Howard Johnson by Wyndham Dammam

Keep in mind there’s no breakfast buffet, so don’t pay an extra fee for it. I wouldn’t try the food either. The furniture is old, the rooms smell, and the washroom looks like it’s from ancient times. Be careful when booking, and you can see the video too.

The location is premium, the rate is attractive, and the sea-view room makes this one of the best sea hotels. I’d like to come back, though management needs to recognize the potential for urgent improvements. It could be considered a star hotel if a few things reached standard levels. Reception was the main problem. The staff were horrible, with what felt like an insane master-slave attitude, and they didn’t care about guest comfort. We asked for the same deal as booking.com, but the receptionist demanded a much higher cash rate with fewer amenities. After I couldn’t get him to understand the direct benefit to the company, we went back to the b.com offer and he accepted it. I’d still give the facility five stars because the other staff were excellent, especially maintenance and the Jordanian security guard, who gave us guidance and recommendations for tourist spots and restaurants. Tea, coffee, and water supplies were very limited, though I had my own, so it wasn’t a problem for me. I also found a broken kitchen cabinet and a leaking electric kettle, but I still loved the place.

We did have a bad experience, though the man who checked us in was the only one who apologized. I’d requested late check-in and late check-out before arriving, but after my review they cancelled the late check-out and the receptionist told us to leave at noon. We arrived at 8pm and the room still wasn’t ready, which is why I gave a bad review. The king bed was like a double bed, and the bathroom light flickered. They changed our room, but the replacement was for disabled guests and had a broken peephole. I covered it with tissue. There was no toothbrush, only one slipper, and just one big towel even though we booked for two. The sink water was shut off. When we asked for coffee at the cafe, they served it in a paper cup. There was no buffet, and the waiter’s first question was “cheese or vegies” without explaining what it was for, then “And you like sausage?” I still stand by my one-star review.

I’d already paid in full for my room through trip.com when the hotel receptionist rudely called my room at 1:30am and told me I had to leave. I went downstairs to complain, and they said there was no issue. I was only staying one night while waiting for my flight to Oman. If there was a problem with my payment, they could at least have knocked at a civilized hour, before 10pm or after 8am.