Let me be clear about this. The Howard Johnson Inn on International Drive in Orlando, Florida is not the Taj Mahal. I didn’t expect it to be. In fact, at $38 per night weekdays and $59 per night on weekends I expected it to be a bit of a dump. In truth, it was a tad rough around the edges. The carpet had a long cigarette burn; my TV remote only worked in the “up” direction when scrolling through the channels; the square table/desk had been placed in a corner that was devoid of any receptacle, making it impossible to plug in my laptop; and the room had been overly sanitized, to the point of making my throat sore.

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Howard Johnson Inn on International Drive in Orlando, Florida

On the other hand, my room was well-equipped with thick, soft towels; upscale soaps; toothpaste; a mini-refrigerator; ironing board and iron; hair dryer; coffee pot; and keyless safe. Wireless Internet access was included in the price, as was a full breakfast. Other on-site amenities included a large pool, hot tub and sundeck with ample deck furniture, an exercise room, and a game room. The room was clean, the bed was soft, and an adjustable sprayer head had been installed in the shower.

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Double Queen room

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Well-equipped bath

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Upgraded tub/shower with adjustable spray shower head and bowed-out shower rod

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Large pool and hot tub were sparkling clean

To say I was surprised by all this would be an understatement. Shocked would be a better description. But there’s more. This HoJo is the only budget hotel I have ever encountered that employs a full-time Concierge and provides a free shuttle to nearby attractions such as Universal Studios and SeaWorld, both of which are located just 10 minutes away. Best of all, every member of the staff – from the night manager to housekeepers – greeted me with a smile and went out of their way to make my stay as comfortable as possible. Their attitude made it easy to overlook the slightly shabby condition of some of the facilities.

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Huge breakfast room with self-service waffle station

Located on Interstate-4, midway between Walt Disney World and downtown Orlando, the Howard Johnson Inn on International Drive is ideally located for visiting the area’s major attractions and is surrounded by restaurants, nightclubs, and other entertainment venues.

Photo credit: Barbara Weibel

Article by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels