Motel 6 Jackson

This two-story motel, surrounded by spectacular Wyoming countryside, makes a good first impression. The lawn is neatly trimmed and the grounds are adorned with wooden sculptures of the area’s iconic bears. A lovely interior courtyard that surrounds the outdoor pool is a pleasant surprise, with covered tables and large trees, making for a peaceful place to relax and take in the scenery. It’s the primary gathering place for guests, since the small lobby is strictly for registration or to grab a quick cup of coffee. It’s chock full of brochures promoting all there is to do and see in area for the many leisure travelers who frequent the hotel. 

The Motel 6 is located on busy U.S. Highway 191 that runs straight into downtown Jackson, roughly a five-minute drive away. The immediate area has a few other hotels, retail stores, and restaurants, including a Subway and cinema complex that are only a short walk away. The slopes at Snow King Resort are a seven-minute drive, and Jackson Hole Airport and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort at Teton Village are about 20 minutes by car. Craig Thomas Visitor Center, a starting point for Grand Teton National Park, is a 27-minute drive, and Yellowstone National Park is approximately 80 minutes by car. Idaho Falls is a little less than two hours away.  

The guest rooms in this older budget hotel have been re-decorated in a fun, retro style that’s bright and cheerful. Unit are on the smaller side, but there's a creative maximization of space and functionality. Accent walls behind the beds are painted tangerine-orange or aqua blue, with matching bed throws and drapes. The rest of the walls are painted white, and floors are a light-wood laminate. Butterscotch padded benches are cleverly tucked into corners near the beds to provide seating at small tables, which also have simple, wooden chairs. Hallway shelves and hangers offer decent storage space, which are next to roomy, black granite vanities with white basin sinks. 

Units come in Queen, King, and Double-Double options, and standard amenities include mini-fridges, microwaves, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with media plug-ins, though there are no kettles. Wi-Fi is available for a fee, but it’s spotty. Bathrooms also are small but tidy, with more shelving and tiny, semi-circular shower inserts, and hairdryers, but they lack toiletries. Units facing the busy highway will hear more road noise, and some past guests have noted walls are thin. 

This no-frills hotel does not offer breakfast and there's no restaurant on-site, but there's free coffee in the lobby for guests all day. In the summer months, the key feature is the heated outdoor pool surrounded by lots of loungers and a grassy courtyard with covered tables and large trees. The hotel has a guest laundry room with coin-operated machines. Parking is free and plentiful, and pets are welcome without a surcharge. Wi-Fi is available, but it requires a modest daily fee, and premium-speed Wi-Fi requires an additional fee. The motor court-style property has exterior corridors, so guests with limited mobility may wish to request first-floor rooms.