Life Behind the Lobby: Indian American Motel Owners and the American DreamIndian Americans own about half of all the motels in the United States. Even more remarkable, most of these motel owners come from the same region in India and although they are not all related seventy percent of them share the surname of Patel. Most of these motel owners arrived in the United States with few resources and, broadly speaking, they are self employed, self sufficient immigrants who have become successful they live the American dream.