A woodshop is a place where Tom Bodett can remove some of life's rough edges. Upstairs from the woodshop is Bodett's home recording studio – and that's how you may know him, as the voice of Motel 6. ["I'm Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we'll leave the light on for ya'."]

Motel 6 Since 1986, he has been the spokesman for the motel chain Motel 6, ending commercials with the phrase, "I'm Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we'll leave the light on for you."

Two California contractors, William Becker and Paul Greene, saw a need for an economy motel on the California coast. They opened a 52-room motel in Santa Barbara, offering a good night's sleep for the low, low price of just $6 per night (cash only). Fittingly, they decided to name it Motel 6.

Hired in 1986, Bodett ad-libbed the line, “We'll leave the light on for you”while in the recording studio for the first time and the slogan was both an instant and lasting success, staying with the chain for over 25 years and counting.

Bodett said that woodworking, which he's been pursuing for nearly three decades, has helped him stay sober since 1992 - the same year he divorced Hochstetler. He made the connection at the end of a full day largely spent recounting his life.

68 years (February 23, 1955)Tom Bodett / Age

Yes, a hotel can tell if you are actually in the room. Hotels use key cards to track when guests enter and exit their rooms. When a guest swipes their card at the door, it registers with the hotel's system that they have entered or exited the room.

Yes, you can book a hotel room and then leave the room for a mini vacation, and come back. At most hotels, once you have booked and paid for a room, you are able to use that room as long as you need, even if you leave the room for a short period of time.

Originally Answered: Why do hotel chains commonly have numbers in their name (eg Motel 6, Super 8)? In the case of those two particular chains, the numbers actually represent their room rates when they were founded. Motel 6 was established in California in 1962, and would charge $6/night for a room.

The term "motel" originated with the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo, originally called the Milestone Mo-Tel, which was constructed in 1925 by Arthur Heineman. In conceiving of a name for his hotel, Heineman abbreviated motor hotel to mo-tel after he could not fit the words "Milestone Motor Hotel" on his rooftop.

For the comfort and safety of our guests and employees, our Corporate Safety and Security Department requires the registering guest to present positive identification. This is a standard policy throughout our properties nationwide.

motor hotel Early motels In conceiving of a name for his hotel, Heineman abbreviated motor hotel to mo-tel after he could not fit the words "Milestone Motor Hotel" on his rooftop. Many other businesses followed in its footsteps and started building their own auto camps.