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Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel: Traveler Reviews


Calle Florida 944, El Calafate 1005, Argentina
Property Type: Hotel
  • Lodging offering guest rooms, a 24-hour front desk and a variety of services and amenities.
Business Center Fitness Center Restaurant Room Service Swimming Pool
Check Rates and Availability: $175 Avg. Price
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TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews

Reviews of Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

( 6-10 of 36 )
“Very Satisfactory”

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

4 of 5 stars
Buffalo, New York
Jan 15, 2008

My wife and I stayed at the HOJO on Calle Florida from 1/2/08 - 1/6/08. After reading some of the recent reviews, I was pretty nervous about our stay, but I am posting this review to dispute some of the things people have posted about this hotel recently. We found it to be more than adequate and a bargain considering the location and price.

First of all, its true the hotel has no direct accessibility for taxi's. Calle Florida is closed to traffic and you have to be dropped off on Ave. M. Alvear in front of Plaza San Martin. From this drop off point, its literally 200 feet to the front door of the HOJO. STOP BEING SPOILED, WHINY AMERICANS! One thing that I cannot stand is when I travel and see Americans embarrassing themselves acting like babies. Its literally a 15 second walk from the street to the front door.

We booked through Orbitz and paid $130 US per night. Other hotels in the area, such as the Marriott are twice as much. Our room was clean and comfortable. We had a nice balcony view and the location can't be beat. You are right in the middle of the action on Calle Florida. We found the staff to be very helpful. One thing that I notice when traveling is that if you treat people with decency nd courtesy, its amazing how nice they will be to you in return. There is no Wi-Fi in the rooms, however its free in the lobby, so I would sit in the lobby on my laptop and overhear people come and go at the front desk. I never experienced anyone receiving rude treatment like others have mentioned. The front desk made us reservations at two different restaurants, I'd recommend Las Narazenas, the best steak we had on the trip and only 3 blocks from the hotel.

Only negative would be that the hotel had no pool. It was 105 everyday and I could have really used a pool. No problem, the Marriott is 2 blocks away and crawling with American tourists. It was real easy to walk in and use their pool eveyday and fit right in. Its true the elevators are a bit slow and not too big, but your in one of the most gorgeous cities in the world, its an elevator, get over it. Have you ever seen elevators in Europe?

Overall, I'd return to this hotel without hesitation.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Location
    • Disliked — No Pool
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
G0Sabres's Summary
Date of Stay: January 2008
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 25-34
Member since: March 07, 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 2 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Great pool scene
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Shopping
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $175 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
“Be advised of the hotel's location - IMPORTANT”

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

Jan 4, 2008

The hotel said they would arrange for transportation from the airport
which they forgot to do. No apology. The taxi cannot drop you at the hotel as it is located on a pedestrian mall. The taxi drops you off 100 yards and out of sight of the hotel so you think you could be anywhere. If you are on your own, lots of bags, night, raining and you don't know where the hotel is etc. bad luck. The Manager shrugged his shoulders so I moved into The Waldorf Hotel, 150 yards round the corner. You can return to the Plaza for breakfast each morning as they
don't ask anybody for their room number. HAH! Please enjoy the 'photo of the Plaza's bellboy transporting my luggage to the Waldorf.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Free breakfasts after changing hotel.
    • Disliked — inaccessibility.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
8002reverse's Summary
Date of Stay: May 2007
Traveled with: Solo traveler
Visit was for: Personal event (wedding, ...)
Age group: 50-64
Member since: January 03, 2008
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
no way!
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Great food / Wine
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $175 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
“Ok Hotel in a Great Location”

