Motel 6 Reviewed: Pros & Cons

Should You Use This Budget Chain?

Times are tough, and travelers are changing their hotel spending habits. Some seek bargains on Priceline and Hotwire. Others downgrade the quality of their motels and hotels by using budget chains like Motel 6 to save money.

Motel 6, the most well known low cost motel chain, has a mixed reputation. Here you'll find its pros and cons to help you decide whether it should "leave the light on for you."

Advantages of Motel 6

Motel 6 is the least expensive truly national chain.
You can cancel guaranteed reservations up to 6:00 p.m. local time on the day of arrival without penalty. This is a huge advantage on road trips, when you may decide to drive more or less than the time originally planned.
You know almost exactly what you are getting. In my experience, the rooms are invariably clean, the television works, the plumbing works, and the beds are reasonably comfortable. This is far more consistency than I have found at some far more expensive chains.

Motel 6 buys quality mattresses, which are usually as comfortable as most in far more expensive motels and hotels.

The beds may be shorter than you find in some chains, but they are always full or queen sized, either one or two per room. No twin beds at Motel 6.
You will be able to enjoy ESPN and HBO at most locations.
Motel 6 offers very inexpensive Wi-Fi access at nearly all locations. Be sure to request a room that has this.
Most locations offer outdoor pools (usually small), a perk not always available at budget motels.
At locations along highways away from cities, you’ll find a working class pace of life. By this, I mean guests tend to go to bed early for an early start on next day’s drive, just what you may want on a long road trip. At these locations, you’ll find few vehicles in the parking lots after 8:30 a.m.
Well-behaved pets are allowed. One per room, not left alone in room, and on leash or properly carried outside room. (Also, a possible disadvantage below.)

Disadvantages of Motel 6

Motel 6 has customers who smoke in non smoking rooms. This can be a problem at any hotel, but seems considerably more prevalent at budget chains like Motel 6.
Although locations renovated from previous owners may have larger rooms and thicker walls (a Motel 6 room I stayed in in Oklahoma City was actually palatial), we’re not talking Hearst Castle at most Motel 6 locations.

Generally, walls and ceilings are thin and what happens in adjacent rooms can impact you negatively more than at some more expensive hotels.

Problems with guests seem to be more evident at suburban and university town Motel 6 locations, such as the one in Arcata, CA, than at ones along major highways. (I haven’t stayed at its very few big city locations, such as the ones in Hollywood and San Francisco.) Motel 6 hires security for some of these, but in my opinion needs professional security at more locations to reduce these situations.

On the other hand, if you travel a lot, you'll know that guest problems are not unique to Motel 6 and other budget chains, not at all.
Nearly all Motel 6 room doors open to the outside. This helps provide fresh air but doesn't help provide the extra security of visitors having to pass through a main door and lobby. However, Motel 6 does provide security locks and chains for its doors.
Other than HBO, ESPN, Wi-Fi, and reasonably comfortable beds, this is a bare bones budget motel chain.

You’ll need to bring your own shampoo. Motel 6 provides just enough towel square footage and soap for one night. You also may wish to bring an alarm clock and radio.
Very few Motel 6 locations have elevators. If required, request a ground floor room when making a reservation.
Except for a few locations in major cities, you’ll probably need a car to comfortably access Motel 6, which is usually located away from convenient public transportation.
You may not wish to stay where pets are allowed. (Motel 6 does try to confine these to designated rooms in one area of its motels.)

Booking Motel 6 as cheaply as possible

Look for “Click 6” web bargains on Motel6.com.

Also, 50+ AARP members and ISIC student card holders may present their cards at check in to receive 10% off (but not off the Click 6 rate).

Note that least expensive national chain does not always mean inexpensive, just less than others in a particular locale. In season, Motel 6 locations in Santa Barbara run over $100 per night, which is still a lot less than most places there.

Therefore, when possible, plan your stops in less expensive towns.

For example on a road trip across Arizona, motels in Flagstaff are expensive. Motels in far less well-known Holbrook down the road are not.

New and remodeled Motel 6 locations

Look for new locations on Motel6.com (see link on Motel6.com). In addition, Motel 6 has updated many locations. Online, these are marked "Refreshed."

The ones you must experience, however, are called "Re-modeled - Remarkable" online. The French owners of Motel 6 have really put on a posh style with these that leave your image of Motel 6 and other budget accommodation behind.

New, refreshed, and re-novated remarkable ones are my favorites, as well as the Motel 6 in Weed, CA, along the I-5 Interstate, which offers spectacular views of Mount Shasta.

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