These “ MO ter Ho TELS†were known as “Tourist Cabins†during the height of their popularity along the Mother Road. One could drive all day, pull the old flivver into a parking lot, and get a bed and toilet for the night. I understand they were not always really fancy, but many of their skeletal remains can be seen along old 66. [submitted by Carol Hair, Christiansburg, Va.
(1)a motel only for couples who want to have sex in privacy. cf. love hotel (2)motel. a hotel outside of Japan with garages to park cars.
an establishment that provides lodging for motorists in rooms usually having direct access to an open parking area
an establishment which provides lodging and parking in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area as opposed to a hotel where the rooms are accessible from within the establishment itself
an inexpensive budget accommodation facility
an off the road quick night sleep with no extras and this is what the Alpine Lodge offers
a public lodging establishment for automobile travelers
a small hotel near a road where people travelling in cars can stay for the night
Overnight accommodation originally targeted to automobile traveler's, and therefore situated at roadside. A more contemporary definition would be the provision of accommodation only, with no other amenities and services provided by the motel.
A type of accommodation, usually built near a highway and catering to motorists.
A lodging operation catering to people traveling by car, usually single story with rooms facing the parking lot, and located near a major highway.
A roadside hotel providing lodging and automobile parking.
Entering dictionaries after World War II, the word motel (from MOtorists' hoTEL) referred initially to a single building of connected rooms whose doors face a parking lot and/or common area or a series of small cabins with common parking. Their creation was driven by increased driving distances on the United States highway system that allowed easy cross-country travel. The concept originated with the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo, constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heinman.