Howard Johnson by Wyndham Torrance

I’ve stayed at this same Torrance CA HoJo three times in a year, so I could compare the experience. The room price was at least 15% higher, while the value had dropped a lot. Staff were okay at check-in and managing breakfast, and the bed sheets seemed newer. The pillows, though, were about a third the size of normal ones, apparently with less filling or compressed from frequent use. Housekeepers folded them to make them look naturally full. The carpet was soiled and badly in need of replacement. The sink is outside the bath and toilet room, with a wall-mounted hand wash/bath gel pump by it and a wall-mounted shampoo/conditioner pump in the tub. I had to pump bath gel into a coffee cup cover and carry it over to take a bath, which was very inconvenient. Breakfast had also been cut back compared with earlier stays. We had coffee, hot and cold water, tea bags, Nutri Gran Bars, two waffle machines, preserves and butter, two juice choices from a machine, and milk. There was no yogurt, cereal, bagels, toast, or fruit like oranges and bananas. It really felt like cost cutting.

The rooms were clean, and I felt safe walking around at any time. Parking was good and usually empty. They clean rooms twice a week, and if you need fresh towels you have to get them from reception. Free coffee and water are available 24 hours, which is a plus. Don’t count on much for breakfast now, just oats, milk, yogurt, and coffee. It used to be good.

For a night’s stay, the beds are okay, the sheets are clean, and there’s running water. I’ve been here about eight times over the past 12 years, and the service has generally been okay, but rooms always seem to have some small broken or nonworking thing. It’s not a great choice with younger kids: the walls are thin, and the advertised cribs and pack and plays aren’t available. Breakfast has been good some years and poor others, but now it’s minimal. If cereal bars or yogurt are enough for you, fine. Otherwise bring your own.

I’ve spent an estimated 3000 nights in hotels over my life, from four-star places to basic accommodations. I booked this one because I only needed a room for a few hours. The room was average, and the hotel felt worn out. The front desk clerks were consistently friendly, but there was no soap for the shower, which was substandard. My main issue was a pair of shoes I left behind. I was only in town for a few hours, and by the time I realized, I was an hour away, maybe longer in LA traffic. I called repeatedly to ask if they’d found them, left a message, and couldn’t reach a live person. Wyndham couldn’t get through either, and its customer service couldn’t reach the hotel. Someone finally called me back 30 hours later, after several calls and voicemails, by which point I’d left town. Then they said I needed to send a prepaid shipping label. I could have picked the shoes up if they had answered the phone. I admit I left them there, but the poor service kept me from retrieving them. A good hotel would have offered to send them, even though I share some responsibility. My last call with Wyndham customer service was worse than the hotel service. I’d avoid this hotel at all costs. It’s substandard, with service way below that, and I’ll avoid Wyndham if I can. Other properties can give me much better rooms and service, and the same goes for you.