
Business loans for motels
Motel business loans and working capital for owner-operators
Looking for a business loan for your motel?
At Ardent Capital Group, we help motel operators access finance for covering fixed costs through a soft season, refurbishing rooms and guest amenities, bringing laundry in house, replacing tired kitchen and room fit-out, acquiring a second site, covering an ATO or BAS obligation, and buying the freehold going concern they run.
We can help you:
- Fund fixed costs through a soft season or a quiet stretch of road traffic
- Open a business overdraft or line of credit over your trading account
- Refurbish rooms, the reception or the guest amenities
- Bring laundry in house instead of paying a linen contractor
- Replace kitchen, refrigeration or tired room fit-out
- Fund a motel acquisition or a second site
- Cover an ATO, BAS or PAYG obligation
- Fund the revenue lost while rooms are offline for a refurbishment
- Buy the freehold going concern your motel operates from
- Match the facility to your occupancy and season
Who we help:
- Motel owner-operators funding a refurbishment or new plant
- Operators buying the freehold going concern they run
- Roadside and highway motels whose trade moves with traffic and events
- Seasonal operators whose costs stay flat through the trough
- Motels bringing laundry in house to lift margin on every room
- Trust and company structured borrowers who need their trading presented properly



Speak to a specialist today
1,000+
loans settled
$500M+
funded
Motel and roadside accommodation funding
Funding for occupancy swings, refurbishment and the freehold
We arrange business loans and working capital for motels and roadside accommodation operators, from overdrafts and lines of credit through to unsecured and secured term loans, equipment finance and freehold purchases. Motel lending is usually assessed as a going concern, so trading performance and the property are read together rather than the bricks alone. We find the lenders that fund accommodation properly, then structure the facility around your occupancy and season.
Funding from $100K to $100M
from over 60 bank & non-bank lenders
- ANZ
- Bankwest
- Bluestone
- Bank of Queensland
- Commonwealth Bank
- Firstmac
- ING
- Macquarie
- NAB
- Pepper Money
- Suncorp Bank
- Thinktank
Motel finance specialists
Motel lending is a specialist area, and one where going-concern valuation changes the whole structure, from an operator refurbishing a wing of rooms to one buying the freehold they trade from. Fixed costs that run flat through a soft season make cash flow the thing to get right. The facilities we arrange most often include:
- –Business overdrafts and revolving lines of credit
- –Refurbishment funding, including the revenue lost to rooms offline
- –Unsecured business loans on strong trading
- –Secured business term loans and cash flow finance
- –Unsecured business loans on strong trading
Limits are sized to your occupancy and season rather than a single strong month, and on revolving facilities interest is charged only on the drawn balance. Many facilities are assessed off your BAS and recent bank statements rather than full financials. For the plant behind the rooms, we arrange commercial laundry finance against the equipment, so bringing linen in house need not tie up the cash you trade on.
Why businesses choose Ardent Capital Group as their broker
Execution and strategy
Strategy first, then execution. We structure your deal properly and take it to the lenders that fit how you trade, so you do not have to knock on every door.
Clear advice for smart lending
Straight answers on structure, limits and timing, including when a refurbishment is better funded against the equipment than off your overdraft.
A long-term partner
We stay with you well beyond settlement, growing the facility as you add rooms, refurbish or buy the next site.
Motel loan types
What we fund for motels
Funding needs differ from one motel to the next. An operator covering a soft season needs a different facility to one refurbishing a wing or buying the freehold. Below is an overview of the most common situations we help motels with.
Working capital and cash flow
A motel's costs barely move with occupancy. Housekeeping, the front desk, utilities and maintenance run whether the motel is full or a third full, and a soft season or a refurbishment that takes rooms offline hits revenue without touching the cost base.
We match the product to the shape of the gap, from a revolving line for the off-season to a term facility for a refurbishment that will lift your room rate. It keeps the roster and the suppliers funded without drawing on the money set aside for the building.
- Structured as a revolving line, short-term loan or receivables facility
- Sized to the peak of the gap, not annual turnover
- Suits seasonality, refurbishment downtime and flat cost bases
- Can bridge a quarterly BAS or PAYG obligation
- Assessed on trading history and the pattern of cash flow
- Repaid as the delayed revenue comes in
- Faster access where the facility is unsecured
Business overdraft and line of credit
A business overdraft or revolving line of credit sits over your trading account and covers the gap between money going out and occupancy converting to revenue across the season. You draw against an agreed limit as costs fall due and repay as room takings settle.
We size the limit to your actual cash cycle rather than a round number, weigh a property-secured facility against an unsecured one, and place it with a lender whose appetite matches motels rather than a generalist credit desk.
- Interest charged on the drawn balance, not the approved limit
- Assessed on BAS lodgements and three to six months of bank statements
- Limits commonly reviewed each year against turnover
- Line fees and establishment costs differ between bank and non-bank lenders
- Unsecured limits generally capped lower than property-secured facilities
- Redraw available without reapplying once the limit is set
- Suits motels carrying fixed costs through a quiet season
Unsecured business loans
An unsecured business loan gives you a lump sum without registering a mortgage over property, priced on the strength of your trading rather than the value of your assets. It suits established operators that want funding quickly and would rather keep the family home out of the structure.
