A. A motel.

Q. Where is it supposed to be on the show?

A. In Miami, Florida.

Q. When did we see it on the show?

A. In Episode 7 (of Season 1), "Circle of Friends".

It's where the Miami police finally track down their "Ice Truck Killer" suspect, Neil Perry.

They have already unearthed a female skeleton from behind his trailer, and having traced his phone calls to a red-light district, Angel and Debra start showing his photo to motel managers.

After interviewing a woman who works at the motel, cops Debra & Angel learn that their suspect is a regular at the motel, and is there now, with a woman in his room.

The cops hurry to his motel room (#20). He has temporarily stepped out, but they find a hooker tied spread-eagle to the motel bed, bloodied but alive, with torture implements waiting by the bedside for the suspect's return.

The police wait for him to come back to the motel room, and bust him when he walks in the door. (Ultimately, though, he turns out to be just a crazy wannabe.)

Q. What is it actually in real life?

A. A motel, but not in Miami.

Q. Where can I find it in real life?

A. It is actually called "The Pink Motel", and it's located at 9457 San Fernando Road, in Sun Valley, CA.

Dating back to 1946, this unique little motel has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, including 2004's "The Whole Ten Yards" (with Bruce Willis & Matthew Perry), "The O.C.", and "House of Sand & Fog".

But despite all the filming, as of 2008, it is still open for business as a motel. (Their number is 818-767-3605.)

Be warned, though, that the neighborhood leaves a lot to be desired. One Internet comment referred to it as "an industrial wasteland".

It's located just one long block away from (southwest of) another "Dexter" location: the auto salvage yard.
And the dirt lot where the cops bust the wannabe copycat killer is located right next door to the motel.

The location is also right next to (west of) the four smokestacks seen earlier behind young Debra when she is shooting at tin cans in a field.

Where the heck is Sun Valley? In the northeast part of the San Fernando Valley, about three miles northeast of Burbank, south of the Hansen Dam.

Here is an aerial photo of the motel.  And here is a map link.

Q. How the heck did you figure out where it was?

A. I had previously tracked down the Pink Motel when I did my research on filming locations for "The Whole Ten Yards", and then I did a page on the motel for my "The O.C." mini-site.