Howard Johnson Express Inn Hotel

For a cheap three-star motel, it was a safe enough last resort and I couldn't expect too much. The room was very clean for the most part, the AC worked great, everything worked, and there were no odd smells. One of the bottom sheets did have a red stain. This was the only hotel in the city that treated us with a good attitude and a smile, and they even let us book a room on the spot when we were 18.

The room and bed were grimy, and I didn't feel safe. The lights flickered, the smoke alarms beeped all night, and the room without AC was around 85 degrees and blowing hot air. I was heading to NOLA for a buddy's bachelor party and often arrive a day early or stay late to see the city. I'm usually good at finding affordable places that are still decent. I missed the mark with this one.

The location was convenient, about a 15-minute drive to the French Quarter and one block from Walmart, with plenty of unguarded parking. The receptionist seemed like they couldn't care less, and I saw homeless people walking around. Secure your stuff whenever you leave the room, just in case. The room was below what I expected after reading a few reviews. It was bare minimum, with a clunky fridge and just a very small bar of soap in the bathroom. No water or coffee was provided, though there was a TV. The heater and air conditioning worked fine.

There were roaches, the place was dirty, and the shower barely worked. Men were even walking around the hallways in their underwear. We were told a young man couldn't help and to wait for the manager at 7 a.m. It was past 7 when we spoke to the manager, who lied about fixing the problem. We ended up sleeping in the car. They refused to refund our money and gave us the runaround. We got no money back, discount, or anything. These are just some photos from videos we took of the roaches. Don't stay unless you want to take roaches home with you, lmao.