Howard Johnson by Wyndham North Bergen

The best part was the room I was eventually allowed to keep: it was much better than room 127, with a 50' TV and a marble-floored bathroom. Room service was excellent too, provided by friendly, smiling Latinas. My favorite was a Honduran lady. Rates were quite reasonable at $160 per night and up. It was quiet, with no loud music or riffraff. I’d recommend staying here if you can get a room on the lower level. The units up the hill look like they’re straight out of the 60s. At first, I was put in room 127 up the steep hill. Getting there meant hauling my luggage up 30 or more steep steps. I asked for a lower-level room but was told none were available. After a week there, it snowed, and I woke up in the freezing cold with no electricity. I slipped down the hill to the office to ask for another room and was again told there were none, so I waited in the lobby to stay warm. Soon after, the front desk attendant, who I’d been told was the manager, denied it with a smile. She was of Indian descent and very pretty. She said there was a room I could use temporarily until the power came back. It was ten times better than 127, so I asked to switch, but she said it was reserved for someone else. I was close to losing my temper, but graciously accepted the temporary room. Half an hour later she called my cell to say the electricity wouldn’t be back anytime soon and I could stay in the new room. I was shocked and elated. At last, I felt I was getting my money’s worth. The Wi-Fi is the main drawback. It makes you log in again every other hour, and it kept doing that every day, which was incredibly annoying. The so-called breakfast is a small OJ and two small muffins. The coffee was delicious for the first few days, but after they replenished it, it started tasting awful.

The shuttle into the city was a godsend, and the place felt safe and quiet, with CCTV. Breakfast was basic, but everything was in date and they accommodated my allergies. Housekeeping came every day, towels were changed daily, and we had hot water each day. The heating worked perfectly, and the staff were always friendly and welcoming. I didn’t see any gang tags. We were worried after reading the reviews and nearly changed hotels, but I’m glad we stayed. Thanks for a great visit. We’ll be back on our next trip to NY/NJ.

It looked nice, and the bed, TV, and bathroom were all put together well. But I didn’t touch anything, not even a towel, and left by morning. The area felt sketchy. For a motel, $179 was too much, especially since I’d thought it was a hotel. I’d expected something in the $60-89 range at most.

I was genuinely scared here, which is unusual for me since I grew up in a city. My room was on the ground floor beside a fenced parking lot, with a peephole in the door. I stuffed it with toilet paper. The curtains wouldn’t close, so I used a hair clip to keep them shut, and I didn’t feel safe going out to find dinner. The room was filthy too. The clerk sits behind bulletproof glass at check-in. Two men waiting behind me said their keys weren’t working. This is not a good place, and people should look at the photos I took. I only booked it because I needed somewhere near an event in Weehawken and didn’t want to pay $400-$600 for one night. After one night here, I’d happily pay more to stay anywhere else.