New Owners Seek to Redefine Motel 6 in Fresh Tuscaloosa Space

The new Motel 6 on McFarland Boulevard is totally unrecognizable from the one that was forced to close a mile or so up the road last year, and that's no accident.

Long-time Thread readers will remember that the Tuscaloosa City Council revoked the business license of the former Motel 6 on McFarland near Skyland Boulevard last summer - although, technically, when it was forced to close it was no longer actually a Motel 6 franchisee.

Now, new owners have revived the brand in Tuscaloosa less than a mile north, where their short-lived Crimson of Tusk-A-Loosa boutique lodge re-opened in April as the 38-room Motel 6 University.

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The space is operated by longtime hoteliers Crimson Management, who said they took the old Masters Inn down to the studs and redid all walls, insulation, plumbing and electrical and made essentially a brand-new property there. More than half of the units at the Masters also became apartments, leaving a significantly smaller footprint for the new owners to oversee.

Management said they want to reassure the public that they are different owners on a different property and they'll be running a different kind of Motel 6.

First, the space is small, just 38 units, and allows hotel staff to put eyes on every room on the property in a very short period.

It is also completely reimagined, with a bold fuchsia color scheme, modern recessed headboard lighting, more spacious bathrooms and more.

One thing hasn't changed - the Motel 6 will still be an affordable brand, and management said rooms will typically be available for $70 - $90, offering a comparable product to other places in town charging more than twice as much.

Other amenities include free coffee, free wi-fi and no charge for pets to stay overnight.

The motel will be managed by Tonya Ryans, who has three decades of local hospitality experience and Crimson Management.

The new and vastly improved Motel 6 is open now at 3700 McFarland Boulevard East.

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