After reading mixed reviews about this hotel, my husband and I decided to give it a try primarily because of its close proximity to Michigan State University. Although far from the most luxurious place we've ever stayed, it was perfectly acceptable, clean and comfortable. We did book an inside room, as suggested by others on this site, which did seem more secure than those rooms that open directly to the parking lot. There is a large pool/tv/breakfast area that is quite steamy, warm and smells of chlorine due to the pool. Although our room directly opened over the pool (2nd floor), the room was cool and there were no noise problems (it was a Tuesday evening and the hotel seemed minimally occupied). I wouldn't hesitate to stay again.

Recently, I did stay over at the Howard Johnson's Inn in East Lansing, MI. When I did arrive there, I was very happy about the hotel. I had a jacuzzi suite, and it had a small kitchennet, 2 tv's, free local phone, free contential breakfast, exercise equipment, whirlpool, swimming pool. When I did stay there, I did travel by Amtrak, and everything that I did want was nearby.

Stayed one night here, wish I had read the reviews first. Our son is a student at MSU and this place is very convenient for that. The room was clean and neat, but uncomfortably small. A double room is pretty much wall to wall bed. We ended up with an outside room, as this was all that was available on the first floor. There is no elevator, and my wife can not do stairs. Normally we do not stay anywhere the room door opens directly to outside, just a personal preference. It was only for one night, so we stuck it out. The breakfast was standard continental, also not a regular choice. I tried to save a few bucks and regretted it. If you are traveling by yourself, and on a budget, it's probably ok, but not for us. Good luck.

Great spot for an overnight stay, or to spend a couple of days. Here are the good and bad from my 2-night stay. I'll include some of my observations as well (things that did not affect me either way) to help others who might be considering a stay in this hotel.

Good:

Staff was exceptionally helpful and accommodating -- well above average in my experience
Rooms were clean and comfortable -- spacious enough for a couple
Pool area / lounge are was huge, peaceful, and comfortable
Lounge area included several comfortable couches and chairs and a large-screen TV that was available until 11pm
Wireless high speed internet worked quite well
Easy off-the-freeway access
The indoor pool was great -- one of the reasons I chose this hotel -- I think it was 3ft to 5ft in depth, and quite big
The spa (next to the pool) was small, but comfortable and has powerful jets

Bad:

Outside, the place looks a bit outdated and almost seedy, especially at night
For the continental breakfast, at least both times I went, I was blinded by the morning sun no matter where I sat
The 'business center' is actually a single computer with a printer tucked away in the corner by the entrance
The fitness center is just a few machines placed in the expansive lobby area behind a divider -- it doesn't have a dedicated room
Road construction in the area makes it difficult to either access, or leave, the hotel via US 127 presently (Not the hotel's fault, but definitely an annoyance right now with both the off and on exits closed as of this writing)
If staying with young children who need a 'pack-n-play' to sleep in -- there isn't a lot of room in the double-bed rooms for a single pack-n-play, let alone two of them.
The complimentary shampoo is not good -- I couldn't get a lather using the whole bottle


Recommendations:

If you don't want to deal with walking outside at night (as it's kind of seedy-looking), get a room inside facing the pool. It's an all-around excellent view and it was just more comfortable for us.

Unless you head down to the continental breakfast later in the morning, plan on either taking the food & drink up to your room, or maybe sit in the chairs / sofas outside of the 'dining area'. The sun is overpowering in the early morning due to the huge windows near the entrance.

Bring your own shampoo

If staying in a room with an office chair (and you need to work at the provided desk), ask for a standard chair -- apparently all of their office chairs for the King-bed rooms are in the same poor condition. The office chairs literally hurt my back within 5 minutes of trying to sit on them (I tried a couple).

Overall, I was exceptionally pleased with my stay, and I'll definitely be doing it again when I have the chance. The only hotel in the area in this price range (that I have found so far, anyway) is the Super 8 over on Grand River -- there is no comparison. For the extra $15 or so (based on what I paid to stay in each of these), it's well worth it to stay at the Howard Johnson in East Lansing.