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# Do know what a motel really is?
- URL: https://hospitality.pro/know-motel-really/
- Published: 2016-12-12T08:34:33.000Z
- Updated: 2016-12-12T08:34:33.000Z
- Author: Carsten Hennig
- Tags: Hospitality Industry News, News, #wordpress, #Import 2026-04-16 12:15

*Washington, D.C. – 12 December 2016*  
The term motel came to have meaning only when the automobile started to dominate the landscape and the term “motor hotel” came into general use. The first motel opened on this date in 1925 in San Luis Obispo, California.

It had accommodations for 160 guests in individual chalets, each with bathroom, telephone, and a garage.

Today, there are close to 51,000 hotels and motels across the U.S., employing over 1.5 million people. With nearly 5-million rooms available, occupancy averages over 64 percent.

Learn more facts about hotels and motels in the U.S. – 1