What's that motel smell? (nothing gross)

Factual Questions
1

Since I was a child, when I traveled with my parents, there was always this smell that I associated with motels and possibly hotels too.

It’s a smell that’s almost like chlorine, but not like pool chlorine. It’s not exactly a bleach smell either.

I’ve noticed it in different motel chains…Holiday Inn, Ramada Inn, Days Inn, Admiral Benbow, LaQuinta, Alamo Plaza, etc.

It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s a cheap motel, or one of the nicer ones. I don’t really associate this smell with the pool area, but it seems to be in the rooms, and for some reason near the outside of the A/C unit when the A/C is mounted under the front window next to the door.

Anyone else ever notice this and have any idea what it is?

2

Alot of hotels use O-zone generators to remove odors from rooms. These leave a unique smell of their own. Usualy after they use them the room will pick up odors from the carpeting and the bedsheets. In cleaner hotels that would typicaly be detergents.