Listen to the film makers <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYRXkQdcVK4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYRXkQdcVK4</a>

The Patel Motel Story is a powerful short documentary that uncovers one of America’s least-known immigrant success stories — how thousands of Indian families, mostly from the Gujarati Patel community, came to own and transform the country’s motel and hotel landscape. What began in the 1940s with a few determined immigrants purchasing small, struggling roadside motels grew into a nationwide legacy. Through grit, family labor, and an unshakable belief in community support, these early pioneers turned an unfamiliar industry into a pathway for stability and prosperity. Today, Indian Americans own more than half of all U.S. motels — a statistic that reveals both the scale and the quiet persistence of this achievement. Directed by Amar Shah and Rahul Rohatgi, the film blends archival footage, interviews, and personal narratives to tell the “greatest immigration story never told.” It captures the emotional depth behind the statistics — families living in motel backrooms, children balancing schoolwork with front-desk duties, and generations building wealth through sacrifice and shared effort. Beyond a story of business success, The Patel Motel Story is about resilience, belonging, and the reinvention of the American Dream. It highlights how one community’s determination reshaped an entire industry — and how their story continues to inspire new waves of entrepreneurs today. <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/04/travel/patel-motel-story-hotel-history-cec" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/04/travel/patel-motel-story-hotel-history-cec</a>

More than half the motels in the US owned by Patels - get to know the inspiration story

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