Motel 6

Motel 6 is an American chain of motels with locations in the United States and Canada. The chain was founded in Santa Barbara, California, in 1962 by William W. Becker and Paul Greene, and derives its name from the fact that rooms initially cost $6 USD (equivalent to $64 in 2025). Motel 6 also operates Studio 6, a chain of extended-stay hotels. Becker and Greene opened their first Motel 6 location on June 1, 1962, at 443 Corona del Mar in Santa Barbara. Since 1986, the chain has also run radio advertisements narrated by Tom Bodett and featuring the slogan, "We'll leave the light on for you." In 2012, The Blackstone Group acquired the hotel brand from Accor Hotels, and began managing it as part of its real estate business. In September 2024, Oyo Rooms, an Indian hospitality chain, announced an agreement to acquire Motel 6 and Studio 6 in an all-cash transaction valued at $525 million. On December 17, 2024, OYO's parent company, Oravel Stays, announced that it had completed the purchase of G6 Hospitality, which until then controlled hotels under the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. Following the acquisition, OYO appointed Sonal Sinha as chief executive officer of G6 Hospitality. As of 2024, Motel 6 and Studio 6 collectively operated approximately 1,500 locations across the United States and Canada.