My youngest asked me the difference between these. I tried to tell her I didn't know, but she wasn't having any. I told her what I *think* was that a motel might be short for "motor hotel" and that in my experience motels seemed to be single or rarely double story buildings in which customers could park almost directly in front of their rooms. I kinda get the impression that a motel is some place you stay for a night or two when you're on your way some place and a hotel is where you stay when you get there.

But the real answer is "I don't know." Does anyone else?

k

this is one of those rare cases where you know more than you think you know.

: )

It was my impression as a child, when I heard my parents discussing staying in either hotels or motels, that motels were the places along the route on the way to a city or a town, places where you could stop to rest along the highways. But I thought the hotels were the grand many-storied structures within the city itself, like the splendiferous Jefferson Hotel in Richmond.

I think of hotels as highrise buildings. My imagination doesn't put them along the highway as it does motels.

Consider "Grand Hotel," the Garbo classic.

Then consider "Grand Motel," the classic that has yet to be created. Is there anywhere a grand motel?

And, as always, there's probably a gray area in between hotel and motel through which both forms apply.

Yes, motel was, indeed, coined from motor hotel, when folks enthusiastically took to the roads in the 1950's and small roadside hotels sprang up to accomodate these new vehicular nomads. The motels in the Wildwoods (the shore resort town in New Jersey where I live) are a prime example of this period, now dubbed Doo Wop architecture. And we have the largest concentration of these 1950's-early 1960's motels in the country (US).

Hotel should, if you are going to pick nits, Hi Faldage be spelt with a circumflex over the "o" - comme ça "Hôtel". I believe that the "ô" signifies a silent "s" following the "o", making the original "hostel".
In C18 England a hotel was similar to an INN, in that it provided not only alcoholic refreshment, but also food, non-alcoholic drinks and beds for the night - whether for a one-night stay or for a longer period.

The name derives, I think, from the large town houses of the French nobility, and still exists in France in the term, "Hôtel de Ville", which is the town hall and official abode of the Mayor.

I can remember when there were no motels. The roads had not yet been built. "Motel" was an obvious
coinage. I remember going from Bridgewater, MA to Plymouh MA for a tricentennial of the landing of the
Pilgrims, in 1921. It was a one lane dirt road all the way. If you met another car, one had to back up to a place where it could get off road enough to let the other pass.
I think motels started in the thirties. Majority of occupants were there because it was preferable to
"footprints on the dashboard upside down".

Reminds me of the modern day Conderella. At midnight she turns into a motel.

Then consider "Grand Motel," the classic that has yet to be created. Is there anywhere a grand motel?




Yes, very good. That contrasts the notions well enough.
Like most words I use this one all the time not really knowing what I'm hearing and much less what I'm saying.

k

AAA describes as follows:

"Hotel-full service. Usually high-rise establishments, offering a wide range of services and on-premise food/beverage outlets, shops, convenience facilities and recreation activities.

Motel-limited service. Low-rise or multi-story establishment offering limited public and recreational facilities."

And another that looks like a cross between....

"Motor Inn-moderate service. Single or multi-story establishment offering on-premise food/beverage service, meeting and banquet facilities and some recreational facilities."

They also describe: Country Inns, Resorts, Bed & Breakfast, Condominiums, Complexes, Lodges, Apartments, Cottages, and Ranches. Whewwwwwwww.

Then, Manx, one might add the motels that rent rooms by the hour, which are more like a bawdyhouse.

I didn't see them listed in AAA tho! :O