Staff at the front desk was super helpful. Not sure what happened, but even though I filtered on bookings to allow for dogs, it ended up booking me a room that was not pet friendly. Luckily the front desk worker phoned another guest who had booked a pet room without a pet, and was able to switch for me. Very grateful. Room was clean and location was great for anything needed.

It would have been nice to have a little more toiletries for the price. Such as a shower cap and lotion. The soaps and hair conditioner are in the big bottles attached to the wall and there's just the bare minimum. That was kind of disappointing after a long day on the road.

My stay at the Howard Johnson was wonderful! It was one of the more affordable hotels in Thunder Bay that still had very good ratings. And it delivered. The hotel was clean, the breakfast options were solid, and the room was perfect for what I needed for a one night stay. I will definitely be staying here again whenever I come back for work. Thank you for a great room and service!

I only have two small complaints. The bed maybe could have been a little more comfortable. And second, there were unfortunately some very noisy guests in the halls late into the night. I was up working on some things until around 2am myself, so it did not necessarily disrupt my sleep, but there were consistent doors being slammed down the hall, an argument heard, and just general talking and noise that was a bit disturbing. I understand that sometimes guests are under their own control, and I did not call the front desk to inform the staff, but it would have been nice if things were a little quieter. I know my coworker also said it was quite loud from her room as well.

The continental breakfast was adequate although we only ate there a couple of times.

It was unfortunate that the room across the hall had a dog there but the patrons obviously went out and left the dog alone. It began barking at just after 5:30 a.m. and hadn’t stopped when we left the hotel at 8 a.m. Also, although the room was very nice and the bed very comfortable, the room had a distinct odor. Every time we entered the room we could smell it. It was great to have access to laundry facilities as well and the cost for the washer and dryer was very reasonable.

The staff were kind and helpful. The breakfast was fresh and in a clean space. The rooms were very nice and comfortable, even in a pet friendly room. The smoking area was away from the entrances, with a comfortable spot and nice sitting area.

No freezer in fridge for ice packs for our cooler. The parking was very limited, but the staff worked to find quick solutions.

clean quiet and comfortable. Free parking.

The breakfast was not very good. Too few options, no meat, only hard boiled eggs and they didn't taste good. The lady working in the kitchen was very nice and working hard. There was another guest room that was very, very loud well past midnight and had dogs barking. It took a long time for the front desk to deal with that issue.

Location was perfect. No carpet.

Not enough parking spaces for each side. Would be great to have handicap parking by each door. They had all kinds of flavoured and no Orange Pekoe. We were told they had run out but it would be replenished the next day and it was not. As much as I would like to drink flavoured teas I cannot as they cause severe headaches. Not a coffee drinker, so orange pekoe tea is my hot drink. The breakfast area was wonderful but limited.

I was a bit unsure when I pulled up. But the staff were so kind and my room was very clean. And the bed was amazing! Also, I walked by while the maids were cleaning other rooms. And wow! They deserve so much!! You could tell they are great! They really made sure everything was perfect. Seeing the really made me feel extra comfortable. One could worry about "cleanliness" at a hotel. But not this one! Budget friendly with top notch service and comfort.

So much effort is made to make guests happy. The front desk staff were so great, the room and property were both spotless (and I am SUPER picky) and I love how HoJo has embraced its retro-ness. (I remember HoJo from my childhood.) Seconds stay here, if I’m ever in TBay again, I will definitely book a room.

Overall, it's clear that the property has been upgraded since our last stay. While there were some small renovations in progress (i.e., changing door numbers), the fresh paint and updated design in our room was nice and inviting! Also, the choice of name brand amenities (in this case Dove) felt like a step up from other places.

Breakfast options were a bit limited, and not a highlight of our stay. Even a few simple hot options like pre-made breakfast sandwhiches would be a great addition.

Room was clean. Parking lot had video surveillance, offering some security for your vehicle. Check in was efficient. Concrete floors offered better sound proofing.

Continental breakfast was just ok. Booked about a week before my stay, very pricey but that was expected as vacancy rates were low