Architecture of a motel

motels in cherokee

A motel can be distinguished from a hotel in different respects. For instance, the locations where motels and hotels are built are different; motels are found along the highways whilst hotels are found in urban areas. But there is one of the most striking feature that makes them stand out as a separate entity – their layouts.

Motels are usually build in an ‘I’ –, ‘L’-, or ‘U’ shapes. The layout constitutes nothing more than guest rooms, a manager’s office, reception hall and swimming pool. Motels are single-storied, where rooms have access directly to a garage or car park so that one can easily transfer his/her luggage directly to one’s room. Some motels are second storied too where you can find balconies with stairwells.

Especially in the early 1950s to late 1960s, the so called post-war motels began making the buildings more attractive. They began to use colorful neon signs to lure the customers. The signs did represent the contemporary themes including Western imagery of Cowboys and Indians, spaceships, and atomic era iconography. The era of the development of motels, known as ‘neon area’ had U.S. Route 66 as its popular theme. The signs so developed in those era are still followed by motels to this day.

The interior designs of the motels also have their own uniqueness. Some motels have a number of large rooms which will also include kitchens and other apartment-like amenities. But these rooms will be expensive as hotels’ room, which defy the fact motels provide cheap rooms. Rooms with connecting doors – large rooms that are made by combining two standard rooms - began to be popularized among both hotels and motels. In addition to deluxe rooms, suites with Jacuzzi were also built offering as standardized rooms as in hotel.

So, the growth of motels in the US is rapid and statewide. For instance, in Iowa, you will find many motels in Cherokee, IA, such as Cherokee Inn motel, that are built in typical models of a motel but are equipped with facilities as good and many as in hotels.