Motel 6

[Bob Bryant]

I stopped staying at Motel 6's when I found out they were owned by the French. When I'm travelling by myself, I stay at Super 8's. they seem to have the best value for the buck. About the best thing I can say about Motel 6 is that they aren't a Knight's Inn.

Agree on the Knight's Inn comment. The motel in South Bend on Dixie Way Hwy. was poor when we stayed there a few years ago. Reading the Trip Advisor evaluation suggests not much has changed.

[Chris_Dresbach]

I used to stay there in South Bend during the annual May swap meet, as did many other attendees...Got to be a little scary as the years went on so I switched to more expensive places but found them to be full of Prom Night kids so I've been staying over at Midlebury/Shipshewanna...Noticed there was a new Hampton Inn going up in Midlebury this year so will probably try it next May...

That's the Essenhaus. Great place, they even have a cruise in on Thursdays. I'll say though that the "place to be" in South Bend if your'e coming to the May meet (or the International) is the Comfort Suites on the corner of Kern... and that other big road I should know the name of...
I think that hotel is changing names by this time next year. It's a clean hotel, close to the fairgrounds, they allow tailgating, and they have a big parking lot. I have no reason to stay there, but that's where I reccomend.

[Corvanti]

i spent a week in a motel 6 one night. el paso, 1986...

[seadog]

I stopped staying at Motel 6's when I found out they were owned by the French. When I'm travelling by myself, I stay at Super 8's. they seem to have the best value for the buck. About the best thing I can say about Motel 6 is that they aren't a Knight's Inn.

[2moredoors]

Quite a few years ago I stayed at my first Motel 6 and it was located in Idaho. When I closed the door I noticed a sign which read "our rooms look the same as the expensive rooms when you close your eyes". The room was sparse but clean and indeed when I closed my eyes it looked no different than a Holiday Inn.

[Tahiti Coral]

Motel 6 is owned by Accor, a French concern, so you CASOs can tell everyone that you stayed in a fancy French hotel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accor

I have had good luck with Motel 6 but my experience is limited. I used to vacation in Germany quite a bit and would stay at Ibis quite a lot. The newer Motel 6s are remodeled to Ibis color schemes, I have noticed. Ibis is bare bones, but clean, safe, cheap & centrally located. That's all I care about when I travel as I spend very little time in the room.

[Retired]

jboyle, Military Installations retired officer guest quarters are a must when we travel.

[JBOYLE]

Maybe my standards are lower then everyone elses'? I blame it on the NAVY and those awesome little 2 1/2 x 6 foot racks I got to sleep in during each and every one of my cruises on some of the largest ships afloat.

The story of vets...we're used to less than ideal circumstances, so we're pretty easy going about stuff. As I like to say "The Marines had it worse on Guadalcanall".
But hey, that's what we got the big bucks for.

Happy fourth!

[Bob Bryant]

Someone mentioned poor quality control by the chain or franchise owned motels with which I agree. Frequently, I will ask if I can inspect the room before I will decide if I am staying. If it is kind of an above average place I may skip that. I usually will recline on the bed briefly to determine if it has a satisfactory mattress. That is where I'll be most of the time while in the room. We just returned from a very nice place in Vermont. I didn't inspect prior and the mattress was not very good. My mistake. I could have asked for a room change, but I didn't. With a better mattress we probably would have stayed longer, as we would have been more rested in the morning. Just an opinion.

[StudeDave57]

It all depends on the owner.

'nuf said. I have stayed at more Motel 6s in more States then I can remember. Most recently last month. Some are in sad sad shape- others are brand new or recently remodeled. And that might be the problem with this chain- you never know what you're gonna get unless you've stayed at that particular location before!!! Luckily for me I have had mostly good luck, so I look for them first.
Maybe my standards are lower then everyone elses'? I blame it on the NAVY and those awesome little 2 1/2 x 6 foot racks I got to sleep in during each and every one of my cruises on some of the largest ships afloat.

[8E45E]

As far as the the room, I figure people stayed in worse, heck I spent a month in a 10' X 8' windowless trailer on a cot in the Egyptian desert and survived, so its relative.

Do you remember when Motel 6 didn't accept credit cards or reservations, and the black & white TV cost $1.49 extra???

Craig

[okc63avanti]

"I'm Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we'll leave the light on for you." ... "Oh and don't let the bed bugs bite!"

[JBOYLE]

On my recent trip to Indy, I stayed at both Motel 6 and Super 8. I stayed at good and less good at both.
I stayed a a great Motel 6 in Billings, and a real so-so (it hadn't been updated for years but the staff wes nice, the parking lot was well lit and empty and it was across the street from a Dennys) in Normal, Ill. Likewise, I had differing experiences at Red Roof Inns.

It all depends on the owner. The chains don't seem to do much quality control or inspection. My best room was lucking upon the billeting facility at Grissom Air Reserve base north of Indy. I did the seldom-used retired officer thing, and it was first rate. Not wanting to drag the trailer to town, and not being a weekend, the dining hall/club wasn't open, so I was content to buy a microweave dinner from the front desk.

At the end of the day, all I was looking for was a reasonably clean room and a safe place to park the truck/trailer...without spending $100+ at the more upscale "budget" chains Holiday Inn Express, etc.
As far as the the room, I figure people stayed in worse, heck I spent a month in a 10' X 8' windowless trailer on a cot in the Egyptian desert and survived, so it's all relative.

[Welcome]

My point is that SDC 'could' partner with a reputable national motel chain and probably receive the same rewards/benefits. I think this subject has come up previously, but no SDC action. Perthaps we should communicate with our designated 'powers to be'. I will. stupak

Stupak, actually I did get your point very well, but if I had responded like the “EXAMPLE” given below we both know what would happen to this thread.<GRIN> Hey, lets you & I give our Club’s new leader a little time to get his feet on the ground and then see how effectively the wills of the general SDC membership are communicated. OK???<WINK>

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EXAMPLE:

>>>Perthaps we should communicate with our designated 'powers to be'. I will. stupak

...OR ...maybe the other way around!?!? They should make the effort to get input from us 12,400 "Regular Joe & Jane" SDC Members.

In 2009, a bidder for printing of our fine TURNING WHEELS magazine offered to print & insert in the poly bag a mail-back questionnaire (survey) twice a year for FREE!!! EVERY SDC Member receiving TURNING WHEELS could then have input on important Club issues. Well, that bidder did not get the contract and apparently the "ask-the-membership" idea died.

[stupak]

My point is that SDC 'could' partner with a reputable national motel chain and probably receive the same rewards/benefits. I think this subject has come up previously, but no SDC action. Perthaps we should communicate with our designated 'powers to be'. I will. stupak