[Assam] HOJO

[Chan Mahanta]

Proves what I heard about HOJO -- that it is  not something a 
discerning traveler would patronize. Obviously the jokes I heard when 
we moved to St. Louis in 1975 had merit.

So when a  desi H1B, highly skilled in information collection , 
knowing 'tripadvisor' like the palm of one's hand, raking in high 
wages, go zero in on a HOJO as a BRAND NAME to trust, something tells 
me there is a problem here, of expectations, at the very least. 
There could be other problems too that one can speculate on. But that 
I will leave to the imagination of readers :-).


How does it stay in business?

ONE answer would be that it has a sales weapon. Perhaps cost.  There 
are people who cannot afford any better and are forced to take what 
is offered. Like the low cost grocery stores where they sell 
sub-standard and wilted or slightly rotting but still edible produce. 
Or the slum dwellings in ghettos.  Or the used car bought for $ 500. 
So on and so forth.


Those of us who went thru the  immigrant experience and had no money 
when we arrived in the country, should know. The search for a motel 
under $10.00 per night  before darkness falls in our weekend forays 
into the heartland and backwoods of California is still fresh in my 
memory. Fortunately though we always did find a clean and safe place. 
Took a little doing, but one was always available, somewhere.


ANOTHER could be that these HOJO s are facilities in certain 
locations, exceptions to the norm.  I am not familiar with New York 
City, but 34th street does not ring a bell as a destination spot. So, 
while HOJO at 34th street may  be like  a Dum Dum airport three star 
facility or the one at Orlando is like a dharamsala at Mathura, 
others might be just fine and up to standard as anything that could 
be expected.


Therefore  boils down to  doing one's due diligence. Because there 
ARE plenty of good, reliable and reasonably priced motels and hotels 
across the USA, in small towns and big cities.  I am not that well 
traveled, but from the little I have seen, US hotels and motels are 
the best VALUES and most easily available in the world. Just like 
food.

On the other hand, are there such choices at Dum Dum? Or at Guahati?

That IS the issue, the point of the debate.








At 7:03 AM -0800 1/13/08, Krishnendu Chakraborty wrote:
>Just a few complaints on HOJOs. There are tonns of
>such complaints on HOJO and other budget hotels if you
>search the net .
>
>   Food for thought for  some HArvard MBA on how HOJO
>(and other budgest hotels)  are still in business
>
>http://www.talkingtree.com/blog/index.cfm/2003/10/25/HoJo
>
>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60887-d123704-Reviews-Howard_Johnson_Inn_Suites_Springfield-Springfield_Illinois.html
>
>
>
>
> 
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