What’s the Main Difference Between a Hotel, Motel, & Inn

What is a hotel?

A hotel may be defined as an establishment where the primary business is to provide lodging facilities to guests along with food, beverages, and sometimes recreational facilities on a chargeable basis.

Hotels often provide a number of additional guest services, such as restaurants, bars, swimming pools, healthcare, and retail shops, business facilities like conference halls, banquet halls, and board rooms; and space for private parties like birthdays, marriages and kitty parties, etc.

Though there are other establishments, such as hospitals, college hostels, prisons, and sanatoriums, that offer accommodation, they are not qualified as hotels because they do not cater to the specific needs of people or guests.

Most modern hotels nowadays provide the basic facilities in a room: a bed, a cupboard, a small table, weather control, and a bathroom, along with other features like a telephone with STD/ISD facilities, a television set with cable channels, and Internet connectivity.

There might also be a mini-bar containing snacks and drinks, and tea and coffee-making units with an electric kettle, cups, spoons, and sachets containing instant coffee, tea bags, sugar, and creamer.

Pros of a Hotel

  • The hotel often provides more ambience and facilities to its guests. Like better bedrooms, swimming pools, Spa, salon and Gym, 24/7 food service, etc.
  • The hotel provides a secure and trusted accommodation option to its guests.
  • The hotel takes care of personal hygiene for its guests.
  • A hotel has the best transport facilities, which are very helpful.

Cons of a Hotel

  • Hotel prices always depend on the location, which is more expensive sometimes.
  • Hotels tend to be full of bookings and crowded during their peak seasons, which may not feel good for some guests.

What is a motel?

The word ‘motel’ is formed by merging the words ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’. They are located primarily beside highways and provide modest lodgings to road travellers. A motel offers facilities such as accommodation, food and drinks, garage facilities, a parking lot, and refueling for vehicles.

In the year 1950, the concept of motels came into existence to meet the requirements of such highway travellers. The development of extensive road networks in the early 20th century led to an increase in people travelling by their own vehicles.

This phenomenon was quite common on the American and European continents. Travelers who were travelling in their own vehicles needed neat and clean accommodations for the night. They also required garages, along with re-fueling facilities for their vehicles.

Pros of a Motel

  • Motels are less expensive than hotels.
  • Motels provide refuelling and garage facilities for their guest vehicles.

Cons of a Motel

  • Motels are smaller than hotels and have fewer floors.
  • Motels can offer very limited amenities and fewer facilities.
  • Motels are generally less secure than hotels.

What is the difference between a hotel and a motel?

1. A hotel is an establishment located in the main city with a large property that provides paid accommodation, generally for a long duration of stay. But motels are primarily located beside the highways and provide modest lodgings to highway travellers for a short duration of stay.

2. Hotels always provide more facilities and amenities than motels. On the other hand, motels can provide only basic facilities for travellers.

3. Hotels are more expensive for their good ambience. But motels are cheaper than hotels.

4. Hotels are built for vacations, tourists, travellers, events, and business purposes. Motels are mainly built for motorists but can be accessed by the general public these days.

5. The hotel rooms are not accessible from an outdoor parking area. However, the motel rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area.

6. Hotels always have good security for guests. But motels have a security problem since rooms are accessible directly from the outside.

7. Hotels are generally very large. But motels are smaller than hotels.

8. Hotels have always had a large number of floors. And motels generally have a few floors.

9. Hotels do not provide refuelling facilities for vehicles. But motels generally provide refuelling facilities for the vehicles of their guests.

What is an inn?

An inn is a type of lodging facility, typically a small establishment that provides accommodations, food, and beverages for travellers.

Inns were historically a popular form of lodging for travellers, and they were often located along major roads or in towns and cities and often near tourist attractions.

Today, inns are still a common type of lodging, but they are often more upscale than they were in the past, offering amenities such as private bathrooms, good Wi-Fi, and television.

What is the difference between a hotel and an inn?

1. The main difference between an inn and a hotel is the size and the services they offer. An inn is typically a smaller establishment with a cosy, home-like atmosphere, while a hotel is larger and offers a wider range of services, such as room service and a concierge.

2. An inn is often family-owned and run, while a hotel is more likely to be part of a chain.

3. Additionally, an inn typically offers a limited number of rooms, while a hotel has many more.

What are the most popular hotel and motel brands?

Popular hotel brands are:

  • Hyatt
  • Hilton Hotels
  • Marriott International
  • Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts
  • International Hotels Group
  • Taj Hotels
  • Oberoi Hotels
  • Belmond
  • Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
  • The Peninsula Hotels

Popular motel brands are:

  • Rose Cottage Motel
  • Motel Argentum
  • Yackandandah Motel Inn
  • Mollie’s Oxfordshire
  • Austin Motel
  • Bluestone

What is more expensive, a hotel or a motel?

It is difficult to say whether a hotel or a motel is more expensive without knowing the specific location and amenities of each establishment.

In general, hotels are more expensive than motels. Because hotels provide more different types of facilities and amenities to their guests as compared to motels.

However, the price of a motel can vary depending on its location and the amenities it offers. It’s best to compare the prices of specific hotels and motels in a given area to determine which is more expensive.

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Dipayan Mondal
Dipayan Mondal

Dipayan is the author of this blog. He completed his hotel management degree from GNIHM, Kolkata. And he is very passionate about the hospitality industry. And right now, he is working as a successful hotelier in a 5-star hotel.