Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

I get lots of e-mails with questions about secure parking for the night on the road.
Others want to know about motels vs hotels, so I have put together some thoughts on the subject.

http://rollybrook.com/motels.htm

As always, comments, suggestions and brickbats are welcome.

Rolly

Seems I can think of lots of exceptions to the Motel rule. Are you only referring to No-Tells. Posadas or Bungalows are also indistinguishable from motels

I was just wondering about where I had been.

In Britain "Hotels" were for travelers without their own transportation ( coaches, trains, and planes) and placed acordingly, with full service.

In Canada, the States, and Mexico the same, so no need for any parking.

Just check where the first hotels were.

Rolly,

You might mention especially for RVers that a motel might cost travellers similiar prices for a night as campgrounds in the vicinity.

Plus the motel might have both cold and HOT showers, functioning toilets and lights, compared to campground facilities, as well as improved security, shade, etc. like you mentioned.

And perhaps getting a 'surprise' when you turn on the TV.

Also, in my limited experience, there aren't swimming pools or many consumer items available in the security kiosk where the guy takes your money. Although if you're fortunate there may be tasty taco stalls that set up each night just outside the motel's gates.


Choose motels (often off-ramp of major highways) where truck traffic and airbrakes won't go, on all night.
Unless otherwise, 'occupied', weary travellers wanting to put on the miles in the morning, may find night noises(all kinds) interfering with a good night's sleep.

Great stuff Rolly! We laughed reading it because it brought back a great memory.
On our way to Jalapa in Veracruz we experienced some car trouble...our accelerator cable snapped and prevented us from reaching our intended destination on time. A motel was a motel to us...and the grounds looked well kept. The price per night blew us away but we did wonder why the attendant's eyebrows shot to his hairline when we asked for an all night reservation...we are older and both have white hair.
Secure parking, marble and glass bathroom, immaculate bedroom. Our first clue was the mirror on the ceiling over the bed. The next was while surfing the channels on the TV. Huhuh huhuh, oh yeah!
We were exhausted the next morning but continued on our journey with little smiles on our faces.

Great post Rolly. We have stayed at many of the so called NO TELL MOTELSin Guaymas, Moches, and Mazatlan Very good if you have a car full of stuff, a small pet ect. Never had a problem going out to eat and returning.