Name: Howard Johnson by Wyndham Waterloo/Cedar Falls
Address: 3052 Marnie Avenue, Waterloo, Iowa, United States of America, Waterloo, Iowa, US
Price range: $65–$94 per night
Rating: 7.45

What guests think

At Howard Johnson by Wyndham Waterloo/Cedar Falls, reviews describe an older, budget hotel with very mixed cleanliness and maintenance, frequently noting smoke or musty odors, dated rooms, and noise from thin walls, but also consistently friendly, helpful front-desk staff.

Breakfast is generally simple to decent with occasional complaints about limited or poor options, and the pool has repeated issues such as being closed, unclean, too hot, or small. The location is convenient and often quiet near major roads and a restaurant, though a few guests mentioned a dark area or feeling unsafe. Expect a basic, budget stay with tradeoffs in upkeep.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Facilities show their age. The pool often has issues (closed, unclean, too hot, or small), and multiple reviews note there is no elevator.

Related guest reviews

2

Tomesa

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The pictures must have been edited because this place was nothing shown on the site. The pool was locked and the front desk cleark didnt have a key to open it. We checked in and went to the roon and the beds were worn down, and the room was outdated. We asked to get our money back because we were going to stay somewhere else only to be told that they dont have a refund policy.

6

Mary

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

the hotel was close to the interstate and price was reasonable. The diner near the parking was very good. The room was comfortable but there were stains on the carpet, the bedspread and the couch. The hotel could use some updating and there is no elevator, which I had not known prior to reserving. Breakfast was meh. It was okay for a one night stay.

4

Danielle

May 5, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

There was a smell in our room that was as if it had been heavily smoked in and covered with an air freshener. There were many stains in the carpet. The toilet in our room did not flush well and ultimately we had to use the employee bathroom because the maintenance person was scheduled only a couple times per week. The pool was pleasant enough and the breakfast was fairly standard. The front desk was staffed with kind people.

8

HERBERT

Jul 18, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

For the most part, it was good. What you expect in that price range. The staff were very helpful. Clean, and good shower. We slept well. Nothing fancy. Diner very close... parking list quite crowded.

8

Steve

Aug 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Pool area was to hot in temperature to enjoy. Could barely breath in The room. Room was dated, need refreshed. Sleeper sofa was damaged staff was friendly and helpful.good quiet location. Breakfast was decent.

8

JACKIE

Sep 28, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

this is an older hotel, it was clean, had an ok breakfast, staff was great, pool was down, great for the price.

6

Jessica

Oct 28, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Room walls are super thin. Heard a couple arguing all night long. Found two bugs within a couple minutes of emtering room. Pool is prerty small and just eh. Breakfast was okay. Had waffles, sausage, biscuits gravy, yogurt, toast, juice, etc.

10

Jacklyn

Mar 26, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Affordable Older hotel, clean, they have done a nice job taking care of this hotel. Staff is friendly. People should know they don't have an elevator. Didn't bother us but family checking in behind us had walker and was told nothing available on 1 St floor. They had a really hard time with stairs. Pool was not the cleanest. We bring our dog with us so location was nice lots of room to walk dog around.

4

Mary

Jan 7, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room doors slam and it’s very noisy. Vending machine doesn’t work. What little breakfast food they had was awful. I will definitely not stay there again.

2

Shaun

Nov 11, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Mold on the ceiling in the pool area. Paper thin walls. Too many noisy customers. AC and fridge in the room made rattling or high pitched noise. You could say the property is retro if you mean it has never been updated or repaired since it was built. Rooms were expensive because of state football so way overpriced.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is inconsistent: many guests cite dirty rooms, stains, lingering smoke or marijuana odors, moisture or mold, or even pests, while others found rooms clean.

Related guest reviews

2

SHAUNA

Oct 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Go elsewhere. Icky, creepy old building. Not properly cleaned.

