Howard Johnson by Wyndham Quincy/Boston

The location worked perfectly for me, and the price was the best around. Staff were really friendly. One time, a gentleman helped me find a room with a bathtub since not every room has one. I also liked the little single cup coffee maker in my room, and ice was available with a bucket provided. On another visit, a woman let me check in an hour early at 2pm and wait in the breakfast room, where coffee is available around the clock. I love how the coffee tastes here, and the free continental breakfast from 7:30-9:30 is great.

The storm made every part of our trip more difficult, but the hotel handled things quickly, including keeping up with snow removal. We were in Boston/Quincy during the biggest snowstorm in nearly a decade, with more than two feet falling over two days. Staff helped arrange an extra night and refreshed the room with what we needed. We’d read mixed reviews beforehand, some about personal preferences, and our stay was a good value despite one big drawback: breakfast was really bad. If included breakfast is why you’re booking, get coffee and a muffin elsewhere. We were in room 208 on the second floor behind the carwash and didn’t hear it at all. The staff were all friendly and helpful. We had enough towels and washcloths, and the room was spacious, with storage, no carpet, good air circulation, and a comfortable bed and temperature. The pillows aren’t small, they’re tucked into the cases to make the bed look square. There’s a top and bottom sheet and a coverlet, so bring warmer pajamas if you get cold. The TV and shower were easy to use. The sign isn’t lit, so watch for the hotel between a middle school and a carwash. We used the carwash and recommend it too. There’s plenty of parking, and the location was convenient for us, near transit, restaurants, and shopping. There’s no restaurant on site, which the pictures make clear.

The room itself was dirty and had maintenance problems. There were crumbs and what looked like road salt on the grungy chair, fingerprints and paint streaks on the walls, very dirty baseboards with big gaps, and a crooked door that didn’t feel secure. The floor was grimy, as if it had been mopped without sweeping. My pillow smelled like someone else, which made me wonder if the sheets had been changed. The shower knob came off in my partner’s hand, and the sink drain was just sitting in the sink. On our second morning, spiders crawled across the floor, and at first we wondered if one was a roach because the place was so dirty. There was a strong smoke smell as soon as we entered. The woman at the desk was very kind and put us at the far end of the second floor, where the room initially seemed less smoky. But around 10pm, with our toddler settling in, I turned on the bathroom light and within about 30 seconds it seemed to blow smoke from downstairs into our room. My spouse has severe asthma and allergies, so we had to use the bathroom without the light for our whole stay. When I reported the problems as we left, I got a “sorry about that,” but no reassurance anything would be fixed and no compensation. We only stayed because we had no choice that weekend. Never again.

The room was clean and spacious, though the thin walls meant noise from next door carried through. Hopefully your neighbors are quiet. People often criticize the breakfast, but I was glad there was at least something available for a quick bite or light snack.