Who built the first motel?

Answer 1

In 1925, Los Angeles architect Arthur Heineman built the first motel in San Luis Obispo, halfway between San Francisco and L.A. He coined the term motel, meaning motor hotel, and named this first property Milestone. For $1.25 a night, guests were issued a two-room bungalow with a kitchen and a private adjoining garage. All the units faced a central courtyard which housed the swimming pool and included picnic tables for social gatherings. Journey back to a time when only those with ample income were privileged enough to stay all night in these for fee lodgings. Most travelers either camped or stayed at home. The automobile had become a status symbol and travel to California offered a promise land of blue skies, blue oceans and fruits falling off the vines in advertisements published in national magazines. The car was the star on this freedom journey.