Popular Louisiana Motel Chain Sold to Foreign Investor

There is one in Abbeville, Breaux Bridge has one too. You can also find them in Shreveport, Slidell, and West Monroe. They're an iconic part of the American road trip. Okay, they are an iconic part of an American road trip if you're traveling on a budget, but, at the very least, they are a place to stay.

Since 1962 Americans have been searching for a sign that would lead them to a comfortable bed, a working bathroom, and a good night's rest, allegedly. We say allegedly because that's what the commercial promised, but for some of us who have stayed the night, there have been times when not all three of those "promises" were fulfilled.

But you know, even in a luxury hotel you can have a bad night's sleep, a bed that is less than comfortable, and yes, a bathroom that requires a call to the front desk to operate. But there is only one motel chain that has promised for more than six decades now to "leave the light on" for you.

Of course, the chain we are speaking of is Motel 6. And yes, the chain took its name from the cash rate it charged for a night's stay back in the day. That rate was $6 a night. Today if you wanted to put your head on a pillow for a few hours at a Motel 6 it would cost you almost nine times the original price for an overnight stay in many communities across Louisiana.

The owners of the Motel 6 chain have announced they are being acquired by the parent company of OYO, a hotel operator based in India. The estimated cost of the transaction is $525 million and it includes the Studio 6 brand which is part of the Motel 6 family.

The OYO brand was launched in India a little over ten years ago and this purchase of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands significantly expands the company's footprint in the United States. OYO made strides in the lucrative Las Vegas hotel market in 2019 when it acquired the Hooters Hotel and Casino in 2019.

By the way, OYO, is an acronym for On Your Own, which is how I have felt many times when I stayed at a Motel 6. That's my experience, yours might have been a little different.

Based on reports the company planned to add over 250 hotel properties in the United States to its portfolio by the end of this year. That acquisition of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands would increase the number of properties by roughly 1400. That's how many locations the discount hotel chain has spread across the country.

As of now, OYO has not announced any major changes in the way the properties will operate or the services they will offer. So, it should be business as usual for the family that's traveling on a budget or the weary road warrior business person who just needs a place to sleep.

I just can't imagine Tom Bodett the author and voice actor whose commercials brought an air of "class" to Motel 6 saying "ham aapake lie roshanee chaaloo rakhenge" to a tired truck driver. By the way, if you don't speak Hindi, that's how you say "We'll leave the light on for you".