Ridgecrest Getaway: Howard Johnson's Unbeatable Deals!
Ridgecrest Getaway: Howard Johnson's Unbeatable Deals! - A Review That's Actually Real (and Rambling)
Okay, folks, buckle up. This isn’t your cookie-cutter hotel review. This is me, after a whirlwind stay at Ridgecrest Getaway (the Howard Johnson's Unbeatable Deals version, mind you… because who doesn’t love a good deal?), spilling the tea, the coffee, and maybe a little bit of regret. Let's get real.
Metadata (Because, you know, SEO):
- Keywords: Ridgecrest Getaway, Howard Johnson, hotel review, accessibility, amenities, deals, family-friendly, clean, safety, dining, pool, WiFi, parking, rooms, service, travel, vacation, budget hotel, California, things to do, spa, fitness, etc. (Basically, everything listed above, people!)
- Description: A brutally honest and hilariously opinionated review of Ridgecrest Getaway, highlighting its hits, misses, and everything in between. From the (supposedly) "unbeatable deals" to the… well, everything, expect real talk and a touch of chaos.
Accessibility (And the Initial Panic):
Alright, so, first impressions. I, bless my clumsy soul, always check the accessibility stuff. Call me paranoid, but I've been in a few elevator-less hellscapes in my time. Ridgecrest gets a solid maybe here. They say they have facilities for disabled guests, but… hmm. The website's a little vague, isn't it? And finding the actual details? Good luck. I'm going to tentatively say – contact them directly to confirm before you go. Don’t rely on my potentially flawed memory! I also noticed CCTV cameras in common areas, which is usually a good sign for safety, but also, like… Big Brother is watching, you know?
The Room - A Love/Hate Affair (and the Blackout Curtains Saved My Life):
The room. Where do I even begin? Okay, air conditioning? Check. It was the middle of August in Ridgecrest, and I'm fairly sure I would have melted into a puddle without it. Daily housekeeping? (And I’m the type who appreciates that). Free Wi-Fi? Hallelujah! This is essential in this day and age. My personal favorite: the blackout curtains. I swear, those things are magic. They blocked out the California sun like a pro. That’s what gets me excited – little things! Not fancy things! But you know what isn't fancy? I never found the complimentary tea or coffee, even though they said it was in the room.
There was an extra long bed, a desk, a mini-bar, a refrigerator, a safety/security feature, a seating area, a separate shower/bathtub, shower, slippers, smoke detector, socket near the bed, sofa, soundproofing, telephone, toiletries, towels, umbrella, visual alarm, wake-up service, and a window that opens. The whole thing felt like an overly-stocked survival kit.
And the imperfections… Well, the carpeting felt a little… vintage. And the decor? Let’s just say it had character. Lots of character. Imagine a motel that’s trying really hard to be a hotel.
Internet: Oh, the Glorious Internet!
Listen, internet access is everything, people. I work remotely, and the world stops if I don't have a decent connection, especially when you’re trying to write a review! Ridgecrest says it offers Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! And Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless. The Wi-Fi worked, thank god. It wasn’t lightning fast (let's not kid ourselves), but it was enough to get the job done. I survived. That's what matters.
Cleanliness and Safety (Because We’re Living in Crazy Times):
Okay, let's be real: safety is a thing these days. I'm talking about those microscopic invaders. Did Ridgecrest Getaway make an effort? Yes. I saw signs about anti-viral cleaning products and professional-grade sanitizing services. There was hand sanitizer everywhere. They also had a cash-less payment service, which is pretty cool. Not perfect, but it's a start. The fact they're trying is something. I do wonder… do they really sanitize between stays? That's a question for the ages. The rooms were technically non-smoking, but… well, let's just say the air sometimes felt a little optimistic about that rule.
And security… Oh, good lord. Fire extinguishers were in the hallways, and there were smoke alarms. CCTV cameras were everywhere. And a doorman!… I think. Or maybe that was just a friendly guy who always opened the door. (See? Memory. It’s a fickle beast.)
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: The Buffet That Nearly Broke Me
Right, so this is where things get interesting. The idea of a buffet in a hotel is always a winner. The reality? Well… Let's start with the breakfast service. They offer a buffet. And… I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn't that. The "Asian breakfast" was a… mystery. The "Western breakfast" was slightly less mysterious, but equally… interesting. The coffee shop? I think it opened eventually. The coffee itself? Let's just say it wasn’t a Michelin-star experience. The salad was… a salad. The desserts? Surprisingly decent.
