Motel 6 Reinvents Itself
Discount Hotel Chain Launches Redesign To Entice Budget Travelers
Long a favorite of budget travelers, Motel 6 hopes to lure new guests to its hotels with a bold new look and redesign.
For several decades, Motel 6 has been known for cheap no-frills hotel rooms, but after pouring over guest feedback from the last few years, parent company Accor North America has initiated the first redesign of the hotel in twelve years.
Dubbed the “Phoenix” design, it incorporates several additional features and amentities to both the rooms and the general design of the hotels that the company hopes will not only please regular customers, but lure in new guests that might have previously been put off by bare-bones feel of the hotel.
“This design embodies the heart of Motel 6 – it’s no-frills, uncomplicated and efficient with a new modern edge,” said Jim Amorosia, president and COO of Motel 6 and Studio 6, in a press release. “The Phoenix prototype offers the best of both worlds - an upscale feel at the lowest price of any national chain.”
What Will Be Different About Motel 6 Rooms?
Gone will be the bare white and neutral color scheme of the rooms. The new design features bright accent colors, ambient lighting and wood-effect flooring rather than the regular carpet. Bedding will feature a new taupe-colored coverlet that will have a stripe that matches the accent wall color.
Furniture has been streamlined to provide an airy open look while providing more storage options. An entertainment unit will conceal a door-less closet behind it. New raised pedestal beds contains space to store luggage underneath and a pillow-top platform mattress on top. The room will also feature additional seating in the form of a new banquette-style seating area that will feature a “table for two” setting in a corner of the room.
The bathrooms have been redesigned so all of its elements are now separate from the rest of the room, unlike before where the vanity was outside of the bath area. The bathroom will feature double doors, a vanity with a black granite countertop with a raised sink, and a walk-in shower with a molded seat.
Entertainment options have also been upgraded to feature a 32-inch flat-screen TV and a multi-media panel allowing guests to plug in their mp3 players and laptops.
Motel 6 Redesigns Its Buildings
In addition to the room overhaul, the building itself has been redesigned featuring a new exterior by BOKA Powell. And while many Motel 6 hotels are next to or within walking distance of restaurants, they do not have dining facilities on property. To handle those all-hours munchie attacks, the lobbies have been redesigned to feature a 24-hour food and beverage vending marketplace.
What Won’t Change at Motel 6
Accor North America says that their Motel 6 chain will continue to offer the service and amenities that have made it a favorite of budget travelers. Guests will still receive free local phone calls, no long distance access charges, free morning coffee, data ports, Wi-Fi Internet access at $4 or less a night and a TV cable channel line-up with premium channels including HBO, ESPN/ESPN2, and CNN. The hotel chain will also continue to be pet-friendly and offer pools and guest laundry facilities at most locations.
And even with the changes, Motel 6 rooms will still be smaller and more basic, compared to many other chains. But the changes will give the guest a little more value for the dollar spent.
When Will the Phoenix Design Start To Appear?
The first Motel 6 featuring the redesign will be a newly-built corporate-owned location yet to be named. Construction is expected to begin at the end of this year and the design will then be available to franchisees in 2009. If the plan proves popular with guests, many current Motel 6 corporate properties will be retrofitted with elements of the Phoenix design starting shortly thereafter.
Booking At Motel 6
In the meantime, Motel 6 hotels still continue to offer budget-friendly accommodations across the US and Canada. For more information or to book, visit the Motel 6 website or call 800.466.8356.
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