The first Motel 6, opened in Santa Barbara, California, in 1962, got its name from its room rates: $6 a night.
The hotel chain was acquired by Accor (which owned a chain of motels in Europe similar to Motel 6 that were called Formule 1,) in 1990, and began franchising in 1996.
Though its prices have necessarily risen over time, the first Motel 6 in Santa Barbara still leaves the light on today, but a lot has changed for the motel chain that pioneered the first real economy motel designed for the no-frills traveler.
The brand continues to grow and currently has approximately 1,200 locations with more than 105,000 rooms in the United States and Canada. Part of G6 Hospitality, Motel 6 is the largest owned and operated hotel chain in North America.
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