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

Jan 2, 2008

My family and I stayed at this hotel from Dec 25-27, 2007. We were fortunate to obtain the local Argentinian rate for our three rooms ($90.00 USD/day). The location of the hotel is fantastic as it is centrally located in the city and equidistant from all the major attractions. Florida Street is a pedestrian walkway packed with trendy stores, a mall, and tons of people during the day. The stores on Florida Street are more expensive than elsewhere in the city, but the goods are of a high quality and certainly cheaper than the States.
The staff was helpful and kind. They provided us with information on where to eat, shop, and sight see. The rooms were nothing special, but they were clean and without any problems. The staff was ill informed on at least two occasions but were nice nonetheless.
The reception area emitted an unusual and unpleasant odor for over two days and the elevator is small and uncomfortable (as are most elevators in BA). We would not stay at this hotel if we did not get the local Argentinian rate. The smaller bed and breakfast establishments in Palermo would have been more ideal if we had to do it all over again. Overall, this hotel was good for it's location. It is nothing special, but it was clean. By the way, hotel tax is 21% in Buenos Aires, so take that into account for your budget.
Btw if you want to take in a tango/dinner show in BA (highly recommended), you do not need to pay $100.00 USD per person. We paid 35$ USD/ person and had a great time and a great meal.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — location
    • Disliked — smell of reception area
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
NYCMIAlaw's Summary
Date of Stay: December 2007
Traveled with: Family (extended)
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 25-34
Member since: January 02, 2008
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
most likely
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, Great pool scene
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Museums / Cultural / Historical sites, Great food / Wine, Shopping
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $175 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
“Worn, Tired, and Showing its Age”

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

Dec 26, 2007

We booked one night at the Howard Johnson on Florida street due to its location, but immediately check out following several issues. Firstly, we had just come off a plane and were in need of a shower. The hot water didn't work, and we sat around for nearly two hours waiting for someone to fix it. The minibar was also broken and full of water. Once the hotel finally confirmed it could not immediately be fixed, we were given the choice of a either a smoking room with one bed, or a non smoking room with two beds as the hotel was full. Although we looked at both, since we are non-smokers and wanted one bed, neither option was suitable. The front desk was not accomodating and refused to upgrade us. We were left with no alternative but to check out. They made no effort to deter us. We ended up checking in at the Marriott next door. Although it was considerably more expensive at twice the price, we felt confident in that it was a name we knew whose quality could be trusted. We were happy with our decision, as in our opinion the Marriott Plaza is hands down superior in every way. If you are staying on Florida Street, Marriott is the way to go. Howard Johnson is old, worn, tired, and showing its age. The beds are uncomfortable, the hotel itself is noticeably dirty, and the decor is tired and basic at best. Many of have a humdrum corporate look which is not the type of setting most people want on a vacation. All the rooms we visited were not well ventilated and smelled musty. The hotel is worn, tired, and definetly showing its age. The staff is indifferent at best. If you are just looking for a room and will not be spending a large amount of time at the hotel, than perhaps you can overlook all this and enjoy Buenos Aires for the amazing city it is nonetheless.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Nothing
    • Disliked — Rooms
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
BostonTravelers123's Summary
Date of Stay: December 2007
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Honeymoon
Age group: 25-34
Member since: December 26, 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
    • 2 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
no way!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Great pool scene, Pet owners
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Museums / Cultural / Historical sites, Great food / Wine, Shopping, Spa
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $175 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com
“Disliked this hotel”

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

1 of 5 stars
New York
Dec 22, 2007

The staff really made me dislike my stay at this hotel. I woke up the second day of my stay here with what appeared to be several bug bites. The third day, I woke up with a few more. I decided to ask the people at the front desk if I could change rooms for the remainder of my stay just in case there were mosquitoes or fleas in my room. They were completely unreceptive-- they insisted that the rooms were clean and refused to even look to see if they had another room available. After that, they scowled every time my boyfriend and I walked by the front desk.

Additionally, the cleaning service was spotty-- sometimes they wouldnt clean certain things or replace tissues and things like that, and there was mold buildup on the shower.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jessquire's Summary
Date of Stay: December 2007
Member since: December 22, 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Business service
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $175 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-45-HOTEL from hotels.com

Reviews of Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel

( 6-10 of 36 )
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Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Also Known As

Address: Calle Florida 944, El Calafate 1005, Argentina