What makes a motel different from a B&B? What distinguishes an inn from a regular hotel? Review our glossary below for details.
Hotel: Hotels are commercial establishments that provide lodging, meals, and personal services on a short-term basis. Hotel buildings usually have several stories with rooms that open to a hallway in the interior of the building. The English word "hotel" is derived from the French word "hôtel," which is itself a derivation of the English word, "hostel."
Inn: Usually synonymous with "hotel," an inn often focuses more on food and drink than most lodging establishments. The word first appeared in England during the 12th century and originally meant "dwelling."
Motel: Shorthand for "motor hotel," motels are geared toward motorists looking for a place to sleep while on long road trips. Often located alongside freeways, they usually have rooms that open to a parking area on the exterior of the building. Motels are primarily one-to-three story buildings. The word "motel" first came into use in 1925, when car travel became popular.
Bed and Breakfast: These are usually private homes converted into commercial enterprises, and they provide exactly what the names implies - lodging and a meal in the morning. Often abbreviated as B&B.
Capsule hotel: Also known as "pod hotels," these are establishments of dense occupancy containing small modular spaces, or capsules, for sleeping. The capsules are usually 6-foot long fiberglass chambers lined with bedding, and they are often stacked on top of each other. Capsule hotels are most popular in Japan. Yotel, a capsule hotel chain in Europe, provides capsules in airport terminals and offers larger accommodations.
Hostel: Hostels are very inexpensive, supervised lodging places for backpackers, travelers on a budget, and students. They are far less formal than hotels and usually have communal accommodations, including bunk beds and shared bathrooms and eating areas.
Efficiency: This is a low-rent form of accommodation consisting of a kitchenette, a living area, and a sleeping area combined into one single room. These types of rooms are common in extended-stay hotels, also known as "apartment hotels."
