Howard Johnson by Wyndham Benton Harbor/St. Joseph

I stayed at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Benton Harbor/St. Joseph 798 Ferguson Dr, Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Last week on 10-23-24. When riding their only working elevator to the top floor 5th to go to my room. The elevator dropped multiple times after passing the 4th floor. It made a horrible popping and banging noise and I was locked in the violently shacking elevator for 20 seconds of nightmare inducing fear until the door opened. When doing so it was misaligned bouncing by over a foot to a few inches as it kept trying to get to the top floor. Fearing for my life I jumped out leaving half of my stuff behind. After trying to go downstairs by the stairwell and it being locked by CHAINS I had to call the elevator, and pray. As it shook the floor I was standing on I did take video incase I died so there was evidence for my grieving family. When reaching the top it didn't have the horrifying gap as the first time just a 2 inch one that settled by the time the door fully opened. Thinking it was all the extra weight of my belongings I left what I was carrying and rode down with what I had left behind. Then after selecting the 1st floor it dropped before the door fully closed allowing me to see the back side of the 5th & 4th floors doors. I informed the front desk staff where they put me in a 1st floor room. They then assured me that it was normal just needing to warm up before it would work properly and it was perfectly safe to ride back up and retrieve my laptop bag and cpap bag. I

The price was right. The room was clean. There were a few things that could be better: The elevator became noisy, there was some broken glass in the window next to the elevator on the 5th floor, and the light in the bathroom would not stay on but rather blinked, but you get what you pay for. I would return.

Someone was honking outside the hotel for over an hour at 3AM and woke up my kids from being so loud!

Smoking **** in nonsmoking building. Elevator poorly maintained. No room for storage or hanging clothes

This place was not only dirty, but people were loitering all around the property. Looked like people were living out of their cars. I went up to my room and immediately came back to the desk. Told him i want a refund and check out. He said he could not help me. Feeling unsafe at this place I just left.

The beds were clean and comfortable, but the bathroom was horrible. The toilet wouldn't flush properly, the tub was stained and rusty, scarry looking. The hallways snelled humid. We didn't use the pool, but we looked, and there was a horrible looking green caroet around the pool. Would not stay here again.