This is a very suprisingly nice place!
I'm in my hotel room as I write this review. It's cold outside and it's warm in here. The place is quiet. It's clean. I feel very secure. I've been treated very well by the staff and I've extended my stay for another three days. I've been here two days already. The price of $50 a room is un-freaking-believable and I don't care what anyone else says, this is a surprisingly nice hotel. and I will definitely stay here again whenever I visit New York.
I'm writing because like many people, I had concerns about staying at a Ramada Inn located in East Orange, New Jersey. Yes, the city is predominantly African American and has a tough reputation. But the reputation is worse than the reality. The Mayor, Richard Bowser, has done a good job in delivering services to the city's residents and businesses and has greatly improved its image.
The neighborhood near the Ramada Inn in East Orange is heavily patrolled by police. I've seen police cars on the street and I've watched them aggressively protect the area. I feel very safe. There's new construction taking place next door to the hotel. The hotel is two doors from the Essex County Probation Department and across the street from an elections board satellite office and a school board administrative office. There's a Sovereign Bank less than 300 feet away at the corner of Central Avenue and a Wachovia Bank less than half a block away. There's a bus line at the corner of Central Avenue and Evergreen, 300 feet away from the hotel, that takes you quickly to downtown Newark if that's where you have business.
The Brick Church station for the New Jersey transit that takes passengers directly to Penn Station in Manhattan in less than 15 to 20 minutes, is a five minute walk from the hotel. There's plenty of retail shopping, a grocery store less than a three minute walk from the hotel, and also a Rite Aid, a Subway, a MacDonald's and an Autozone. My alternator died. The AutoZone came in handy. I was even more surprised when I learned that the foreign car repair center that would take care of my Mercedes was directly across the street from the Ramada. There were plenty of small restaurants that served everything from Chinese food, pizza, chicken, Halal, gyros, appetizers, soups and salads. Clothing stores were plentiful and so were 99 cent stores. All within a three to five minute walk from the hotel.
I've given this Ramada Inn a high rating because it served my needs very well. I'm writing because I wouldn't want a person who's not afraid of an urban community to miss out on a very great deal. Put all your preconceived ideas and concerns aside, you'll save have a great stay and save money if you give this Ramada Inn a chance.