Hotel vs. Motel.....

[Disneyland1084]

What's really the difference between the two? I know hotels in general are usually cleaner and nicer looking, but what I don't understand is why one's called a hotel and the other a motel.

 

[Tiggeroo]

i think hotels have a main entrance with all the rooms inside while motels will be strips of doors facing outside with no lobby area leading to rooms.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

motels were also associated with motor travel and as places to just sleep in when you just need a bed.

hotels tend to have more ammenities and guest services.

 

[Disneyland1084]

i think hotels have a main entrance with all the rooms inside while motels will be strips of doors facing outside with no lobby area leading to rooms.

No, I don't think that's it. There's Desert Inn and Suites, Tropicana that are "outdoor hotels."

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

No, I don't think that's it. There's Desert Inn and Suites, Tropicana that are "outdoor hotels."

An Inn is yet another classification.

I'd have to get my AAA guidebook out..

but you have
motels
hotels
resorts
inns
bed and breakfasts...

all classified according to what they offer for guests and how their floor plan is. Officially a "hotel" is never an exterior corridor establishment. But then that would mean half the resorts at Disney are motels...but they are not.

 

[dcgrumpy]

tiggeroo is correct

One entry found for motel.
Main Entry: mo·tel
Pronunciation: mO-'tel
Function: noun
Etymology: blend of motor and hotel
: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area

 

[Disneyland1084]

all classified according to what they offer for guests and how their floor plan is. Officially a "hotel" is never an exterior corridor establishment. But then that would mean half the resorts at Disney are motels...but they are not.

That makes sense.

 

[kldmom2000]

Motels are generally 1 or 2 levels with outdoor access to your rooms where hotels are usually more than 2 stories and USUALLY have interior corridor access to your rooms.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/motel

motel room - a sleeping room in a motel
motor hotel, motor inn, motor lodge, tourist court, court - a hotel for motorists; provides direct access from rooms to parking area

I think it was created as the combination of motor and hotel

http://m-w.com/dictionary/motel

Main Entry: mo·tel
Pronunciation: mO-'tel
Function: noun
Etymology: blend of motor and hotel
: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area

while

Main Entry: ho·tel
Pronunciation: hO-'tel, 'hO-"
Function: noun
Etymology: French hôtel, from Old French hostel hostel
: an establishment that provides lodging and usually meals, entertainment, and various personal services for the public : INN
- ho·tel·dom /-d&m/ noun

At this point--how they are used is nothing more really than marketing.

 

[Disneyland1084]

tiggeroo is correct

But then again I once stayed at a Motel 6 last summer that was "indoors."

 

[ducklite]

An Inn is yet another classification.

I'd have to get my AAA guidebook out..

but you have
motels
hotels
resorts
inns
bed and breakfasts...

all classified according to what they offer for guests and how their floor plan is. Officially a "hotel" is never an exterior corridor establishment. But then that would mean half the resorts at Disney are motels...but they are not.

Actually, technically they are a motel resort.

Anne

 

[Judy from Boise]

As a mod on the DL board this is an endless confusion for people! Disney uses the term "Good Neighbor Hotel" related to properties that are firmly in the motel category. Which is fine if people really know what to expect.

 

[Melwood23]

As others have stated, Motels refer to Motor hotel. They came about when our Nation's highways and byways, pre-Mass Interstage era, back in the 50's. When families hit the road in their family cars, and needing a place to stay overnight. Something close to the roads. Thus the Motel was born.


Sometimes wish I could go back in time and hit the roads that were the mainstay of our automobile, prior to the interstates: IE: taking Route 66 before it was broken up..

Ok..I am getting nostalgic.

 

[Eeyore in Texas]

motel = motorist + hotel