We assess whether an unsecured facility is the right call or whether a secured position may suit a larger or longer facility, then place the deal with a lender that understands how motels actually trade.
- Generally available from 12 months of consistent trading history
- Often assessed from bank statements and BAS without full financials
- Terms commonly run from one to three years
- Faster to arrange than a property-secured facility
- Directors’ guarantees typically required
- Limits smaller and rates higher than secured equivalents
- Suits equipment, soft refurbishments, tax bills and short-term working capital
Secured business term loans
A secured business term loan uses commercial or residential property, plant or another business asset as security, which generally supports a larger limit and a lower rate than unsecured lending, repaid over a set period. Where an overdraft flexes, a term loan gives you a fixed repayment you can budget around.
Property brought into the structure lifts both the size and the pricing, and an operator with a freehold, a plant list or equity in a home often has more security available than they realise. We match the structure to the purpose and your balance sheet, subject to serviceability, lender appetite and approval.
- Terms commonly run from one to fifteen years depending on security
- Fixed or variable rate, with principal and interest repayments
- Larger limits and lower rates than unsecured equivalents
- Property, plant or receivables can all serve as security
- Full financials generally required for larger secured facilities
- Suits refurbishments, freehold purchases, refinances and consolidation
- Can fund an ATO payment plan where trading supports the repayments
Asset and equipment finance
Asset finance funds the plant a motel runs on, from commercial laundry and kitchen to refrigeration and guest room fit-out, including commercial laundry finance against the machine itself. The equipment usually serves as the security, so your working capital line stays free for the rest of the business.
Whether you are bringing laundry in house to stop paying a linen contractor, replacing tired room fit-out, or upgrading refrigeration, we match the finance to the working life of the asset and place it with a lender that funds this kind of equipment, including the dealer and manufacturer programs. It keeps a large capital purchase off the overdraft and turns it into a predictable monthly repayment.
- Secured against the equipment being financed
- Chattel mortgage, lease or rental structures available
- Terms typically matched to the life of the asset
- Often assessed on bank statements and BAS for established operators
- New and used equipment both fundable
- Frees up cash and property security for other funding
- Repayments fixed and easy to budget around
Buying or refinancing your premises
When you are buying the freehold your motel operates from, or refinancing an existing loan, this is a commercial property deal rather than a working capital one. Motels are usually valued as a going concern rather than on bricks alone, so the trading performance and the freehold are assessed together and the structure matters more than in a standard commercial purchase.
Owning the freehold takes a rising rent out of your cost base and builds an asset alongside the business. If your deal is primarily a property purchase, our commercial property team handles it end to end through our motel property finance service.
- Owner-occupier and investment structures both catered for
- Going concern trading and freehold value assessed together
- Terms commonly run to fifteen or twenty five years
- Trust, company and SMSF structures catered for
- Refinance to release equity or move onto better terms
- Can combine the premises purchase with plant and equipment finance
- Subject to serviceability, valuation, lender appetite and approval
Our complete list of services
- Working capital and cash flow finance
- Business overdrafts and lines of credit
- Unsecured business loans on trading strength
- Secured business term loans
- Commercial laundry, kitchen and refrigeration finance
- Guest room refurbishment and fit-out funding
- Freehold and going-concern purchase finance
- Motel acquisition and second-site funding
- Refinancing existing facilities
- ATO, BAS and PAYG bridging
- Invoice and receivables finance
- SMSF commercial property finance
Our process
How it works
✓We understand your scenario
We talk through your occupancy, your season, the road traffic your motel relies on and the timing you are working to.
✓We find the right lender
We match your deal to the lender on our panel best suited to it.
✓You receive clear terms and guidance
We present indicative terms and explain what we recommend, and why.
✓We stay with you beyond settlement
We manage everything through to settlement, then stay in your corner well beyond it, with ongoing support from the team.
Lender criteria for motels
How lenders compare on motel finance
Business loans are assessed on trading history, cash flow and security, and priorities differ by deal. Major banks offer lower rates on tighter criteria and full financials, while non-bank lenders can fund larger, faster or on lighter security and documentation.
| Business loan feature | Major banks | Non-bank lenders | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum facility | Large, security-dependent | To structured facilities up to $100M* | Standard |
| Secured vs unsecured | Property preferred, unsecured available | Secured or unsecured options | Important |
| Invoice finance advance rate | Around 80% | 80 to 90% of invoice value | Common |
| Interest basis | On drawn balance or term loan | Drawn balance, term, or fee-based | Varies |
| Documentation | Full financials typically required | Low-doc options on bank statements and BAS | Common |
| Approval timeframe* | 1 to 3 weeks | 1 to 10 business days | Varies |
| Best suited for | Strong balance sheets, property security, sharper rates | Faster access, lighter security, larger structured facilities | — |
*IMPORTANT: These are indicative figures only. Terms, LVRs and approval timeframes vary with borrower capacity, security type and individual lender criteria, and are subject to change. Figures are a general guide, not a quote or an offer of finance, and not a representation that finance is available on these terms.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Ardent Capital Group the right broker for you?