The poolside bar, well, I didn't even locate it. I was busy battling the buffet. There are restaurants, they say, but the options were pretty basic. But room service, 24-hour? That's a win, right? Even if it's just for a burger and fries at 3 AM. (Don't judge me.)
Things to Do, Ways to Relax – Or, Where Did the Spa Go?
The website lists a spa. It lists a sauna. It lists a gym/fitness. They list it all. I’m thinking… liiiist? Okay. Maybe they had these things once upon a time? The "Pool with a view"? It was an outdoor pool. It was there. With a view of… the parking lot? I'm not sure. There were no body scrubs or wraps or anything I could fathom. (I did see a sign that said “Massage,” but it looked like it was from the 90s.) So, if you’re expecting a resort-style experience, adjust your expectations accordingly. This is not a resort. It's a… hotel. That tries to sell the idea.
Services and Conveniences: The Good, the Bad, and the Questionable
Alright, the actual stuff. Air conditioning in the public areas? Thank god. Cash withdrawal? Yep. (Convenience store? Also, yep. Mostly overpriced snacks and travel-sized toiletries.) Daily housekeeping? Generally, that was fine. The elevator was a lifesaver. (And a little creaky.) Laundry service was available, thank goodness. I found the ironing service. Lost the iron (oops).
The bad? The website promised a Concierge. I never saw a concierge. I never found the concierge. Luggage storage? Didn't need it, so, couldn't say. Airport transfer? Uh, not that I could see. Meetings, seminars, and business facilities? I think they probably have something for the business traveler, but honestly, it felt like the kind of place where the business traveler is just there because they have to be.
For the Kids: Hmm…
Family-friendly? They claim so. Babysitting service? Let's be honest, you're probably better off hiring someone locally. Kids facilities? Unclear.
Getting Around (The Crucial Reality):
Free parking? Yes! Bless. Car park on-site? Yep! Car power charging station? I did not see one, but they may have one. Taxi service? Yeah, sure. Valet parking? Absolutely not.
The Verdict (Because You've Suffered Enough):
Okay. Here’s the lowdown. Ridgecrest Getaway (Howard Johnson's Unbeatable Deals!) isn't perfect. It's a bit rough around the edges. It’s definitely a budget-friendly option. But, and here's the thing, it's okay. It's a place to crash, get some sleep, and maybe swim in a pool (if it's not too crowded). Is it luxurious? Nope. Is it a spa retreat? Definitely not.
But if you need a clean-ish room, free Wi-Fi, and a roof over your head, and you're not expecting the Ritz, then maybe, just maybe, Ridgecrest Getaway will do the trick. Just temper your expectations, pack your own coffee, and… well, good luck with the buffet. You’ll need it.
Mississauga's BEST Hidden Gem Hotel: Super 5 Inn Review!
Okay, buckle up Buttercup, because you're about to embark on a Ridgecrest adventure, HoJo style. Forget those perfectly polished travel blogs. This is real life, people. And real life, especially in Ridgecrest, can be… well, let's just say it's got character.
A Ridgecrest Ramble: Howard Johnson & Beyond (with a healthy dose of chaos)
Day 1: Arrival & Initial Skepticism (Plus a Questionable Pool Experience)
- 1:00 PM (ish): Arrived at Howard Johnson. Okay, first impression… it's definitely a Howard Johnson. The lobby smells faintly of chlorine and… something else. Unidentifiable, yet familiar in a "smelled this in a truck stop in Nebraska" kind of way. The front desk guy, bless his heart, looks like he's seen things. And by "things," I mean maybe the same four people check in and out every week. He’s friendly though, and after a slightly awkward search for my reservation (which I swear I made!), I've got my key.
- 1:30 PM: The Room. Alright, so the room is… functional. Don’t expect the Ritz. It's clean-ish, which is the most important thing, right? The bedspread? Let's just say it's a historical artifact from a bygone era of hotel decorating. I poke it cautiously. The bathroom, however, held a true marvel. It had a tiny, pre-historic bathtub that I’m not sure a full-sized human could actually fit in. It's like they built it for hobbits or children. I mentally prepare for a very strategic shower.
