Created in 1925 by Arthur Heineman, the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo (originally known as the Milestone Mo-Tel) is the first motel in the world. It is located in San Luis Obispo, California.

Concept

The emergence and popularization of the automobile in the United States of the early 20th century inspired many car owners beyond commuting into town. The poor roads of the era combined with the vehicle speeds and reliability required two or more days of nearly all day driving for 400 mile trips such as Los Angeles to San Francisco. Nearby destinations of 40 miles or less could be visited in a day to include a return trip. Longer trips requiring an over night stay often left travelers looking for places to pitch tent or to sleep in their automobile if arrangements hadn't been made ahead to destinations and stopovers that also happen to have hotels or inns. The lack of niche accommodations to fill the need for automobile travelers who only needed an overnight stay to continue their trip inspired many entrepreneurs. The combination of the convenience of a campground with the comforts and respectability of a hotel or inn spurred the creation of the motel. Arthur S. Heineman picked San Luis Obispo for the first Milestone Mo-Tel as a mid-point location between Los Angeles and San Francisco which took two days of driving on the roads at the time.