Howard Johnson by Wyndham Denver West

The elevator was broken, and the replacement room we were offered was only a slight improvement because it also reeked. The first room smelled like it had recently been smoked in, the sheets had spots, and everything was dirty. The hallways smelled of cigarette smoke, marijuana, and urine so strongly that my wife’s allergies were triggered. We contacted management, but they refused to refund us, even though we were there for no more than 10 minutes. AVOID THIS PLACE! I’ll be contacting the BBB, health department, and possibly the police. This Howard Johnson should be shut down.

We came to Denver for my parents’ anniversary, and I expected a well-known hotel chain to be a good place to stay. It wasn’t. We had to switch rooms three times. In the first, the bathroom light fixture was broken and hanging down. The second had exposed wires at a child’s level and a very dirty bathroom. The third room was adequate. When we spoke to the front desk attendant, she refused to let us speak with a manager. I’ve never known a company not to have an escalation process. It was the worst hotel experience I’ve had.

The entrance to the hotel smelled bad, and the room was in poor condition. The headboard had fallen behind the bed, the carpet wasn’t fully installed and was curling up at the walls, and the fire detector was missing with wires exposed. There was just one double bed. The microwave and fridge looked like early 1990s models, and the tub drained poorly. It was maybe worth $39.99. The staff were nice, though. I doubt it’s their fault that nothing has been updated in 20 years. I have low standards, and I still wouldn’t stay here again.

On my trip from Indianapolis to California, bad wind and snow forced me to make this my second stop. The night attendant was so friendly and attentive that we ended up chatting about our pets. Since I was tired and hungry and most food places were closed, they suggested ordering a well-known pizza that could be delivered right to my room. It arrived in less than 15 minutes! My room was cozy and deeply cleaned, with cute bed decor, lots of fluffy pillows, and a great coffee selection to make my own. Some tea would be nice too. Breakfast was simple but delicious, and who wouldn’t enjoy making a huge waffle? My only complaint was the morning attendant. Breakfast hours were over, and they practically snatched things from guests, which felt disrespectful and unprofessional. This seems like a daily issue. Most guests are there to rest, not get up at 6 a.m. for free food, so some come down just 15 minutes before closing. Why not put up a sign on those chained posts to let us know the breakfast area is closed? Please let guests already eating finish in peace before bringing in that huge cart and making everyone move. The attendant could also spend more time at the front counter. I went looking for ice and she was nowhere to be found, just like the ice machine, and the desk was left unattended for quite a while. Still, I adored my stay apart from that morning attendant and will definitely come back. Thank you, Howard Johnson by Wyndham, for a clean, affordable, peaceful, and warm night.