2

Angela

Dec 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

First, the woman that checked us in was very friendly and accommodating, but it’s all downhill from there. The non smoking room had clearly been smoked in, and recently. We were moved to a different room after the desk attendant went to the room to verify the smell of smoke. I had traveled with other people, so we had a total of three rooms. Room 104 has a round hole in the ceiling as well as a small round hole at the top of the wall… we figured it was a camera hole at some point. It was stuffed with what looked like tin foil. Why not spackle the holes shut and paint over them?? Needless to say, there was no disrobing anywhere but the bathroom. Room 103 has a hole the size of a football behind the door with clear packing tape over it… whatever good it was doing. The third room had hair on the bed sheets… beyond gross. The entire hotel needs a renovation or deep clean. There were some questionable guests that were up well into the middle of the night dropping expletives loud enough to hear through the walls. But, I know you cannot expect much with Ho Jo. Price, stars and location were also red flags, but the person I was traveling with had booked the rooms, Lesson learned!

6

Mary

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

the hotel was close to the interstate and price was reasonable. The diner near the parking was very good. The room was comfortable but there were stains on the carpet, the bedspread and the couch. The hotel could use some updating and there is no elevator, which I had not known prior to reserving. Breakfast was meh. It was okay for a one night stay.

4

sandra

Oct 6, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Well i was very disappointed how gross my room was. Not clean at all.

2

Janelle

Dec 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We did not expect anything other than clean, repaired and safe. There were holes in the walls and ceiling some suspiciously looking like camera holes. Black mold in the shower. We have stayed there before, but never again.

2

brooke

Mar 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We did not stay at this property. We found that one of the rooms we had booked had bed bugs in it and they acted like it wasn’t a big deal. We were refunded our money, however others that were there and were aware our room had bed bugs were not refunded money when they requested to leave.

8

Jana

Nov 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was newly updated and was very clean. I was nervous when we got there by the looks of it, but it was actually a very nice stay! I would totally stay there again! Staff was also very nice and polite! I’m

2

Julie

Oct 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

floors peeling, rugs dirty, ice machine not working

4

Jessica

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Broken floor, window, and light in our room, dirty sheets, and poor staff. People sitting in lawn chairs drinking and smoking outside. Staff standing outside with other people when I came

4

Kris

Aug 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

When we entered this property it reeked of weed, from a staff member. The room and hotel felt wet. Our room smelled a the toliet constantly ran and through the night leaked all over the floor. The sink wouldn’t drain everything from our clothes to the sheets smelled and felt wet.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are dated with recurring maintenance problems and thin walls that transmit noise; furnishings and mattresses can be worn, though a few guests found beds comfortable.

Related guest reviews

4

Robert

Mar 18, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The building is showing its age. Needs updating. Not worth the cost

6

Anton

Aug 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The rooms are old, but clean, we can hear our neighbours. It was okay for one night

6

Mary

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

the hotel was close to the interstate and price was reasonable. The diner near the parking was very good. The room was comfortable but there were stains on the carpet, the bedspread and the couch. The hotel could use some updating and there is no elevator, which I had not known prior to reserving. Breakfast was meh. It was okay for a one night stay.

2

Brandi

Jul 4, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

The wall was literally falling apart in our room and they still expected me to stay there with small children and my dogs. It was disgusting and unsafe.

8

Steve

Aug 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Pool area was to hot in temperature to enjoy. Could barely breath in The room. Room was dated, need refreshed. Sleeper sofa was damaged staff was friendly and helpful.good quiet location. Breakfast was decent.

6

Jessica

Oct 28, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Room walls are super thin. Heard a couple arguing all night long. Found two bugs within a couple minutes of emtering room. Pool is prerty small and just eh. Breakfast was okay. Had waffles, sausage, biscuits gravy, yogurt, toast, juice, etc.

4

Jessica

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Broken floor, window, and light in our room, dirty sheets, and poor staff. People sitting in lawn chairs drinking and smoking outside. Staff standing outside with other people when I came

4

Mary

Jan 7, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room doors slam and it’s very noisy. Vending machine doesn’t work. What little breakfast food they had was awful. I will definitely not stay there again.

8

Joy

Jul 18, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Everything that was supposed to be clean was clean. Facilities definitely need upgrades. Beds were very uncomfortable and you can tell they are just worn out. Mine sunk in the middleand gave me a backache.

