Howard Johnson Hotel by Wyndham Toms River

I booked online and then tried to cancel. They said only a manager could verify the refund, but when I waited, staff couldn't tell me where the manager was or when they'd be in. I was left waiting for my money, and their customer service policy is lacking. I kept calling to find this “manager” and get my refund. Update: my refund request was denied with no explanation, even though I'd been told they would refund me. They're stealing. Dishonest, disgusting, and corrupt. Don't go here.

The bathroom door was loose and sagged, so you had to lift it to close it. The shower drain was clogged too. I called the front desk and someone came up, then left to get a tool. When that didn't fix it, he said he'd return in the morning. They didn't offer another room, and since we were leaving early the next day, that wasn't any help. On the way in, the security card wasn't needed because the latch on the entry door had been duct-taped to keep it from opening. Inside the room, the security latch lever was broken off the door frame.

I was scared about our safety for the whole visit. There was trash all over outside when we got out of the car. It was freezing, so I could sort of understand that, but then at the side entrance anyone could walk in without a key card. There was more garbage in the hallways. In our room, the sliding glass door lock was barely holding together. The walls were cracked and doors scratched up. The scratches were all over the doors and walls, not just where pets might have scratched them. Unless there's some regular exorcism story behind the place, it doesn't make sense. We also had to pay a $100 pet cleaning deposit for our 12lb puppy, whose pee and poop could only have improved the place. This hotel belongs in a true crime show.

My neighbor was arrested in the middle of the night. The first floor smelled like dog, and upstairs was a hotbox of cigarette smoke. The room still had toiletries left by previous guests. This place is dirty and unsafe, and the air is hard to breathe. Avoid it at all costs.