motel

American  

[moh-tel] / moʊˈtɛl /

noun

1. a hotel providing travelers with lodging and free parking facilities, typically a roadside hotel having rooms adjacent to an outside parking area or an urban hotel offering parking within the building.

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motel British  

/ məʊˈtɛl /

noun

1. a roadside hotel for motorists, usually having direct access from each room or chalet to a parking space or garage

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Etymology

Origin of motel

First recorded in 1920–25; blend of motor and hotel

Compare meaning

How does motel compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• motel vs. hotel

Example Sentences

Hollywood Heritage, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving neighborhood history, mourned the loss of the motel in a statement Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times

I was tempted to go across the street for a nap at my motel, the Starlight Motor Inn, built in 1961 and reopened in 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal

In various interviews over the years, Mann described some of his favorite finds — a chop shop in Wilmington, a seedy motel, a stone-encased downtown bank.

From Los Angeles Times

Officers at that time also detained the Martins at a motel in Laguna Hills but ultimately released them without seeking any criminal charges.

From Los Angeles Times

A luxury motel for cash with nowhere else to go.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• cabin
• hotel
• inn
• lodge
• resort