Skip to content
Back to search

Is Motel 6 Private Equity Owned?

🟡 FORMERLY PE OWNED

Motel 6

Includes Motel6

budget hotel · Dallas, TX

Year Acquired

2012

“Blackstone left the light on — for ICE agents checking guest lists.”

What Happened

  • •Under Blackstone ownership, employees at multiple locations shared guest lists with ICE, leading to at least 20 arrests of Latino guests
  • •Paid $12 million settlement in Washington state (80,000 guests' data shared) and $10 million in Arizona discrimination class-action
  • •Blackstone invested almost nothing in renovations during 12 years of ownership — maintenance deferred while cash was extracted
  • •Blackstone sold to India-based OYO in 2024 for $525M after buying for $1.9B in 2012 — tripled investor returns while brand reputation cratered

The Damage Done

  • ▸If you stayed at certain Motel 6 locations with a Latino-sounding name, your personal information was handed to ICE agents — without your knowledge or consent
  • ▸At least 20 guests were arrested at Motel 6 properties after employees shared daily guest lists with immigration authorities
  • ▸Ranked dead last in American Customer Satisfaction Index for hotels two years running — guests report dirty rooms, broken fixtures, and safety concerns
  • ▸Quality deteriorated so visibly that the brand became synonymous with budget-hotel horror stories during Blackstone's 12-year ownership

Sources

See something wrong?

Also owned by Blackstone

Jersey Mike's
restaurant
Hilton Hotels
hotel
Great Wolf Lodge
hotel
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
restaurant
TeamHealth
healthcare
Bumble
media
View Blackstone profile →

More in Hotels & Travel

Hilton Hotels
Blackstone
Great Wolf Lodge
Blackstone / Centerbridge Partners
Browse all Hotels & Travel →

Get notified

Stay in the loop. No spam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Motel 6 owned by private equity?

Not anymore. Motel 6 was formerly owned by Blackstone starting in 2012, but the firm has since exited. The effects of PE ownership often linger.

What happened to Motel 6 after the acquisition?

If you stayed at certain Motel 6 locations with a Latino-sounding name, your personal information was handed to ICE agents — without your knowledge or consent At least 20 guests were arrested at Motel 6 properties after employees shared daily guest lists with immigration authorities

Who owns Motel 6?

Motel 6 is owned by Blackstone, which acquired it in 2012.