•This is the first multicenter study to assess the prevalence of motor subtypes of delirium in older patients admitted to acute hospital and rehabilitation settings.•The most frequent delirium subtype was the hypoactive delirium followed by the mixed, hyperactive and non-motor subtype of delirium.•All three delirium motor subtypes were associated with pre-existing dementia.•Atypical antipsychotics were statistically less likely to be prescribed for patients identified with hypoactive delirium.•Mixed delirium was associated with an increased number of intravenous lines.