There are certain brands where you just expect their commercials to be a certain way. Progressive has Flo & Friends. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes has Tony the Tiger. Michelin’s got The Michelin Man.
Travel has had its share of iconic partnerships, too. And few lasted as long—or became as recognizable—as Tom Bodett and Motel 6.
For decades, Motel 6’s commercials were instantly recognizable. They had down-home Americana-style music, a little hokey comedy, and they all featured the slogan: “I’m Tom Bodett for Motel 6, and we’ll leave the light on for ya.”
Motel 6 has been around since 1962 and they’ve never tried to be anything more than they are – a cheap and (hopefully, but not always) clean place to stay the night. Well, except for this Motel 6…they’re not cheap! Anyway, Tom Bodett – that’s his real name – has been doing their iconic commercials since 1986 (and apparently he ad-libbed his first one).
Who Is Tom Bodett and Why Does He Matter to Motel 6?
Unfortunately, there was trouble in Motel 6 paradise, and a little more than a year ago, Bodett, 70, sued the hotel chain.
In June, 2025, Bodett filed a complaint in a Manhattan federal court, saying that the hotel chain’s new owner, OYO (they bought the chain from Blackstone for $525 million in late 2024), didn’t pay his annual payment that was due on January 7th of that year, as per his contract with the chain. Yet, despite this, the chain had continued to use his name and voice on its national reservation phone line, which violated his rights under the contract, as well as federal trademark law.
According to NPR, Bodett said he attempted to negotiate a confidential settlement that would recognize his role in building Motel 6, not hurt its image or franchisees, and provide “graceful closure,” but the chain responded only with “misrepresentations, obfuscations, and delay tactics.”
What Bodett Wanted
Bodett wanted to recover $1.2 million, plus additional unspecified damages, and a share of profits, from the hotel chain.
According to a July court filing, Motel 6 denied wrongdoing and accused Bodett of breaching the contract.
How the Lawsuit Ended
As it turned out, the case, Bodett et al v. G6 Hospitality LLC et al, was settled before the end of 2025. Reuters reported that the settlement was disclosed in a Manhattan federal court filing in December, though the terms were not available.
Unfortunately, it’s now confirmed that Tom Bodett and Motel 6 have parted ways.
Although the details of the settlement remain confidential, one thing is now clear: one of the longest-running advertising partnerships in the travel industry has come to an end.
For millions of travelers, Tom Bodett wasn’t just the voice of Motel 6—he was Motel 6. His commercials helped define the brand for nearly four decades and turned a simple closing line into one of advertising’s most memorable slogans.
It seems that, after all these years, Tom Bodett has finally turned out the light.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
