Howard Johnson Austin, TX

I got here they didn’t have my reservation along with about 5 other people’s reservations, there is people in the parking lot repairing cars, after my 5 ½ hour drive to get here I just wanted a good shower but the water does not even get hot it’s just warm water. The wifi does not work which I figured the Internet does not work is prolly why they couldn’t get people’s reservations

Paid $ 70 to stay here for one night. Was desperate because it was New Year’s Eve so not many places were available for a decent price and this was the only spot left.
The lady at the front desk was very helpful and nice, so my experience with staff was overall good. But the place itself is awful.
Upon initially entering, the place looked sketchy af. Random people just hanging out in the hallway, dim lighting, walls with paint chipped off, and room numbers missing only to be replaced with a small piece of tape with the room number messily scribbled on it.
First, the key to my room didn’t work and when asked about it, the front desk said that apparently the lock was out of battery. Okay… Got a different room. The lighting was dim, one of the lamps had a broken button, and there were bugs crawling in and out of the walls near the sink. The restroom door did not close, the walls were paper thin so you could hear literally everything, the faucet was barely attached to the sink, there were cigarette burns in the blankets, the outlets were broken off, the curtains were falling down, there was paint chipping off of the walls, there were bugs on the floor, the furniture had paint chipping off, and lastly there was no hot water!!!
I’m sure you can find a place that’s much better than this for the same price. Do not stay here!

I payed $ 180 to stay here for one night. The first room they gave me smelled like cat piss. Then they moved me into a room in which the bathroom door doesn’t shut the water pressure and temperature varies every couple of seconds there is weird sticky stuff underneath the chairs and the smell is so odd that we had to keep the windows open all night. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.

This place is in desperate need of repair. They could probably start by replacing the sheets with cigarette burns in them. I posted some pics to show you what I mean. Most of the employees here don’t even wear the standard Howard Johnson’s uniform shirt. And every time I went through the lobby, there were undesirable people just ‘hanging out’. This hotel gets two stars because it was fairly cheap, and it’s easy access to I-​35. There are no other redeeming qualities about this place.

Cuando la conductora del Über nos preguntó en dónde estábamos hospedados y le contestamos «En el Howard Johson Inn Austin», nos contestó: «Estoy sorprendida de que Howard Johnson siga en el negocio» a lo que yo respondí: «Nosotros también.» Hay que seprar la austeridad de un hotel de bajo costo-​lo cual siempre es razonable– de las condiciones inaceptables-​lo cual no es razonable a la hora de pagar por un servicio.
Las instalaciones estaban sucias, huelen raro-​no mal, pero raro, lo cual debe ser pariente de «mal». Cada vez que tomaba el elevador sentía que me metía en un microondas. Mi habitación no tenía teléfono sin embargo en el front desk me sugerían marcar cero cuando tuviera alguna duda o petición. El hotel estaba en reparaciones de tubería, por lo que todo el tiempo nos cruzamos con personal de mantenimiento del hotel haciendo ruido.

Hojo, where the hoes go. If only we had read the reviews before booking this hotel. We saw so much sketchy shady shit that we packed up and left to another hotel. Don’t get me wrong, if your into meth, having a smoke smelling room, and trashy hookers, than this is the place for you! We asked for a refund but we were told we couldn’t get one until the manager came in the next day. Called today and the manager had left early for the day. …will try again tomorrow.

This was the most horrifying experience as far as hotels/​motels go I have ever had in my life! The main entrance has homeless/​drugged people (one siting on the ground with her arms crossed, shivering in the summer), loitering in front of the building that you literally have to walk through to get to the door, and this is a MAIN ENTRANCE. Upon walking in, the first thing you will notice is the smell, it’s overbearingly musty and moist/​moldy. When looking out the window there are hoodlums walking by at all hours of the night, and being on the bottom floor where they were literally right outside my window made me feel unsafe and I got NO SLEEP because of it. The other reviews on here are right, you WONT WANT TO LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE ROOM WHEN YOU SEE THIS PLACE. I brought all of my electronics with me each time I left the room which was a huge burden. One of the nights as my friend and I were opening the front door, what appeared to be a high-​as-​a-​kite prostitute was leaving, with her eyes rolling into the back of her head, as she stumbled almost into me, complete with her fake eyelashes falling off and half of her face tattooed. It still makes me cringe when I think about it. The TV in the room didn’t work, upon turning it on, it would immediately shut back off… so any hope to mentally escape my surroundings was screwed. Not to mention my friend’s dad who was staying in a different room reported the same exact problem… So needless to say, not recommending this place is an understatement, GO ANYWHERE BUT HERE.

