Why motels are different
Motels rarely have the staffing to ask for reviews verbally, and the guest contact window is often under twelve hours. That makes printed placement the whole strategy: whatever is in the room, on the door or in the office window is doing the asking.
It also makes cost matter. A motel does not need a six-piece marketing pack — it needs one durable room card, one window decal for the office and possibly a key-tag insert. GuestReview Pro's free plan covers a single business and a single code, which is enough to run a real motel programme before paying anything.
Because guests often book on the road, the same code that collects reviews also builds the profile that the next driver sees when they search for a room nearby. Reviews and occupancy are more tightly linked here than in almost any other trade.
Where to put the code
Placements ordered roughly by how well they perform in this trade.
| Placement | Format | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Room desk or bedside | A6 counter card | The only guaranteed touchpoint in a short stay. Keep the message to one line. |
| Office window | 150 × 150 mm window decal | Visible at late check-in when the office is closed and nobody is there to ask. |
| Room door interior | 60 mm circular sticker | Seen on the way out, when a guest has just decided the stay was fine. |
| Key tag or key drop | 86 × 54 mm insert | Pairs with the departure routine at unstaffed properties. |
| Breakfast or vending area | A6 landscape card | The one shared space many motels have, and a natural pause point. |
Motel essentials
A five-piece, low-cost set aimed at short stays and unstaffed check-in, printable on a single A3 sheet at most trade printers.
A6 portrait counter card
105 × 148 mm · min QR 40 mm
350 gsm silk card
Window decal 150 × 150 mm
150 × 150 mm · min QR 70 mm
Static-cling window vinyl
Circular sticker 60 mm
60 × 60 mm · min QR 30 mm
Vinyl, matte laminate
Key-card wallet insert
86 × 54 mm · min QR 25 mm
300 gsm insert card
A6 landscape counter card
148 × 105 mm · min QR 40 mm
350 gsm silk card
When to ask
Before the guest drives away
Departure is the only reliable moment. Door and key-drop placements catch it without any staff involvement.
Late arrivals
A window decal keeps the ask alive when the office closed hours before the guest arrived.
One code, one destination
Keep every asset pointed at the same Google review form so the profile that ranks locally is the one being fed.
Get the placement guide
Frequently asked questions
Is one QR code enough for a motel?
Often yes. If you print a room card and a window decal from the same code, you lose placement comparison but keep the programme simple and free.
Do we need laminated cards?
Room cards last far longer laminated or printed on 350 gsm silk. Anything on an exterior window should be vinyl rather than paper.
Will guests scan without an app?
Yes. Every current iPhone and Android camera reads QR codes natively, with no app and no login.
Can we change the destination if we join a franchise?
Yes. Codes are dynamic, so a new Google Business Profile means updating one field, not reprinting every room.