Howard Johnston

[wingnut3443]

We have made ressies to stay at the HoJo maingte east..on I-92, can anyone give me any kind of report about this location...and what is right wround there, and if it is a place you would consider staying.
We are not going till late June, so any info would be great

thanks

 

[mikewdw]

go back three or four pages and there is some info out there. have seen some bad reviews but most say it is basically clean with no frills, just a place to sleep and shower. if you find any more info let me know.
mikewdw

 

[klmall]

The place is okay but nothing special. It's a quick drive into the parks.

The place was probably only 1/2 to 3/4 full but the pools were jammed when we were there. The pools are very small for such a large resort. We had a room in the very back of the resort so it was very quiet even though our door was right at the stairs to the upper floors.

We walked to International Drive to eat, to the Walgreens etc. and found it very convenient with many restaurant choices.

The lobby had coffee each morning and since it was near Easter had a basket with candy for guests as well as park brochures and a good one-page map of Universal Studios attractions (both parks on same page) that I hadn't seen before. Check-in was efficient. When we asked for additonal towels they delivered them immediately.

The room was standard with a very old, somewhat dark bathroom. The clothes rack/hangers were right next to the sink in the back of the room next to the bathroom. The TV had a channel with a Disney and other attractions promo playing. The double beds and mattresses were okay. There was a small table and two small straight chairs next to it with a standing lamp.

It worked for us for one night after an 11 hour drive before we checked into the Animal Kingdom Lodge the next morning but we're a little more picky when it comes to accomodations for several nights straight.

If you are on a budget this place will be fine.

 

[CarolA]

I stayed at the Howard Johnson Maingate East last Saturday night. My room was big and clean. It is a fairly basic and older motel, but it seemed very well maintianed. My bathroom was very light and the sink was outside the shower area so that one person could shower while someone else used the sink. There are several older two story buildings and about three newer 3 story buildings. There were two pools that I saw, one near the older buildings and another more popular pool with Jacuzzi and bar near the new buildings. The landscaping was also fairly nice. The room did not have a hairdryer, but they bought one to my room within 15 minutes of my call asking for one.

I am not sure how you could walk to International drive from here. There is a Shoney's just down the road that you could walk to. Also, the hotel entrance was just across from the road into Celebration.

I would stay here again. However, for a longer stay I would ask for a room facing the pool. I had a parking lot view which was pretty dismal!