I booked with room because the pictures looked decent, besides, the plan was to just come in to sleep.
As I get there, I walked up to check in but the guy behind the counter was busy talking to his two girls that were there. I thought they were guests, but apparently one worked there as I later seen her folding a sheet when I walked up to the room (she was definitely not with housekeeping because she looked like she was ready to head to the club).
I was placed in a smoking room that stunk. The room size was decent (only positive). When I came in to the room, I heard noise in the hallway, I went to re-​shut the door and it would not close because the top hinges were broken. Both beds and the carpet had cigarette burns throughout.
About thirty minutes later I left to meet up with friends, all asked why I had my backpack, there was no way I was leaving anything valuable there, NO WAY. I needed up calling Expedia and cancelling due to the unsanitary and unsafe conditions. I was a Marine, I will sleep anywhere, but even I have limits.

Stay as far away as possible from this establishment. Marshall the desk clerk is rude and swore at us. All we wanted was what we paid for — a double room. He put us in a single, and when asked to get what we paid for he got biligerent.

This hotel is kinda ghetto but at least it was hella cheap place to stay by using my AAA member discount. The staff were really cool and layback but there were some issues in this hotel. I got myself a smoking room (3^rd floor) with a nice view of highway I-​35. The WiFi was free but the WiFi network also jammed too. I had problems with texting while using the WiFi.
Pro:
— Right off the freeway
— Free continental breakfast
Con:
— Highway traffic noise is common
— The computer printer in the cafeteria/​lobby was not working which I need it to print out my plane ticket
— There was an issue on the TV remote so I have tell the clerk to get me another remote control
— I saw few small cockroaches roaming around

The worst hotel I’ve ever stayed at. It smells like an ash tray and there’s roaches in the rooms! I kept seeing sketchy people walk in and out of the place. I couldn’t stay there all night, I requested my refund and went to a better place. I’d feel safer in a lodge at camp crystal lake than this flea bag of a place.

Where do I start…
We entered the hotel with a younger man sitting in the chair with his leg hiked up and twirling a small fake toy gun. He was there for most of the day so figured he was related to the front desk staff. Front desk clerk was very nice and greeted warmly. Was able to get us in earlier than 3pm. Gave us two keys and proceeded to our room. I had read that I should bring air freshener just in case and they were right. The halls and room smelt stale and like an old folks home. Periodically smelt like strong smoke which was not even allowed on our floor. The room was run down. Walls needed paint, tv didn’t work without lots of adjusting settings, ac unit was broken and couldn’t be adjusted to a temp, bed covers had stains, black mold in bathroom and much more. Bed was not horribly hard though so I guess there was one positive.
Day two wasn’t horrible until the night time. Woke up and took a shower which was very low pressure. «Fresh» Towel had hair all over as well. Spent pretty much all day away from the room. That night (11÷8÷14) we returned around midnight and the front desk guy (someone different from the day before) was outside in between cars with 4 other people. When we drove up I notice him drinking from a paper bag with a can in it. Thought he might be a guest because it was dark. He then quickly passed the bag to the lady next to him and asked if we were checking in. We said we did yesterday and he said ok good and to get ahold of him if we needed anything. Nice guy but drinking on the job… Not so cool.
Check out the next day wasn’t bad and we quickly got out of the hotel. We will not be going back. The surroundings looked sketchy but it really didn’t feel that unsafe when walking to and from the car. You definitely get what you pay for but I have found other cheap hotels that didn’t suck as much as this one. Don’t waste your time.

This is the absolute best hotel I’ve ever been in. If you do one thing in Austin, visit this hotel! Great experience, sometimes I come here just to stay in this hotel and love my life decisions!

I’ve been using Unilocal for two or three years this is my first review.
I was in town to see ACL and this Howard Johnson was one of the few hotels that were left. It started on the first night with a pillow that had blood on it.
I was initially told by the night desk that they had no more pillows. I continued to explain the situation to him and eventually he got me another pillow.
The next night, coming back from ACL, the front desk clerk threatened to have me removed by the police for asking him if there was anyone at the front desk a night.
From that point the «manager», whom I had dealt with the day before with the pillow incident, started yelling and became physically threatening. He called the police while I calmly waited on a couch.
The situation turned into a «he said/​I said» telling of the aformentioned events. Which meant nothing to the police. I was then asked to leave because the «manager» has that right it being private property.
Needless to say I was furious. No refund, no apologies just turned out in the middle of the night.
Budget hotel is one thing but this place is terrible.

First room I was assigned was room 101, right next to the fire exit, where people step outside to smoke, so the room and hallway smelled like smoke even though the floor was designated non-​smoking. Also, the room did not have a trash can.
Front desk was very nice and accommodating about changing my room. However, second room still did not have a trash can. Also, the alarm clock had a broken switch that didn’t allow me to turn it off. In the morning, the room smelled like the Whataburger scraps that I had to leave at the bathroom sink. At least it didn’t smell like smoke anymore.

Horrible. ROACHES. Hallway smelled like a cat box. Room like stale cigarettes. Shower broken. Had to shower in another room. Dead roach in refrigerator.

I’ve certainly stayed in worse. But not much worse.
There were cigarette burns in the bedsheets. The room reeked of stale smoke. The television was old and wonky to work the remote control.
The air conditioner rocked though. They had free wifi, but it was pretty dang slow.
The room was rather clean, had comically small towels, and was stocked with shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
In the morning, they had free breakfast, which included rolls, pastries, and cereal.
There once was a pool, but it seems to be filled with smashed furniture.

Go somewhere else: Plain and Simple.
Instead of just sleeping in the car, I booked this hotel at the last minute… Went up to room and I noticed it was in an unsavory part of the hotel: lots of young people who were definitely going to be up all night, doing whatever they were going to do when one stays up all night (noticed there were quite a few of this type of character– a previous poster referred to this place as «Crack Heaven» and I cannot say I disagree). Got my room assigned to a vacant part of the hotel, as I had to be up early.
After the convention the next day, I left and arrived home over 3 hours away. Within a few days, I was called and informed my (expensive) coat was left in the room. I told the girl that I was leaving out of country and then closing on a house, so I wouldn’t be able to drive to Austin for a few months. She said no problem, and she would put it into storage with my contact info attached. A few months later, I was told, «too bad, we «donated your jacket» as it was there for 90 days. No where in their establishment are you told this, btw.
I tried to contact the GM/​Owner of the hotel MULTIPLE TIMES (30+) but was told that the owner (Viral Patel) was either «not there yet», «not in today», or «just left»… so between calling the hotel and calling the owner’s personal number (given to me by the Howard Johnson people)… and having him avoid/​ignore the situation have decided that this is just a unprofessional owner and poorly ran hotel, and will never stay there again… not in a million years.

The website says you will enjoy a «fun» and «unforgettable» stay.
I agree with the latter: you will never forget such run down hotel and business, and will forever scratch your head how such a place could stay in business.
We booked online without much research. Fortunately, since you’re reading this, you are avoiding the same mistake
The first nonsmoking room we were given keys to was certainly not a nonsmoking room. It wasn’t a faint smell: it was unbearable. We immediately went back to the front desk and asked for another room. We were then given a room that smelled a little less like smoke. Unfortunately, the whole place smells a little like smoke and in hind sight, I was a little passive to have even checked in after walking through the door — where you immediately realize the quality of stay you are getting yourself into.
The rooms are tiny. The whole place is run down. There was cigarette burns on our mattress.
Spend an extra $ 75 or so and go across the highway to Best Western.

Absolutely awful! I stayed in this hotel for SXSW because I registered a bit late. It was just 2.7 mi from the Convention Center and just a few steps from a shuttle stop.
Here’s the problem… the hotel was disgusting and scary! My first room was so smoky my eyes watered. I switched. The next room wasn’t smoky but had:
Roaches
The world’s most abrasive towels
A hole in the bathroom door
A hole in the wall above the shower
A deadbolt that didn’t work (though they fixed it)
A tube television with bad reception and a crushed in corner
Bad lighting
Comforter complete with holes from cigarette burns
Mascara-​stained pillowcases
Oh, and my personal favorite… people using your room while you’re out!
I returned to my room one night to find a couple of notes on my side table, one appeared to be notes from a hunt for a used car and the other a filthy note thanking me for use of the room.
Management tried to blame it on guests instead of staff who have keys. They ultimately offered me this pimp-​tastic room with a jacuzzi in the middle of it. Wow!
Never ever stay here!!!

You get what you pay for. Not super nice but not a complete shithole. And that about sums it up. I’m glad I didn’t rely on past reviews before making my reservation. I actually didn’t even look at them till after the reservation was made.
Yes this place could use a little fixing up. No one would argue that point. It’s not in the best area of town and being right on 35, you are going to see a lot of transients and hookers and shady people walking around. I don’t recommend just hanging outside but I think you will be safe enough in your hotel room. That is what I did at least.
The room was clean and I didn’t see any roaches or have any issue with the heat and my room didn’t smell bad. The water pressure in the shower was fine and the hot water lasted at least 15 minutes.
Basically I wouldn’t say this is a great place to book for a vacation but it is fine if you just need a place to crash. You aren’t going to find much cheaper that is this close to downtown.