- 2:00 PM: "Pool Time" (or as I like to call it, "The Abyss"). Curiosity got the better of me. I decided to brave the notorious HoJo pool. I was hoping to kick back, enjoy the California sunshine (Ridgecrest is a desert; sunshine is basically a guarantee) and maybe pretend to be a sophisticated traveler. The reality? The water was… murky. The only other person there was a gentleman in a Speedo approximately the same color as the pool water casually doing laps. I lasted about five minutes. The chlorine smell was overpowering, and I quickly retreated, vowing to never speak of it again. So much for sophistication.
- 3:00 PM: Exploring the Town (or what there is of it). Let's be honest, Ridgecrest isn't exactly a bustling metropolis. But I decided to take a walk anyway (mainly to escape the confines of a room that was beginning to feel a bit like a holding cell). I found a rather uninspiring shopping center. A few chain restaurants, a Dollar General. My enthusiasm was waning.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at… (and I hate to say it… but it was the only one open and I was starving) Denny's! Classic. The food was… well, Denny's. The waitress, however, was a treasure. She had that wonderfully sarcastic "Been there, done that, survived (barely)" air about her that I could immediately relate to. We talked about the "local attractions" (or lack thereof) and she gave me some truly honest opinions (mostly negative, but at least they were entertaining).
- 8:00 PM: Back at the HoJo. The TV had a surprisingly good selection of channels, and I was already starting to feel a little comfortable in my "functional" room. Ate a bag of chips and started reading my book. Pure bliss.
Day 2: Desert Adventures & Unforeseen Culinary Thrills
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast. Included, but not excitable. The usual continental fare: stale pastries, questionable coffee, and pre-packaged cereal that tasted suspiciously like cardboard. I fueled up, because my next adventure was going to take some energy.
- 9:00 AM: Finally! Adventure time! I decide to explore the nearby "Indian Wells Valley" and see what nature Ridgecrest has to offer. Okay, I'm not going to lie… it's pretty vast, pretty empty, and the heat is already starting to build. I get a little lost, more than once, and the directions I got were a little… lacking. But the landscape is breathtaking. The vastness, the stark beauty, it's wild and unforgiving, and I kind of love it.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch. Well, okay, I'm starting to get bored of the limited food options in Ridgecrest, so I decide to try the one place I'd been avoiding: the local taco truck. It sits on a dusty corner and looks pretty sketchy, but I've always been a sucker for food from a truck. Turns out, I'm not a sucker, I'm smart. The tacos? Absolutely incredible. Some of the best I've ever had. This place is my new jam. Score!
- 2:00 PM: Back to the desert, for a little bit. I try to drive down one of the dirt roads that go out as far as the eye can see. I'd love to say that I got to take in the beautiful desert scenery, but, you know, the suspension on my rental car hated the roads, so I had to head back to town.
- 4:00 PM: The Quest for Ice Cream. Because everyone deserves ice cream, especially after a day of, well, being in Ridgecrest. Finding a decent ice cream shop proved to be a challenge. I ended up at a gas station. It was still ice cream, and after my desert excursion, it was absolute heaven.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner. Back to the taco truck for the second time today. No regrets.
- 8:00 PM: Back in my Hotel room. Watched TV, read my book, ate more chips that I had promised myself I wouldn't eat.
Day 3: Departure & Departing Thoughts:
- 8:00 AM: Okay, it's time to go. I feel like I've seen everything Ridgecrest has to offer (maybe a little too much). I had breakfast again, the pastries still tasting like they are made of paper.
- 9:00 AM: Check-out. The front desk person is different this time, but equally friendly. I guess in a small town, everyone has to be nice to each other. I'm starting to like this.
- 9:30 AM: One last look at the HoJo. It's not the Four Seasons, but it was home for a couple of days. And let's be honest, despite the questionable pool and the slightly underwhelming decor, it was clean, the staff were friendly, and it was exactly what I expected. Plus, those tacos… I might just miss those tacos.
- 10:00 AM: Hit the road. Leaving Ridgecrest.
Final Thoughts:
Ridgecrest is… an experience. It's not the glitz and glamour of Vegas, or the hipster cool of LA. But it's real. It's dusty, it's quirky, and it's got a certain charm that grows on you. And the Howard Johnson, like the town itself, is far from perfect, but in its own way, it’s comfortable. And hey, you now know the location of the best taco truck in the world, so at least there's that. Would I recommend it? Maybe not to everyone. But in its own weird, wonderful way, it was a real adventure. And the memories? Well, those are priceless. (Unless you're counting the price of the chips I inhaled, in which case, they were definitely not.)
