteWe've been fortunate to have good experiences with Holiday Inn Express, but over the years, we've have had our fair share of nightmares, too. We try to book hotels online. We've found better discounts on rooms that way!
ReplyDeleteWe're Holiday Inn stayers because the rooms are free. One great perk of a frequent traveling hubby. He gets points for staying there and points add up to free nights. :o)
ReplyDeleteI really like Embassy Suite hotels, but they are expensive. Doubletree's are pretty good too. But as long as they are clean and the bed is sort of comfortable ... I say whatever works... it's not like you spend a whole lot of time IN the room... unless it's raining
ReplyDeleteHey Mimi!
ReplyDeleteWe're not too picky either. As long as it clean and in a good part of town, then we're happy campers (or hotelers, or motelers). Your post reminded me of a book I just finished reading. It's called Rosie Dunne by Cecilia Ahern. She also wrote P.S. I Love You. Rosie dream is to manage a beautiful hotel. That's not what it's all about but it did play a big part in the book.
Hugs & Squeezes,
Miti
Well "if" I ever traveled, it would have to be CHEAP ones! We just rarely travel like that. I wish we did though.
ReplyDeleteMy mom did find a nice room online when she went on a trip with all her sisters and sister-in-laws. They arrived at the motel, got in their room, only to find a HUGE amount of blood sprayed all over one wall, all over the A.C. unit and in the carpet. As fast as they got in there, they got OUT OF THERE! She still gets creeped out wondering what 'happened' in that room...
My last overnight road stay was in a TENT! ha ha ha
Thanks for clearing up the difference between a Hotel and a Motel for me... I was unsure about that one!
ReplyDeleteWe actually don't stay at hotel/motel's a lot. We have a family friend who owns a rental beach house, so that's where we tend to vacation...
La Quinta is actually a pretty nice place though. My dad has some kind of rewards program with them, so that's where they usually stay!
We stay at Hotel 6...or would that be Motel 6? Just kidding. Great post...I refer to everthing as a hotel...I hope I don't offend motel! :o) We have a handful of favorites, but a lot will depend on the deals and if we can even get a room! We are like you...want it clean.
ReplyDeleteOver the years, I have decided I would rather stay in a Hotel. I feel a bit safer when staying out of town when the doors do not open to the outside. I also have several other requirements:
ReplyDeleteMUST BE CLEAN
DOG FRIENDLY
We recently stayed in a Residence Inn. It has suites and is really nice. We were able to get "Great" rates b/c we booked early. We paid less than most people pay for a motel. It was beautiful, clean, safe, and most importantly to me: Dog friendly.
Blessings and prayers, andrea
No particular one. We just like to stay cheap and clean. Fancy is not needed!
ReplyDeleteWe usually try to stay at Comfort Suites-with our bunch, we have to have a suite! They are typically not as expensive as most, plus they almost always have free hot continental breakfast which we LOVE! I have found that most Motels are typically not as clean as Hotels, and cannot ever shake the connotation 'Roach Motel!' making me less likely to want to stay in one!!
ReplyDeleteJen
OH yes when I met my husband he had never stayed in a hotel and I would stay in no other. He didn't even know the difference....he learned very quickly!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you ... clean is what I like too. I used to have a penchant for finding the Eastern Indian couple running the motel in any given town - radar I guess .. I've found them to run the cleanest motels.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing - if you ever want to live in the lap of luxury for one nite - go to the Sorento in Seattle - WOW! I went there in '82 w/my 2 children and it's an experience I'll never forget. :) Home away from home. ;)
Loved the olde sign!
Hotel: Clean sheets on the bed and a real blanket
ReplyDeleteMotel: scratchy thin cover ..sheets optional
Hotel: The occasional thud of footsteps in the hallway
Motel: the roaring of semis and voices continuously throughout the night
Hotel: Heat and Air included
Motel: You sweat or you freeze those are your options
Hotel: free breakfast in the lobby
Motel: free burnt coffee in the office
Hotel: Pets stay free
Motel: you sneak your pet in with your luggage and try desperately to muzzle them all night..which you fail at because of the roaring semis and voices every fifteen minutes
Hotel: you enjoyed your stay and are mostly refreshed
Motel: you survived your stay and are GLAD to be back on the road
:)
I, like you am a germaphobe. So Clean is a MUST. But it can be hard to come by!
ReplyDelete2 years ago we traveled for 3 weeks and my poor hubby had to get us out of a few yucky predicaments...poor guy, not easy traveling with me!~
We go cheap, so as to save money. But I don't want a dive, so I will go in and ask to see a room before we decide to stay there.
ReplyDeleteThis last vacation we booked our hotel online and hubby researched into it. Our next door "neighbors" were having huge parties at night and we asked them to please keep it down.
I would love to stay someplace really nice but just can't see spending the money!
Well I know dirt and bed bugs can even be in The Plaza but I have NEVER had an issue in my beloved Westin! The Heavenly Beds are completely heavenly. I give the Westin 5 stars!
ReplyDeleteIdeally, if I can afford it, I always pick the FAIRMONT!!! But, those are not on every corner so we wither Holiday Inn Express, or Hampton Inn....thats all folks!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteWe usually stay at a place with a room since we don't make reservations either...sorry Dave!!! If i have a choice, it is usually a Holiday Inn!
ReplyDeleteI have no real preference except for cleanliness, wireless, hot water, lol. I've stayed in quite a few holes in the wall but also stayed in some suh-weet and spendy ones too. When dh came back several years ago from a deployment, we went to a Japanese hotel (we lived in Japan). He wanted to make it authentic so we got the Japanese room. It was like $300 a night. They had wonderful food and even a hot bath (onsen) but... Guess where we slept? On the tatami mat on the floor. Ugh! We both woke up with backaches.
ReplyDeleteHilton Garden or Embassay Suites are the fam favorites here.
ReplyDeleteI like the Hampton Inn and the Drury Inn. They are both great hotels!
ReplyDeleteThe first time I stayed at the Hampton Inn, I was in Charleston on work, and I wanted to borrow the shower curtain. When I got back to my office, I told my boss that he almost had an extra charge on his credit card.
The Drury Inn is great! I stayed there in the Woodlands, TX, for work, again. Awesome Hotel!!!
I like the Marriott, but honestly, most hotels just gross me out. I've seen too many talk shows about what is on the covers, etc ... Ok, I can't even think about it. Scream.
ReplyDeleteWe like to stay at ALoft, by the W hotel. They can be costly and kind of small, but I would not recommend them if you plan on staying on a Saturday, because they have a club on the first floor that keeps it jumping until about 2am. So make sure you request the top floor if you want to get away from the noise.
ReplyDelete