Translation guide
A motel is a roadside hotel designed primarily for motorists, typically with parking directly outside the room. In Japanese, the English loanword モーテル is understood but not widely used; instead, various types of accommodation serve similar functions.
A basic hotel along a highway, with parking near the room, used during road trips.
The direct loanword from English. It is understood, especially in contexts related to American road trips or in travel guides, but actual motels in Japan are rare.
アメリカの田舎でモーテルに泊まった。
I stayed at a motel in the American countryside.
An older term sometimes used for motel-style accommodations in Japan, but now uncommon.
昔はモーターロッジが多かった。
There used to be many motor lodges.
Since motels are not a standard category in Japan, you can describe the type of lodging more generally, such as ビジネスホテル (business hotel) or 民宿 (family-run inn), depending on the context.
高速道路の近くのビジネスホテルに泊まった。
I stayed at a business hotel near the highway.
In some contexts, 'motel' may be used as a euphemism for a love hotel, but this is not standard and can cause confusion.
If the intended meaning is a love hotel, use ラブホテル. Note that モーテル is not used for this in Japanese.
Do not use モーテル to mean love hotel; it will not be understood that way.
あのカップルはラブホテルに行った。
That couple went to a love hotel.
The concept of a roadside motel with direct parking access is not typical in Japan. Instead, you'll find business hotels (ビジネスホテル), ryokan (旅館), or roadside stations (道の駅) with rest areas. Using モーテル may require explanation.