2

Shaun

Nov 11, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Mold on the ceiling in the pool area. Paper thin walls. Too many noisy customers. AC and fridge in the room made rattling or high pitched noise. You could say the property is retro if you mean it has never been updated or repaired since it was built. Rooms were expensive because of state football so way overpriced.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Service

Service is often friendly and helpful with easy check-in, but there are notable complaints about unprofessional conduct, room assignment mistakes, and strict or inconsistent refund handling.

Related guest reviews

2

Tomesa

Jun 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The pictures must have been edited because this place was nothing shown on the site. The pool was locked and the front desk cleark didnt have a key to open it. We checked in and went to the roon and the beds were worn down, and the room was outdated. We asked to get our money back because we were going to stay somewhere else only to be told that they dont have a refund policy.

10

Mekhi

Oct 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

clean , great customer service

8

Jana

Nov 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was newly updated and was very clean. I was nervous when we got there by the looks of it, but it was actually a very nice stay! I would totally stay there again! Staff was also very nice and polite! I’m

4

Stacy

Aug 2, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

They were sweet and allowed us to check in early but when I got there the lady at front desk was extremely unprofessional. When we came back that evening the front lobby was filled with marijuana smoke and there were people that looked homeless plugged into all the outlets in the hallway. The room itself was great with the exception of stains on the couch.

4

Jessica

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Broken floor, window, and light in our room, dirty sheets, and poor staff. People sitting in lawn chairs drinking and smoking outside. Staff standing outside with other people when I came

2

Virginia

Nov 30, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our family was NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE TRIP for Thanksgiving and the hotel refused to allow any refund. That is terrible business!! We will never stay at a Howard Johnson again. Greedy people!

10

Linda

Nov 12, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy check in. Close to restaurants and shopping.

8

Lana

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Room was perfect for the purpose. Home visiting family and just needed a nice quiet place to sleep. Staff was very friendly, location nice and quiet, breakfast very simple but nice to have available.

8

Jill

Jun 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Alongside main road/highway, yet far enough away that it's quiet, with no noise of traffic. Very convenient that a restaurant is literally right next door to hotel, such that you can walk there, without having to cross any roads. Easy check in/out with helpful and friendly staff

2

Jena

Aug 22, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was dirty and odorous, sheets dirty, shower was not cleaned and had dirt in the walls, no hot water, phone didn’t work! Ceiling was falling apart huge area with cement and paint chips! Staff was very rude when notifying them of the conditions. They said they could not refund me because I had been in the room for 1 hour which in reality it had been 25 min!! Noisy room next to us kept me up on and off till 4 am!! Very disappointed I will never stay at the hotel chain again!!

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Convenient, generally quiet spot near major roads with a restaurant next door; however, a few guests described the surrounding area as dark or felt unsafe.

Related guest reviews

10

Eric

May 7, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy access from major highways. Nothing fancy, but clean and comfortable. Simple badic breakfast. Friendly front desk staff.

6

Mary

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

the hotel was close to the interstate and price was reasonable. The diner near the parking was very good. The room was comfortable but there were stains on the carpet, the bedspread and the couch. The hotel could use some updating and there is no elevator, which I had not known prior to reserving. Breakfast was meh. It was okay for a one night stay.

10

Osama

Jun 11, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

It is a good hotel and so close to the soccer fields

2

Mark

Jun 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room I had booked for a conference was more like a college dorm room. It was decorated with UNI bedspread and had UNI posters on the wall. The couch had multiple stains on it, which were nasty and sticky. The bedspread on one of the beds had sunflower seeds on it. It smelled of pot. We made contact with the front desk to see if another room was available for 3 teachers, and they first took us to a king-size suite, but not functional for 3 teachers, then we finally got a room for 3 with 2 queen beds and a couch. This room was better, but not the best. The black leather chair in the room was pealing horribly, and the lighting in the bathroom was awful. It was 10 pm when we arrived and checked in, and by the time we finally got to our new room, it was close to midnight. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. It did not give off friendly vibes, smelled like pot, the area to have breakfast in was dirty, garbage cans were full and needed to be taken out, and it needed alot of updates as well. It was also in a very dark part of town with not alot of lighting. From what I could see, more people lived there than stayed there. Do yourself a huge favor and spend the extra money on a room somewhere else.

