Expert: Gorkey Gourab - 2/2/2009

Question

Far Eastern University

Institute of Arts and Sciences

Department of Communication




Maa'm/ Sir:

Greetings!

I am Sofia R. Faheem, a 3rd year college student from the Far Eastern University, Philippines.

My group is doing a research about motel chains aiming for chastity by implementing "No unmarried couples" rule and "No minors allowed".



In the Philippine context, motel is somewhat an unwelcoming establishment to some of the Christian Catholics and some other conservatives and religious sectors; unlike in the Western culture where motels are not seen as a sinful place for immoral deeds.



It is required in our research to solicit a response from an international expert for further clarification of facts and perspectives and more importantly, to compare two different cultures— the Eastern and Western culture.



Here are the questions I would like to ask:

1. What is the definition of motel in the international context, aside from motel meaning motorists hotel? Particularly, Western context.


2. What is the difference of a hotel and a motel?



3. What is your basic knowledge about the origin of motels?



4. What is the reason why people especially Americans go to motels? What kind of activities do they usually do and why they do it there.



5.  Do you believe that motels are archetypal symbols for immoral deeds? Why or why not?


6. What is the impact of motel rise to the Americans back then? It's impact on Americans now?



7.   Do motels in America have rules or provisions implemented (no minors allowed or no unmarried couples allowed)? What are these?



8. If there are such measures that the motel is implementing, do you think they are following it?


9.  Are the motels abroad built according to the profile of its target clients?


10. Have motels in America ever gone into conflict with the religious sectors like scandals or any denunciation towards such business?



Thank you so much for considering answering these questions and sharing a luxury of your time. It will sure be a lot of help to us students.





Respectfully yours,

Sofia R. Faheem

3rd year Mass Communication student, Philippines  

Answer
Dear Faheem,

Please find below the answers for the questions you asked:

1. Definition of motel: a hotel providing travelers with lodging and free parking facilities, typically a roadside hotel having rooms adjacent to an outside parking area or an urban hotel offering parking within the building. Not necessarily it's for the 'motorist', but it focuses on the typical features of motel in Western context. In Western context, it motel is also defined as roadside lodgings that are often quaint and privately owned, though motel chains also exist.


2. Difference between hotel and motel:
A motel is usually an hotel where people usually stay for the night. They are on the road, usually off of highway exits.

Hotels are usually in big cities. They are meant to fit more people, and are meant for longer stays. As hotels are meant for people to have longer stays, they are sometimes fancier than the motels.

Motels usually spend less money for maintenance than the hotels, as motels are not meant for longer stays.

Motels differ from hotels in their common location along highways, as opposed to the urban cores favored by hotels, and their orientation to the outside (in contrast to hotels whose doors typically face an interior hallway).


3. What is your basic knowledge about the origin of motels?

As the motor car revolutionized travel, other options had to be discovered if a traveler intended to stay overnight on the road. In the early 1920s, the solution was an auto camp. An individual touring around the country, usually carried a tent and supplies. An auto camp was a place where anyone could set up a tent and spend the night or longer. Although hotels might well exist in the town or city visited or passed through, many visitors did not want to go there. Motel hotels were for the well off.  They tended to be expensive, beyond the pocketbook of many travelers. Travelers simply stopped where it was convenient, put up a tent and enjoyed the surroundings. An auto camp was often a farmers’ field or lakeshore. They were people often travelling with their car, a small amount of cash and the shirt on their back (Motelbiz, 2009).

Many claim that the motel concept originated with the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo, constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heineman. In conceiving of a name for his hotel Heineman abbreviated motor hotel to mo-tel (Wikipedia, 2009).

Originally, there was no charge for camping. Local communities, as the car traffic increased, set aside free municipal campgrounds. As time went on, further controls were put into place, including a small fee. This benefited the community and discouraged inappropriate behavior while controlling access.

Out of this was to grow camps catering to automobile drivers. Buildings were constructed offering minimal services and amenities. In Kentucky, people saw the chance for a profit and, from the 1930s onwards began to construct small cottages to service auto campers. Resembling small houses, these simple structures provided all the comforts of home. Some structures were grouped together on the outskirts of town, directly along a “major” motor way. These were cabin camps or cabin camps the early model of a motel.

Motels continued to dominate the landscape of the roads and byways of north America. Many a family made a pleasant living from operating one. This changed in 1952 when Kemmons Wilson 's opened the first in his chain of Holiday Inns.



4. What is the reason why people especially Americans go to motels? What kind of activities do they usually do and why they do it there.
So far as we've discussed, we get an indication that people generally stay in motels as these are cheaper, easy to access during long drive, perfect for short stay. Also, I've read some instances where it was described that people also stay there while they are on hurry ... to avoid 'public eyes', maintain 'anonymity' etc. Second one is difficult for me to answer ... or I can say anyone to answer, cause it can't be generalized so easily.


5.  Do you believe that motels are archetypal symbols for immoral deeds? Why or why not?
It seems to me that you want to know whether the motels are 'symbols for immoral deeds' so that you can have an understanding. Morality is very much contextual. And you've already described that acts, which are moral in countries of Southeast Asian countries, might not even be the issues for discussion. Therefore,  and also conceptually I do not believe that motels are archetypical 'symbols for immoral deeds'.


6. What is the impact of motel rise to the Americans back then? It's impact on Americans now?



7.   Do motels in America have rules or provisions implemented (no minors allowed or no unmarried couples allowed)? What are these?
Yes, they have privations for not letting minors living in motels on their own ... however, they can live with accompanying adult members. Also, as far as I'm concerned, laws prohibit unmarried couples to stay in motels and hotels. Since, I'm not a expert in law ... therefore answer from me regarding legal issues might be misleading for you. However, I have noticed an interesting law of North Carolina (USA) according to which if a man and a woman who aren't married go to a hotel/motel and register themselves as married then, according to state law, they are legally married.


8. If there are such measures that the motel is implementing, do you think they are following it?
Not really ... my search over net explored many cases where couples register themselves as 'married couples' and stay there. Since in short stay it's difficult to identify the real marital status and since many motels are meant for profit, many motels fail to follow the laws properly.

9.  Are the motels abroad built according to the profile of its target clients?
Yes ... pure cost-benefit analysis. Targeted clients, targeted motels.

10. Have motels in America ever gone into conflict with the religious sectors like scandals or any denunciation towards such business?
This is outside my expertise.

Thanks for your questions. I have answered from my limited knowledge and avoided issues outside my expertise. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Best regards,
Goreky