Howard Johnson Express Inn – New Brunswick

no. just… no.
my friend and i stayed here for one night because it was cheap and close to our concert venue… never again.
first off, when we got there, the people at the front desk were so rude. i booked the room through a third party website and the hotel receptionist (if that’s what they’re called?) couldn’t find the reservation, and really didn’t seem to care at all. while i was trying to sort it out, the employee held a casual personal conversation on their personal cell phone while the hotel phone was ringing off the hook. thank GOD the person from the booking site was so attentive over the phone because the hotel staff weren’t going to lift a finger to help us.
finally, they received confirmation of my booking and assigned us a room. we opened the door and were shocked to find it had not yet been cleaned — even though it was 3 pm and according to them we should have been able to check-​in as early as 11 am! we had to go BACK to the office to get ANOTHER room and yet again the staff was complacent. there was no apology.
our actual room wasn’t much better. everything was stained and in much need of repair or replacement. and the wifi didn’t work at all.
i’ve worked in customer service and i really try not to judge people so harshly because i know it can be a tough job, but this was ridiculous. someone from higher up in the company really should look into fixing it up because it honestly didn’t even feel safe to be there.

I wish i could give negative starts. This is my FIRST 2 star hotel i’ve EVER stayed at. and it was the worst.
1. It claims to have tv… but the remote lights up and doesn’t turn on, off, change channels or volume on the TV.
2. The bed sheets have cigarette burn holes on them.
3. the bathtub had floating hairs and black dirt visible on it.
4. there are NO outlets other than if u unplug the fridge and tv — i had to wake up in the middle of the night to swap my husbands and my phone so they’d be charged in the morning and once again to charge my laptop for our flight tomorrow.
5. The breakfast lobby had SO MUCH food on the floor like it had NEVER been vacuumed.
6. As i waited for my husband in the morning, there were weird people walking in and out — two girls that kept asking to use the phone, (i thought they would steal mine when the hotel guy outright refused to give them his phone anymore)…luckily they gave it back.
I felt like i was at one of those crack/​whore houses that people walk in to for a one night stand. tho I personally refused to remove my clothes when i went to bed because i was afraid of bed bugs.
Due to this experience I will NEVER stay at a 2 star hotel ever again.

Not great of a hotel. The staff was rude, and the room was just okay. Was very cheap though and had breakfast. Wouldn’t stay here again though.

Too bad you can’t give negative stars. This is the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed in! We stayed here only because it was close to family and we were on a tight budget. Where do I start with how horrible this place is? When we got to our room, the were no locks on the doors and none of the lights worked, most had the light bulbs missing. The bedding had cigarette burns all over them. Despite it being a non-​smoking room, it reeked of smoke. Housekeeping never came by, and when I called to have towels brought by, the horrible man at the front desk got angry at me and told me I didn’t need towels and began to harass me until my husband got on the line and chewed him out. Never did get the towels but they did come fix the lights and locks.

Its a welfare living shelter. Just 1 night living here had me think diff about howard johnson. I wouldnt recommened it. Unless u just renting rm for sex. I still would day or night.

This is one of the few choices around Princeton. I’ve been here before, and it’s passable by my (low) standards, but barely. The area isn’t the greatest, and it takes time to learn how to circumnavigate Route 1. It’s on the corner of Rt 1 and another major road with exits on both sides which is a real plus if you know how to use them.

Do not stay here. I booked a room at this shit-​hole on a trip from NC to RI. Booked it on the
app. I was greeted by a shoeless man behind the bulletproof glass that told me I could not check in until 3pm. He told me this through the little speaking hole in the glass.