10

Jacklyn

Mar 26, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Affordable Older hotel, clean, they have done a nice job taking care of this hotel. Staff is friendly. People should know they don't have an elevator. Didn't bother us but family checking in behind us had walker and was told nothing available on 1 St floor. They had a really hard time with stairs. Pool was not the cleanest. We bring our dog with us so location was nice lots of room to walk dog around.

10

Linda

Nov 12, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy check in. Close to restaurants and shopping.

8

Lana

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Room was perfect for the purpose. Home visiting family and just needed a nice quiet place to sleep. Staff was very friendly, location nice and quiet, breakfast very simple but nice to have available.

6

Bev

Jun 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very poor conditions - hidden - felt very unsafe

10

Robert

Oct 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy to access.

8

Jill

Jun 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Alongside main road/highway, yet far enough away that it's quiet, with no noise of traffic. Very convenient that a restaurant is literally right next door to hotel, such that you can walk there, without having to cross any roads. Easy check in/out with helpful and friendly staff

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Breakfast is basic to decent with some positive notes, but several reviews mention limited options or poor quality.

Related guest reviews

6

David

Aug 28, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Good breakfast

6

Mary

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

the hotel was close to the interstate and price was reasonable. The diner near the parking was very good. The room was comfortable but there were stains on the carpet, the bedspread and the couch. The hotel could use some updating and there is no elevator, which I had not known prior to reserving. Breakfast was meh. It was okay for a one night stay.

8

ron

Jun 7, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice place, breakfast more than expected, clean and friendly

10

William

Sep 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Liked the price for what we got. Breakfast couldhave been better.

10

Megin

Jun 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This was a nice place to stay. It was clean, the staff was helpful with directions around the city, the breakfast was average. I would definitely stay there again.

8

Steve

Aug 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Pool area was to hot in temperature to enjoy. Could barely breath in The room. Room was dated, need refreshed. Sleeper sofa was damaged staff was friendly and helpful.good quiet location. Breakfast was decent.

8

JACKIE

Sep 28, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

this is an older hotel, it was clean, had an ok breakfast, staff was great, pool was down, great for the price.

4

Mary

Jan 7, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Room doors slam and it’s very noisy. Vending machine doesn’t work. What little breakfast food they had was awful. I will definitely not stay there again.

8

Lana

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Room was perfect for the purpose. Home visiting family and just needed a nice quiet place to sleep. Staff was very friendly, location nice and quiet, breakfast very simple but nice to have available.

8

Julie

May 12, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

This hotel was ok. The beds were comfortable and breakfast was really good. I went to tell the folks at the desk to have a look at the shower knob, there were only a couple of little kids in the office. I thought the price was a little high for the property but it was college graduation weekend.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$72
February	$73
March	$75
April	$62
May	$73
June	$70
July	$84
August	$77
September	$61
October	$67
November	$60
December	$64

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16 $70	17 $75	18 $84	19 $81
20 $67	21 $66	22 $66	23 $70	24 $72	25 $87	26 $82
27 $70	28 $65	29 $66	30 $66

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $66	2 $94	3 $93
4 $67	5 $67	6 $67	7 $67	8 $66	9 $88	10 $88
11 $67	12 $68	13 $69	14 $67	15 $65	16 $75	17 $76
18 $65	19 $68	20 $67	21 $67	22 $65	23 $72	24 $70
25 $65	26 $65	27 $65	28 $65	29 $65	30 $71	31 $71

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed

Deluxe Studio Suite, 1 King Bed

Studio Suite, 1 King Bed

Room, 2 Queen Beds

Studio Suite, 1 King Bed (1 Bedroom)

Room, 1 King Bed

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible (Mobility)

Room, 1 Queen Bed

Deluxe Room, 2 Queen Beds

Guest reviews

Good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Security deposit

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Howard Johnson by Wyndham Waterloo/Cedar Falls

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