Motel 6

History Beginning in 1962 with a single location in Santa Barbara, California, Motel 6 is now the largest company-owned and operated lodging chain in the United States. Motel 6 started the concept of a nationwide economy chain -- where travelers can find consistent quality at lower prices than all national, brand-name properties.

The price of the original Motel 6 room was $6 thus the name Motel 6, emphasizing the low price concept.

In 1990, Motel 6 was acquired by an investor group led by ACCOR, the Paris-based hotel, travel and business services group with operations in over 90 countries worldwide. With a new prototype of Motel 6 in 1996, the brand began a major expansion through franchising. Now Motel 6 has more than 700 convenient locations through the United States and around Toronto, Canada. The company has over 16,000 employees