Hilton Head Island Getaway: Your Dream Holiday Inn Express Awaits!
Alright, spill the tea. Is this REALLY a "getaway"? Like, is it actually NICE at the Ridgecrest Howard Johnson's?
Okay, so "getaway" is a… subjective term, right? Let's just say, expectations are KEY here, folks. Think "Budget-Friendly Adventure," not "Luxury Spa Retreat." My first time? Picture this: I was picturing a pristine pool, cocktails with tiny umbrellas... Oh, honey, that dream died HARD. The pool, well, it *was* there. And the cocktails were mostly soda water and a strong urge to pretend I wasn't seeing what I was seeing. But! And this is a BIG but... it's about the *experience*, right? (Deep, dramatic sigh). It's a MEMORY, and at Ridgecrest I've made PLENTY!
What's included in those "Unbeatable Deals" they keep touting? Is it just… a room?
Included? Well, let's be honest, you're probably getting a room. And hopefully, a functioning air conditioner (that's important, TRUST ME). They often throw in "complimentary" breakfast. Now, don't get THAT excited. Think lukewarm coffee, questionable pastries that look like they've been around since the Clinton administration, and maybe – and this is a big MAYBE – some individually wrapped cereal boxes. Free Wi-Fi is usually a thing, but don't hold your breath for lightning-fast speeds. I once tried to stream a Netflix movie and ended up watching the buffering wheel SPIN for a solid hour. Seriously lost myself. Got real existential, staring at that spinning circle of death. So, yeah, ROOM, and MAYBE some "perks." Manage those expectations, people!
The breakfast is rough, got it. But what about the ROOMS themselves? Are they… clean?
"Clean." That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? *Deep breath*. Okay, so this is where my inner germaphobe has to wrestle with my inner cheapskate. They *try*. And sometimes, they succeed! I've stayed in rooms that were remarkably tidy. Other times... well, let's just say I brought my own Lysol wipes. I always check the bed, the bathroom, and the REALLY important places. I will tell you a story: One time, I found… something… on the bedside table. Let’s just say it wasn’t a Bible or a mint. That set my cleaning standards… sky-high, to be sure.
I've heard stories... is the pool... hygienic? And is it actually *open*?
The pool is... a STORY unto itself. Open? Mostly. Does that mean it's *swimmable*? That's another question entirely. Honestly, I'm convinced the chlorine levels are set to "minimal." I saw some algae one time that was… thriving. Really thriving. And the pool toys? Oh, the pool toys. I swear they multiply overnight. Last time, there was a deflated inflatable raft that had clearly seen better days (like, decades). I'm talking faded coloring, probably been exposed to the sun from the day it was born. I did take a dip though. To the surprise of no one, it wasn’t as clean as my own bathtub. But hey, after a few shots of the hotel-made cocktails, the water's only a *little* bit green. Just be prepared, okay?
Okay, so, what's the *vibe* like? Is it a party place? A family spot? What am I getting into?
"Vibe?" Oh, the vibe. It's… a mix. It's basically a melting pot of people. There are usually families trying to make the best of it, weary road trippers, couples who are probably realizing they need a little space. It ebbs and flows. Sometimes it's quiet and peaceful. Other times… let's just say you might become intimately familiar with your neighbors' taste in music and their… let's call it "enthusiastic" conversations. It's not always the most glamorous, but that's *part* of the charm, I swear! You never know what you are getting.
Any tips for surviving (and possibly enjoying) a stay at the Ridgecrest Howard Johnson's? Secrets, if you have them.
Secrets? Oh, honey, I have a whole *book* of secrets after all the stays. First, bring your own snacks. The vending machines are… let's just say the chocolate bars have probably been there since the Reagan administration. Pack your own pillows (trust me, you'll thank me later). Lysol wipes, always. And MOST importantly, have a sense of humor! Embrace the chaos, the imperfections, the questionable breakfast pastries. Lower your standards, raise your expectations for life. This really is about making the BEST of it! And if you can laugh at the absurdity, you might actually have a good time. Maybe. Or you'll make a great story for later.
