Howard Johnson Mayflower Hotel

I apologize in advance for this long detailed review but I hope that readers will get some value out of this and make their own conclusions about this property. We booked the Howard Johnson (HOJO) Mayflower International Hotel in Queens even after having read some of the negative reviews. We got a great deal of $ 910 for 6 nights which was a bargain in NYC. We have stayed in HOJO hotels for over 10 years as well as in Shanghai which far exceeded expectations. However, our experience at this hotel left a lot to be desired starting with extremely poor customer service. If you are desperate for a hotel in NYC and you get a good deal, only then consider this hotel. You have been forewarned! In my humble opinion, HOJO is doing a dis-​service to their customers by franchising their name to this hotel.
The hotel is about 2 blocks from the subway station in a down-​trodden commercial neighborhood which is being developed. Walking alone at night is not recommended. We were allocated room 602. On entering the room we noticed the closet mirror was cracked pretty badly, the toilet seat had come off one hinge and broken, blanket and sheets were crumpled and not fresh. We called the front desk immediately as they had taken a damage deposit of $ 100. They accepted the broken mirror and said they would have the toilet seat fixed the next day. While leaving the next day for sight-​seeing, we reminded the front desk again about the toilet seat and were told it would be fixed. Every day of our stay we were told it would be fixed and long story short — it was never fixed. This was a hassle as we had to be careful not to fall off the seat. They did offer us another room but we did not want to hassle with moving all our stuff and wasting several hours of the day doing this.
The bed was comfortable but pillows were not. They just squished down flat with no support. They did not clean the room for the first 3 days and did not replace the towels until we requested them to do so. But the 5^th day they did clean the room and replace towels.
Other than these 3 things, the room was of decent size — good for a couple and 2 kids. It was on the right corner of the building when stepping out of the elevator. The AC/​heater worked so that was good. We had requested a room with a view of NYC which they did oblige. But from the 6^th floor, all you can see are the 3 tall smoke stacks in front with the bridge on the left. Well, better than the view on the other side. We noticed that most of the folks staying appeared to be from Europe and few from Asia.
We were so happy that breakfast was included in our tariff. The first day we went down at around 8 AM and most of the hot breakfast was over. We asked if they were going to refill but they did not appear to understand English.(Most of the staff appeared to be Chinese). We let this pass. The next day we were down at 7 AM for breakfast and they had scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, bagels with no cream cheese, white and brown bread, butter, jam, cereal, coffee, and OJ. The OJ was very watered down and half the jug was full of ice. After requesting them for less ice they brought in new jugs with slightly less ice but still watered down! They have a water cooler outside the breakfast hall. The hot water never worked and you would be fortunate to find paper cups. Each of the 7 days we were there, the menu was exactly the same with absolutely no variety.
The hotel lobby is quite good and decorated with oriental artifacts. There is a mezzanine floor where there is a restroom, couches, microwave and a vending machine with soda and snacks. There is a decent size car parking lot at the back but I believe there is a $ 25 charge per day. We were not allowed on the hotel terrace as they said it was closed for construction. We were hoping to get a few photos of the Manhattan skyline from there as we could not get a good view from our room.
This hotel served our purpose as we just wanted a roof over our heads and a comfortable bed at a good price point well within our budget. This was not our first choice but 3 weeks of trying Air BnB, other hotels in NYC, vacation rentals etc. came to nought and we had no choice but to stay here. If your budget is $ 300 per night or more, you can find a lot of places in Manhattan. Be aware of the almost 20% taxes and fees charged by hotels and restaurants in NYC. Many times this is not included in the hotel quote.
In summary, I would not recommend staying at this hotel unless desperate. Howard Johnson should take note of all these reviews and either tell the Franchisee to shape up or remove their name. This hotel is NOT up to HOJO standards.
Pros: — Proximity to Manhattan — only 15 mins. away from Manhattan by subway.
— Possible to get a good deal for over 3 night stays.
— Budget hotel
Cons: — Extremely poor customer service.
— Below average breakfast. McDonald’s may be better
— Rooms not maintained well.
— Hotel staff should be able to communicate in English.
— Not a si