Ardent Capital Group brings the same method to every client: execution and strategy, clear advice for smart lending, and long-term growth. That means the right lender, structure and timing, straight advice so you borrow with confidence, and today's deal built toward where you want to be tomorrow. We are specialists in helping business owners secure finance to purchase their own property, and we understand the complex structures that often sit around it, including multiple trusts, holding companies and self-managed super funds. Through that work we also understand what the business needs from its cash flow, and where an overdraft or line of credit fits for working capital. For a motel, where fixed costs sit against revenue that swings with the season and the road, that means the lenders among our panel of more than sixty who back the strength of the operation rather than the freehold alone. We stay on well beyond settlement as you refurbish, add rooms or buy the next site. Every figure is subject to serviceability, lender appetite and approval.
Should I use a secured or unsecured facility?
It depends on how quickly you need it and what you are willing to offer as security. Unsecured facilities are assessed mainly on trading strength and can be arranged in days, which suits a limit of $100K to $500K. Secured facilities, backed by property or plant, support larger amounts and price better, and make sense once you are funding a freehold purchase or an acquisition. Most established operators end up with a mix, and we shape which sits where.
How much can I borrow?
It depends on your trading, your structure and the purpose, but lending here commonly runs from $100K to well into seven figures, and our range extends to $100M for larger operators. Motels are commonly assessed as a going concern, so trading performance and the freehold are read together rather than the property alone. The binding constraint is usually serviceability rather than security, and we shape the funding early so you know your number before you commit.
Can I finance commercial laundry and room fit-out?
Yes, and the equipment is normally the security rather than the freehold. Commercial laundry, kitchen, refrigeration and guest room fit-out can all be funded new or used, and a wing of rooms can go on one facility. Terms are typically matched to the life of the asset, and established businesses can often be assessed on bank statements and BAS rather than full financials. Bringing linen in house instead of paying a contractor often covers the machine out of the saving, and dealer and manufacturer programs are available too, which we compare against a bank facility.
How do you fund a refurbishment that takes rooms offline?
We fund the works and the revenue you lose while the rooms are offline. Taking a wing out of service removes income while your cost base and the interest keep running, so the facility needs to carry both. We size it to the works plus the downtime, and set repayments to start once the refurbished rooms are earning at the higher rate. Bring us the scope and the staging early, subject to serviceability and lender approval.
Do I need to put up property to get funding?
No. Plenty of operators fund growth without touching the family home, either through unsecured facilities assessed on trading, or by securing against the equipment being purchased. Property security widens the range of lenders and structures open to you, so it is worth considering once you are borrowing well into seven figures. The choice is yours, and we will show you what each option costs before you commit.
How quickly can working capital be arranged before a peak season?
An unsecured facility can often be approved within 48 hours and funded inside a week where the business is established and the BAS and bank statements are current. Secured facilities take longer, typically two to four weeks, because a valuation is involved. The practical advice is to open the limit before the season turns, ideally when you are planning the spend rather than when the bill is already due. Timeframes are indicative and subject to lender appetite and approval.
Can I get a low-doc facility from my BAS and bank statements?
Yes. Many lenders assess established businesses on 6 to 12 months of bank statements and recent BAS rather than full year-end financials, which suits operators whose accounts lag the current run rate. It works best where the trading account shows regular receipts and the ATO position is current. If you have a payment plan in place, say so early, because several lenders will still proceed when it is disclosed and being met.
Can you help me buy the freehold my motel operates from?
Yes, and it is a commercial property deal rather than a working capital one. Motels are usually assessed as a going concern, so your trading performance and the freehold are read together rather than the bricks alone, and getting the trading presented properly is most of the work. Owner-occupiers can generally borrow a higher proportion than a passive investor would. Our commercial property team handles these end to end through our motel commercial mortgage service.
Do you fund motels with seasonal or highway trade?
Yes, and a trade that moves with the season, the road and local events is normal rather than a problem, as long as the facility is built for it. Sizing a limit to an average month leaves you short in the trough and paying line fees on unused headroom at the peak, so we size to the peak of the gap instead. We structure repayments to fall when the money actually arrives. Lenders that fund accommodation expect the pattern and price it accordingly.
Do you charge any fees for your service?
Most of the time, no. We are paid a commission by the lender once your facility settles. Where a deal requires significant preparation or involves unusual complexity, a small mandate fee may apply. We will always be upfront about this before any work begins.
What areas do you service?
Although we are based in Sydney, we service clients across all major Australian cities, including Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart, along with their surrounding regional areas. Wherever your business is located, we can arrange your finance.
What other finance can you assist with?
Although our main speciality is property loans for business owners, such as a property loan to buy your motel freehold, we also assist with laundry and room fit-out finance for motels and working capital. On asset finance, that covers commercial laundry, kitchen, refrigeration and room fit-out. On working capital, we arrange business overdrafts, lines of credit and cash flow funding. We also arrange commercial mortgages if you are buying or refinancing a freehold going concern.







