Howard Johnson - Billings

I would not recommend this Howard Johnson hotel or any Howard Johnson to anyone. On my stay, I received a room whose bathroom had not been cleaned and had dryed [redacted] on the toilet between seat and tank and dark hair left on toilet lid, back splash of bath counter and inside the shower curtain. The next day while loading my truck to leave, I encountered 5 Mexicans barbequing and drinking beer on the hotel lawn in front of where my truck was parked in the Howard Johnson Hotel parking lot. One said "hey, little girl" to me, but I pretended not to hear. I complained to the front desk and was told it would be taken care of. I complained a 2nd time when I went to return my key card and told the manager about what one of them had said to me. I asked for a 1-800 number, so I could file a complaint and was told that the corporate office did not have one, but that I could email the corporate office. I was given an email address by the manager and when I got home I tried emailing my complaint, but it did not go through. Any surprise!?! I filed my complaint with the Corporate office via the Internet and wanted to forwarn anyone else from making the same mistake I did.

Review: I STAYED AT THE HOWARD JOHNSON MOTEL IN BILLINGS, MONTANA ON DECEMBER 10,11,2015. I USED MY VISA DEBIT CARD FOR THOSE DATES. I STAYED ANOTHER NIGHT DECEMBER 12, 2015 AND PAID CASH. I CHECKED OUT MORNING OF DECEMBER 13, 2015. THIS INVOLVED TWO ROOMS, BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER AND HER CHILDREN WERE WITH ME. WE CHECKED IN THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 10, 2015. THE ROOMS WE OCCUPIED WERE NOT CLEANED THE MORNING DECEMBER 11, 2015 AND ALSO THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 12, 2015. WE LEFT SUNDAY DECEMBER 13, 2015. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS OR DAMAGES TO THE ROOMS WE OCCUPIED. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2015, I CHECKED MY BANK STATEMENT AND THE HOWARD JOHNSON MOTEL HAD TAKEN $150.00 FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT AT THE BILLINGS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. I CALLED THE MOTEL AND TALKED WITH A "[redacted]" WHO INFORMED ME THAT DAMAGES WERE MADE TO A CURTAIN ROD. MY FAMILY WILL MAKE STATMENTS STATING NO DAMAGES WERE MADE WHEN WE CHECKED OUT. I QUESTIONED THE MONEY AMOUNT THEY HAD ILLEGALLY CHARGED TO MY VISA CARD. "[redacted]" STATED THE WALLS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND MORTAR HAD TO BE REPLACED, ETC. THE SYSTEM OF TAKING MONEY ILLEGALLY FOR A FALSE ACTION IS NOT A WAY OF DOING BUSINESS AND EXPECTING TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE ACCUSATIONS & GIVEN TIME TO ANSWER THOSE ACCUSATIONS. ONE OTHER CUSTOMER COMPLAINED ON THE SUNDAY, DAY OF DEPARTURE THAT SOME OF THE STAFF WERE ACCUSSING CHILDREN OF BREAKING WALLS ALONG THE SWIMMING POOL AND OTHER SUCH ACCUSATIONS AND THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TELL PEOPLE STAYING AT HOWARD JOHNSONS NOT TO STAY THERE AGAIN. I AM A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN AND RESPECT THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS AND I TEACH MY FAMILY TO DO THE SAME. I RESENT THE IDEA THAT I MAY BE AN IGNORANT ELDER WOMAN AND COULD BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. I AM A COLLEGE GRADUATE AND HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED IN BUSINESSES IN AN EXECUTIVE POSITION. I AM SORRY THAT I STAYED AT THIS MOTEL AND WILL NEVER USE THEIR BUSINESS AGAIN!Desired Settlement: I WANT $150.00 REFUND PLUS AN OVERDRAFT OF $32.00 AT MY BANK AND $500.00

FOR MY ANXIETY DURING THE PAST DAYS WHEN THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE. MY BLOOD PRESSURE WAS UP AND NOT TO BE ENDURED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS HAD AN OPEN HEART SURGERY. HOWARD JOHNSON SHOULD BE REPRIMANDED FOR FALSE ACCUSATIONS ON THEIR CUSTOMERS AND SHOULD BE BRANDED AS SUCH.

Review: They do not give refunds for early checkout. No where on the website is this information disclosed. It is in their registration form they have you sign at check-in, but they do not point it out to you and unless you take the time at check-in to review the fine print, you will be unaware that you will be charged for the full amount of days you registered for, even if you are unable to complete your stay. We registered online for 4 nights. We were able to stay for 3 of them, but checked out before checkout time on the morning of the 4th day and at that time we were informed that we would still be billed for the 4th night, even though we were leaving the hotel. I reviewed all online information, and found no disclosures relating to this non-refund policy any where online. When I asked the front desk attendant, she informed me that the information was on the registration form signed at check-in....but that the clerks don't inform the guests of this, just have them sign the form.I suggested that perhaps it would be in the hotel's best interest to get the info on the website and to make sure that people are made aware of that at the time of check-in. It just seems like full disclosure of this non-refund policy would make better business sense.I spoke with the manager of the facility, and she was helpful, but simply made the excuse that as a locally owned Howard Johnson, they could put their own policies into effect so this non-refund policy wasn't online...only specific to this particular hotel. Making it all the more important that guests be informed of the policy prior to registration.Desired Settlement: I'd like my money back for the night I didn't stay at the hotel ($83.60 plus taxes). But, at the very least, I would like to see the information made available and discussed with guests prior to their registration so that others don't have the surprise of being charged for a night in a room they aren't even using.