"We'll leave the light on for you..."

Remember that tag line? Spoken by your friend and mine, Tom Bodett, referring to Motel 6, the Four Seasons of budgetary accommodations. The irony in that catchphrase is that rooms at Motel 6 look much better without lights. I've had the privilege of staying in a few Motel 6s in my life (I miss you Santa Fe....) and in all fairness, it did a nice job at filling a niche - a mostly clean and absolutely outdated room that offered affordable solace to budget-minded travelers. Certainly, one wouldn't opt to stay in a Motel 6 for the ambiance, but that was the point. Not only did Motel 6 provide perfectly fine hospitality at discount rates, but it also knew its place in the grand scheme of things. It was OK to poke fun of Motel 6, mostly because...it's Motel 6!

So, you can imagine my surprise when I read this article in the USA Today. Actually, screw the article; all you need to know is this:



Notice the TV in the upper right on the first picture? 32-inch flat screens, in every room. Yup, Motel 6 has gone chic, and we as a society are poorer for it. Well, actually, we're not - the average price for a room will stay at around $45. Hell, if all of the Motel 6's are going to look like this, then they should absolutely leave the light on.