Howard Johnson by Wyndham Brigham City

We’d stay here again. The room was comfortable, clean, and quiet, and the staff were friendly. It also felt safe, which made it a good place to stop for a short stay.

The manager spent the day working on updates to other rooms and was still gracious whenever we crossed paths. Our own room was clean and ready for us, and the fridge and microwave were spotless and handy. We didn’t make it to breakfast. The price felt like a steal for the cleanliness and service, and things like debris on the outdoor stairs or no pool didn’t bother us since we’re not picky. Getting in was a hassle: our keys usually took 8+ tries to open the door. The front parking lot was also difficult, though that’s not something the manager could easily control. We found a side exit that was much easier to use.

The room was still cold after two hours with the heat running full blast, and the floor left my feet frozen. At the Americas Best in Boise, where I stayed for 3 days, it was nice to arrive to a warm room. I understand conserving energy, but they knew I was coming and could have started the heater ahead of time. After nearly 800 budget hotel stays, I’ve found that when a lobby smells of curry, the motel experience is barely passable about 90% of the time. This stay fit that pattern.

The service started well: they let us check in early without charging extra and honored my AAA discount. From far away the hotel looked fine, but up close it was a disaster. We were on the second floor, where the outdoor carpet had holes and the stairs and landing felt soft. The room seemed clean, though it didn’t smell disinfected. I checked the mattresses for bedbugs and found no droppings. Our phone chargers wouldn’t stay in the outlets, and I worried the bad connection could ruin my CPAP. The heater clicked, cracked and popped, then shut off completely. They came to repair it, but I was scared for the rest of the night. When we opened the curtains Saturday morning, there were tons of dead flies. The windows don’t open, the bathroom lights flickered when I plugged in the coffee maker, the shower temperature wouldn’t stay steady, and the toilet didn’t flush well. This hotel needs major repairs. Some rooms seemed to have permanent residents, which unnerved me. We won’t stay here again.