4 Reasons to Choose Motels Over Hotels for Your Family Road Trip

Australia is one of the best countries in the world for taking a family road trip – there's plenty to see, paved roads to get you there, and some stunning sights along several of the nation's favourite roads. Of course, you'll need to think about where you're staying as well as where you're driving. Plenty of families book hotels simply because they seem like the right choice, but motel accommodation actually makes the better option.

Here are just four reasons you should book motels instead of hotels for your family road trip.

1. Lower Cost

Road trips are an economical way to see the country, but any kind of travel can be expensive. When you're travelling with your whole family, those costs tend to rise quickly, and hotels can eat up a huge portion of your budget. Motels are generally much less expensive, so you can save a bundle by booking them over hotels. You can also look for motel chains with locations all along your route – taking advantage of loyalty point systems offers another chance to save.

2. Less Formal

Hotels tend to be fancier than motels because they cater to business travellers as well as families and single tourists. That might sound like a good thing, but families usually prefer a more relaxed setting. You don't need to feel like you have to dress up the kids when you go to the restaurant, and your kids can play without worrying about upsetting business travellers. Better yet, most motels aren't as rushed as hotels, so the staff will seem more relaxed. It all makes for a family-friendly environment.

3. More Compact

Hotels come in all sizes and shapes, but most are fairly large with several stories. The problem here is that it's quite easy for younger kids to get lost when they wander off to find a vending machine or use the pool. Additionally, you might be separated by a few floors if you're taking two rooms. Motels are much smaller, with usually only one or two stories.

4. Easier to Reach

Finally, motels are ideal for any kind of road trip because they're easier to reach from the road. Instead of having to go into the city, you pull right up from the road itself. This is particularly attractive if you have children with you – they tend to get bored faster than adults when stuck in a car, and you really don't want to put up with the 'are we there yet' game when you're trying to navigate traffic in the centre of a busy city.