You’d be better off staying at the New Brunswick train station during the eye of a blizzard AND still feel safer while being treated like a human being.
On 2÷12÷14 I contacted customer support to both Howard Johnson and
to settle a dispute I had with the front receptionist, who claimed to be the manager of the place, that the daily standard rate that I had booked through
did not match the amount of days in which I stayed. A total of $ 464.60 was shown in my invoice for a booking of 7 days, when adjusted to the
daily rate of $ 50.40 (excluding tax) should amount to be $ 352.80. During the duration from 1÷31÷14 — 2÷7÷2014 I was charged two different rates: the original
rate of $ 50.40 and then another rate of $ 63.20. Including taxes; the original 7 day stay through
came out to be $ 464.60. Due to weather conditions preventing us from leaving the New Brunswick, NJ Howard Johnson branch, we had to book an additional 5 days. Unfortunately, I understand that rates done directly through the source — this case being Howard Johnson and not
— can differ from doing it through a third-​party source, when I am being charged for a 4 night stay at $ 406.64 including taxes through Howard Johnson for 4 days… this does not make sense. How can a hotel adjust their rates so sporadically and not be considered fraudulent? When third-​party companies promoting Howard Johnson are buying out customers to figure out through their own mistake that they have booked with a hotel branch that does not take its customers/​occupants seriously enough to match those prices or compensate them, why list them in the first place?
2÷13÷14, the entire North East Corridor, primarily New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania will be expecting gusts of over ²⁰⁄₃₀ MPH and snow of 10 – 12 inches and I am left with the only option to remain here for an additional two days at the discretion of the hotel staff who has belittled my requests to understand why I was being charged infrequent rates, whether I could speak to a manager or not, whether the hotel was going to be operating through this snowstorm, and if I can have a representative of
speak with the receptionist of Howard Johnson. All these requests were not met and I am left with no other alternative but to pay through a third party, as I refuse to have to pay the rate which is nowhere advertised in the hotel and fluctuates from $ 50 to $ 60, to lastly, $ 70 in a matter of two weeks.
One can only hope that my room can stay the same, since the daily rate does not.
On top of it all, I’m being shouted at and lied to for simply asking why the room rate is changing. When is this attitude ever appropriate to a paying customer?
Roach infested, dangerous, close to nowhere, bedbugs (got some gnarly sores that I can show off to my grandchildren), and above everything else; a dilapidated circus that should be shut down.
If you want to feel like you’ve been cast to play a role in Lost in Translation (try your best to understand the concierge — won’t get you nowhere) meets Joe’s Apartment meets an investigative report of hoodrats in the USA — then you should have the time of your life.

DISGUSTING! I wish I could check NO STARS. I don’t care how cheap this hotel is I would not stay here EVER and I didn’t.I actually think its either a welfare hotel or a crack house. I was with a group and they booked this on
with the cheap price you don’t get to pick your hotel until after you purchase it then you find out which hotel you get. We pulled up in the parking lot I knew we were in trouble. The outside of the front lobby is the nicest part of the hotel then when you go inside the lobby you know what your in for. We got the key and went in the room leaving our bags in the car. We walked in and said HELL NO! and right back out. Filthy, rundown, holes in the walls, dirty carpeting and curtains, burn holes on blanket and the smell was horrible. This place should be condemned. Not fit for humans or animals. We went on our phones and booked the Crowne Plaza for 100 a night. This room wasnt worth 50 dollars a night. You couldn’t pay me to stay here. I should be taken off any hotel or travel sites. Put this on your must miss list. There are plenty of hotels in the area there is no need to ever stay here!

My girlfriend and I were coming back from a concert in Asbury Park, NJ & decided to crash last minute in a hotel since we were both tired with a long ways to drive still.
Booked the hotel via
— arrived 45 minutes later at the place (its right near the closed down Fuddruckers on Rt.1). The guy behind the counter gave me some stern advice never to use
to book reservations for the hotel because their relationship is not great & they sometimes turn away people because they can’t provide the requested accommodations, so heads up! There were two last minute cancellations, one of which fit our requirements so we got lucky!
Our room (one king & non-​smoking) was at the back of the hotel, away from the main road (Rt.1). There was a party going few doors down from our room but it didn’t bother us when we settled in. The room was old & run down… considerably dirty. My main concern/​comfort of hotels are their bed sheets — these sheets were a bit dirty but worse they had burn holes everywhere… in a non smoking room? I actually did not feel comfortable to pull the sheets over me when sleeping so I got a blanket that I carry in my car… Did not try the tv since I could not find the remote. The bathroom was decently clean & so were the towels.
When we checked out the next morning there was puke essentially right outside our door on the sidewalk.
While checking out, I grabbed two bagels (mini’s), toasted them in the single toaster, and spread some community tub cream cheese on them. Grabbed two cups of apple juice as well. After tasting the bagel, we through them out but the juice was delicious!
This place is old, run down, and doesn’t seem to try to improve their offerings (outside of maybe cheap price?). I would NOT stay here again.

simply put… this place is absolutely horrid!
I only stayed here for one night… but this has got to be THE WORST hotel I have ever stayed in. I wish I could give this hotel 0 stars. i only paid $ 51 but I feel like I got ripped off.
1.) The place is extremely sketchy and poorly lit for being located right off the highway. I actually felt unsafe while unpacking my things and I have lived in Philadelphia for 10 years.
2.) The bed is actually the most uncomfortable bed I have slept in. It reminded me of a college dorm mattress but worse. I have slept on floors more comfortable than that bed!
3.) The pillows were old and lumpy and quite small for the king size bed. very unpleasant!
4.) The blanket smelled (I do not want to say like what…) but as if it hadn’t been washed in a very long time. that was disgusting!
5) the shower hadn’t been cleaned and I actually ended up accidentally using an old soap that hadn’t been removed from the last visitors! that was soooooo gross I ended up showering again!
6.) NEVER STAY HERE YOU ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY. Please do not make the same mistake I did and try to save a couple bucks. It is not worth it… and your body will thank you the next morning!

