I had a very similar experience about 20 years ago at the Oakland Airport Motel 6.
Only Motel 6 I’ve ever seen with 12’ chain link fence with razor wire around the property and armed guards on the gatehouse.
Very odd experience.
I had a friend come visit me in Atlanta once.
He stayed in a motel on the wrong side of town.
He only stayed one night then went back home.
He said he knew it was the wrong place to stay
when he saw the check in desk was behind two inch
thick plexiglass...