About Motel 6
Founded in 1962 in Santa Barbara, California, Motel 6 is synonymous with a great travel value. The first Motel 6 in Santa Barbara still leaves the light on today, but a lot has changed for the motel chain that pioneered the first real economy motel designed for the no-frills traveler. The original price of a night’s stay at Motel 6 was just $6.00, and thus established the brand name for an American classic.
The promise of the iconic brand is to offer clean, comfortable rooms and great experiences at any of our locations in the US and Canada. Motel 6 is a household name, synonymous with quality and value. It enjoys the highest brand recognition factor of any U.S. economy lodging brand.
The brand continues to grow and currently has approximately more than 1,400 locations across the United States and Canada. Part of G6 Hospitality, Motel 6 is the largest owned and operated hotel chain in North America.
Motel 6 enjoys the highest brand recognition factor of any budget-lodging brand. Motel 6 has 55+ years of experience in managing award-winning brands. Motel 6 boasts one of the most recognized advertising campaigns in America, “We’ll leave the light on for you®”. Our annual marketing support includes national television, network radio, outdoor billboards, digital advertising, search, email, and public relations activities.
We have a dedicated business-to-business sales force that is centrally managed and nationally deployed. Our field sales agents are tasked with expanding our penetration in the business-to-business and group business segments. Motel 6 is a Platinum Founding Member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.
– Motel 6 enjoys the highest brand recognition factor of any budget-lodging brand.
– Motel 6 has 55+ years of experience in managing award-winning brands.
– Motel 6 boasts one of the most recognized advertising campaigns in America, “We’ll leave the light on for you®”. Our annual marketing support includes national television, network radio, outdoor billboards, digital advertising, search, email, and public relations activities.
– We have a dedicated business-to-business sales force that is centrally managed and nationally deployed. Our field sales agents are tasked with expanding our penetration in the business-to-business and group business segments.
– Motel 6 is a Platinum Founding Member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.
Company Founded
1962
Current Leadership
Rob Palleschi, CEO
Started Franchising
1996 (25 years)
Total Number of Units
1,240 (as of 2020)
Part-Time / Full-Time
Full Time
How Much Does It Cost To Open A Motel 6 Franchise?
There are several costs associated with opening a Motel 6 franchise. There is typically a franchise fee set by the franchisor, which covers the costs of opening a franchise location. Some other commons fees include equipment fees, marketing fees, licensing fees, insurance, and taxes, to name a few.
Some franchises may have a weekly fee that the franchisee pays for operating a Motel 6 franchise. The weekly fee for opening a Motel 6 franchise is Royalty Fee Due Monthly Upon Invoice.
The full breakdown of these fees can be found in the Financial Disclosure Document (FDD) provided to franchisees by the franchisor. The FDD report will contain additional information such as whether the franchise is renewable (Motel 6 Is Renewable) and does the franchise offer financing support (Motel 6 Motel 6 offers no financial support).
Motel 6 Company Details
Here are some additional details about Motel 6.
Parent Company | G6 Hospitality |
Initial Investment | $20,000 - $30,000 |
Veteran Incentives | $1,500 off general manager training fee |
Royalty Fee | 5% |
Ad Royalty | 4% |
Term of Agreement | 15-20 years |
Absentee Ownership | No |
Run from Home | No |
Part Time | No |
Training and Support Offered By Motel 6
Motel 6 offers several support options to its franchisees. With 1,240 (as of 2020) units, Motel 6 aims to provide support to each franchise owner to help them operate a successful franchise location. Motel 6 offers No on the job training, 30 hours classroom training, and Annual convention additional training.
Training and Support Offered
Here are the support options offered by Motel 6.
On-The-Job Training | No |
Classroom Training | 30 hours |
Additional Training | Annual convention |
Ongoing Support |
|
Marketing Support |
|
Estimated Revenue | $1M to $10M |

Is Motel 6 Right For You?
Motel 6 has gone digital! Here are all of the ways you can find Motel 6 online. Oftentimes, you can reach out to current franchisees of Motel 6 online. Current franchisees may be able to offer personalized insights into what it is like owning a Motel 6 franchise and offer tips to running a successful Motel 6 franchise location.
Why Should You Start a Motel 6 Franchise?
Investing in a Travel franchise such as Motel 6 can kickstart your franchise portfolio. Our goal at Why Franchise is to provide you with the resources needed to be a successful franchise owner. Fill out the form below to get more information about Motel 6 franchise and we'll be in touch soon!