I was charged for the 4 nights I reserved when I got there, even though they told me it was a «pre-​authorization.» I ended up leaving after 2 nights because the place was sooo sketchy, and they charged me AGAIN for those two nights. I just got back from my trip and haven’t had a chance to call and get my money back from the pre-​authorization.
The iron in the room was chained to the wall. Seriously?
The sheets were torn, the room looked really unclean, the exterior of the place looks trashy. There were some shady people staying next door. The free internet was the only good thing this place had going for it.
They «continental breakfast» consists of watered down Folgers coffee, toast, and individually packaged, government issued pastries. As I was sitting in the lobby waiting for a cab, this guy walked in and said «Man, it’s like eating breakfast in the projects! And I lived in the projects!»
I thought I could save some money by staying here, but I’d rather spend a bit more and feel more comfortable.

I wish I could give this hotel no stars.
We paid for 2 nights over the phone, about a week before we left. My friend’s mother purchased the room for us on her credit card. When we go there, they didn’t have the reservation anywhere. They called my friend’s mother and asked her to fax her credit card, license, and SSN. She then called her credit card company, and they confirmed the charge on her account, indicating the room was paid for. They also told her faxing the information could put her at risk for fraud, as someone could open a credit card with it. They EVENTUALLY let us in the room, that we paid for, a week prior. They told my friend’s mom to fax the information by the next morning. When she tried to explain the charge on the card, they pretend they don’t understand what she’s saying (all the employees are of Arabic descent). Since then, they haven’t stopped calling our room, asking for the information, despite how many times we tell them the room is paid for.
And this morning we found a colony of ants in our bathroom! There was HUNDREDS of them, all over the floor and walls.
The rates are cheap for a reason. The rooms are very low-​quality, all have visible signs of smoking (they reek and have burns EVERYWHERE).
The Wi-​Fi doesn’t reach past the main office. If you’re down in the back anywhere, don’t even bother trying to get on it. Even in the lobby, it’s incredibly slow.
The employees are very rude and sketchy. They are insistent that the room is not paid for, and need a lot of personal information they should’nt. They said we couldn’t call in a credit card number, yet we could do it online? How is it any different?
Our clock was broken and also our safe. I always use safes in hotel rooms for extra piece-​of-​mind when I leave the room. I was appalled when it was evident no one makes any repairs in the rooms.
This place is generally terrible. Avoid it at all costs. If you need something fixed, don’t count on them to do it. Don’t even count on them to be courteous.
Oh, and we stayed her last year, also. One of my friends forgot her bag. We noticed when we got back to Boston. They refused to ship it back, and told us we’d have to drive the 4 hours back to get it.

This hotel is the epitome of everything you DON’T want to do when running a business…
Overview of the property:
— — — — — — — — — — -
—: Rooms are low-​quality, «rennovations» are shoddy at best
—: All rooms smell like smoke, have cigarette burns in sheets (regardless of smoking/​non-​smoking)
—: Claimed Wi-​fi is only available in the tiny lobby
—: Business doesn’t seem on the level, dishonest
+: Somwhat cheap
Summary:
— — — — — — — -
This place is horrible, it wasn’t worth the low cost. I was paying around $ 40 – 50 a night for a room. Shell out a few extra bucks… I moved to the Doubletree because it was only like 5 – 10 dollars more (through hotwire).
Detailed story:
— — — — — — — —
Initially, I made a booking for 3 nights over the internet. I arrived late at night (around 2AM), after flying into Newark International Airport. Upon check-​in, I was asked for my credit card and they made a charge to it. I asked the clerk about this, because I had already pre-​paid on the internet. He claimed it was just a pre-​authorization. I shrugged it off and headed to my room.
When I got to the room, I realized I had been assigned a smoking room. I called the front desk and they told me that they could switch me to a non-​smoking the next morning, as the manager was not in at the moment. I wasn’t thrilled, but it was somewhat understandable. Fine, I’d deal with a smoking room one night.
The next day, I was moved to a non-​smoking room. However, when I was given the room key, I was asked to enter the room from the back door. I found this odd, so when I arrived I decided to find out what was wrong with the front door. I put my card in the slot and the door would not read it. I tried the handle anyway. The door swung open. The front door would open REGARDLESS if the dealbolt was engaged or not. I tested this several times by locking it from the inside and opening it without a key from the outside.
I went back to the front desk to ask for another room. They said all they had were smoking rooms. I demanded to know why I was intentionally misled about the broken door lock. They had no response and offered to see what they could do for me later in the day. So, I left and when I returned later in the evening I again asked for a new room. The front desk asked me to return to my current room while they tried to work something out. Within a few minutes they called me. They claimed they couldn’t find my booking in their computer. This started to raise some flags in my mind about the guy who had charged my card on the first night.
They called me again, claiming that there was just some small glitch in their system (and my card had not been charged), but they could not offer me another non-​smoking room. I decided to check-​out early, forfeiting a night worth of hotel fees.