I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel completely safe when people can access the door to your room without another layer of security. For this reason, I almost never stay in anything labeled a “motel” in the US as they are more often configured like the picture above.
We also never book a hotel without taking a detailed look at the photos on the hotel or booking website.
Reviews from past customers are also really helpful to give you a sense of the hotel security and safety of the surrounding area.
More on the definitions of hotel and motel here: http://traveltips.usatoday.com/difference-between-hotels-motels-2976.html
Lead. Travel. Pray. 