Howard Johnson&Suites by Wyndham Elk Grove Village

The bathroom was a pleasant surprise, spacious, bright, and recently remodeled. The room itself was clean, though the refrigerator and microwave looked like they’d come from a college dorm. There’s no breakfast, and the hallways smelled like weed all day and night. The air conditioner seemed programmed to keep the room only just cool enough, no matter what buttons I pressed. For the price, it felt a bit high. Clear the smell out of the halls and bring breakfast back, and this could be a five-star stay.

We were told at check-in to expect a basic breakfast, but it was nowhere near that. The milk seemed old, and the bread, bagels, and danishes looked stale. During our five days and four nights, I had to ask for fresh towels, and a staff member followed me to the room to collect the used ones in exchange. I also heard another guest asking for toilet paper. I understand full room service may wait until checkout, but even a quick walkthrough would have helped. This was barely a step up from camping.

The place had a strange smell throughout, especially in the elevator, and the rooms were tiny. Stains were everywhere: the carpet, sheets, pillowcases, and towels. The toiletries looked partly used. The breakfast was awful too, with hard, old bagels, pastries that smelled like dirty floor cleaner, mealy old fruit, and cereal I didn’t want to try after the other food. There wasn’t even milk, and the juice machine was broken or hadn’t been filled. Coffee and odd-tasting water from a smelly fountain were the only drinks. The pictures are misleading, stretched to make the rooms look larger, outdated or apparently borrowed from other Wyndham properties, and showing items that weren’t there. We brought food because the photos showed a microwave and mini fridge, but had to throw it out because we couldn’t store or heat it. The La Quinta two blocks away was much nicer.

I was bracing for dirty carpets and linens because of the bad reviews, but the place was actually clean and fairly updated. The outside looked nice, and it wasn’t crowded on a Saturday night, which I liked. The towels and linens passed my cleanliness test, and the bathroom was bright white and clean. There was a microwave and fridge, plus a small breakfast. I’d wanted the Hilton, but my boyfriend chose this one. If you’re a worrier like me, it’s a safe choice.