Howard Johnson Inn Tampa Ybor City

I spent a week and a half here, split between two rooms. The sheets and towels were clean, and the rooms were decent. The air conditioning didn't work very well in either room, and it was only March. Breakfast was continental, but didn't start until 6:30 a.m. The rooms were cleaned daily, though the beds weren't made every day. I didn't get bitten by bed bugs.

It was a quiet, mellow stay and I got a full eight hours of sleep. The room was clean and nice, with daily housekeeping and no bugs or insects. It had the basics, including a mini fridge, microwave, and TV, though there were only a few channels. That was fine since I was out most of the day. I had a great stay and might come back if it fits my budget.

I was meeting friends here, but left after seeing what looked like prostitution or drug activity at the back of the property. Several men came out of the same upstairs room at the far end during the day. One man came out half dressed, with a bandage on his arm, running and asking for help while another man followed him. The occupant was a tall white man covered in tattoos. He seemed to be operating from that room, offering massages and sex. When I asked what he was doing, he offered me a nude massage and said he badly needed money. I reported it to the hotel staff, but they laughed and told me to call customer service. I did call and complain. It didn't feel like a safe place.

The staff were very nice, and the shower had great water pressure. The bathroom itself was small and not the nicest, and the carpet smelled when we switched off the air conditioning. With it running, we couldn't smell anything. Breakfast was fine, but there was just one waffle maker. Families making about four waffles each could mean a long wait, so go before 7:30 a.m. or be ready to wait, or have doughnuts, toast, cereal, or something else. The TV only had a few local channels, with kids' shows in the morning. We've stayed at HJ before, and this room definitely wasn't the same.