Howard Johnson Evansville East

We came to Evansville for a family funeral, which made this stay especially disappointing. The front desk staff and the overall experience were unacceptable. We couldn't get into the room despite making several trips for new keys. The lock never worked right, so we had to enter through the adjoining room. That doorway was dangerous because the carpet had been removed and the tack strips were sticking up. We laid towels over them so no one would get hurt. The TV didn't work and needed maintenance. The pillows were about half the size of normal ones, and staff seemed reluctant to give us more. The extra pillows we finally got had no cases. There was debris and broken glass swept into a bathroom corner but left there. Breakfast was only biscuits and gravy and a waffle maker. The worst part was being told to “quiet down” at breakfast. Our group of women was just talking and laughing normally in an otherwise empty lobby, and being shushed like badly behaved kids felt demeaning and inappropriate. At least we had hot water and no pest problems. I can't recommend this hotel and would look elsewhere.

The bed was good and the mirror was clean. That's about all I can say for this place. The curtains wouldn't close, and I'll leave it there. The lobby displays ratings of 8.6 and 8.2, but those were from 2017. Don't stay here. We spent two nights here, two days apart, and had four different rooms while traveling with our daughter. This wasn't just one careless cleaning job. The carpets were badly stained, the tiles chipped and dirty, and the doorknobs, toilets, switches, showers, and tubs were dirty. There was old, gray, sticky grime on the baseboards, in corners, and on furniture. The food area was awful too. Tables and chairs weren't being wiped during breakfast, and spills and splatters were everywhere, including spots that looked like they'd been there for days.

I already called the hotel to try to fix this, but they didn't. I specifically said I'd only book if the room included airport rides, and I was told that was no problem. We also asked repeatedly about an early morning ride, including when we arrived. They have two shuttles, but in the morning the staff called an Uber without telling us that's what would happen. It took 17 extra minutes to arrive, then canceled. We couldn't get another driver and had to drive ourselves. Avoiding parking costs and a long early commute was the whole reason we booked there. I first called about a room, airport transfers, and leaving our car while we traveled. Because the website wasn't working, I booked by phone, then called the next day when no confirmation came through. I checked again about the ride and was told it was fine. The base rate had been quoted under $90, but we were charged $125. The room was dirty, the shower had cracking paint, and the air mattress we were given leaked and went flat early in the night. I wouldn't stay again.

The housekeeper is wonderful, but that's the only good thing I can say about this hotel. I've stayed here for quite a while with my boyfriend, service dog, and cats. Apparently there's a hidden cleaning fee for pets, and they kept our $100 deposit. We'd spent thousands each week, and I'll never stay here again. The place is caving in, anyway. Don't bring your own TV either, because they'll call the cops if you take it with you when you check out. If I could give zero stars, I would.