Comfort Inn Arcata

Hotels
•
Comfort
8 (444 reviews)
4700 Valley West Boulevard , Arcata , US

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Spa/wellness center
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly/helpful staff
Good location / close to college
Free parking
Good/great continental breakfast
Indoor pool
Clean sheets / welcoming rooms (many mentions)
Comfortable beds (some mentions)
Cons:
Strong chemical / lingering carpet smells
Old/worn room furnishings and dirty carpet
Uncomfortable or slanted beds; noisy mattresses
TV/cable not working / guide issues
Plumbing issues (clogged sink)
Noise (adjacent rooms, early housekeeping, external generators)
High price / perceived price gouging and booking.com pricing dispute
Plexiglass in office / off-putting security setup

Categories

Cleanliness
6.5
Mixed reports: several guests praised clean sheets and welcoming rooms, but multiple strong negatives about persistent chemical smells and old/dirty carpet that permeated belongings — cleanliness is inconsistent.
Service
9
Consistently positive: staff described as friendly and very pleasant, front desk staff praised; a plexiglass shield was noted as off-putting but staff interactions remained strong.
Location
8.5
Generally praised: described as great and very close to the college with free parking; some guests noted homeless people across the street which was a minor concern for some.
Room Quality
6
Several room issues: uncomfortable/slanted beds, noisy when turning over, clogged sink, TV/cable problems, worn furnishings and reports of an overwhelming chemical smell in some rooms.
Amenities
9
Strong on basic amenities: good continental/great breakfast, free parking, indoor pool, A/C and large bathrooms mentioned positively.
Value for Money
7
Mixed: some guests called it excellent value and would return, others felt rates were very high for the condition (complaints about pricing during semester times and a booking.com pricing dispute).
Food and Beverage
8.5
Breakfast well received: multiple mentions of good/great continental breakfast; no major negative comments about F&B.
Overall Experience
9.5
Tilted positive overall: many guests found the stay comfortable, staff helpful, and amenities adequate — though notable room-level issues affected some stays, the majority sentiment was favorable.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:08

Property Description

Convenient Location and Amenities

This Howard Johnson Express in Arcata, just off Highway 101, offers a comfortable stay with an indoor pool and rooms equipped with cable TV, HBO, and free Wi-Fi. Each room includes a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker for guest convenience, along with a cozy seating area.

Relaxation and Fitness Options

Guests can unwind in the indoor pool or stay active at the on-site fitness room. A 24-hour front desk ensures assistance anytime, and a daily continental breakfast is provided to start the day right.

Nearby Attractions

Explore the area with ease - located minutes away from Beaupre Golf Course, Blue Lake Casino, and the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. Arcata Airport is also just a short 9-minute drive away.

Book now for a delightful stay at Howard Johnson Express Arcata!

Important information:

Upon check-in photo identification and credit card is required. All special requests are subject to availability upon check-in. Special requests cannot be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: ACV

Location

Property Accessibility

Public Area
  • Ramp: Yes
  • Entrance Leveled: Yes
  • Pet Friendly: No
Reception And Restaurant
  • Reception Hearing Accessible: No
  • Reception Wheelchair Accessible: No
  • Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible: No
Elevator
  • Elevator Audio Signals: No
  • Elevator Braille Numbers: No
  • Elevator Contrasting Buttons: No
  • Elevator Visual Signs: No
Show all accessibility features

Guest Reviews

8
Based on 444 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.5
Service: 9
Location: 8.5
Room Quality: 6
Amenities: 9
Value for Money: 7
Food and Beverage: 8.5
Overall Experience: 9.5
M
Manuel • couple • us
9
2026-11-02 • via Nuitee
J
Jessica • couple • us
8
2026-11-01 • via Nuitee
K
Kuś • couple • pl
9
2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
S
Seleta • family_with_children • us
10
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
B
Bethany • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

It was safe and inviting. The staff was friendly the location great. It was clean and welcoming.

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
M
Mary • solo_traveller • us
10
Excellent value. I would choose this hotel again.
Pros:

Good

2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
C
Christian • couple • us
5
2026-10-16 • via Nuitee
S
Smith • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • couple • us
9
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
B
Billy • family_with_children • us
8
2026-10-12 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • solo_traveller • us
9
2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
K
Kimberly • solo_traveller • us
5
I would have enjoyed my stay if it hadn’t been for the chemical smell in the room.
Cons:

Unfortunately the intense sweet chemical smell in the room gave me a headache, scratchy throat and burning eyes. I had to open the window and turn on the heat to try to air the place out. It didn’t help and I left the next day feeling pretty toxic. When I got home, I had to leave my luggage and everything outside for a couple of days before I could stand to bring it in the house because the smell had permeated everything. I don’t know if its the cleaning products, air freshener of some sort, scented laundry products or all of the above… but with 30% of the population having MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities), they might want to think about toning things down a little.

2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
A
Amrita • solo_traveller • us
7
Pros:

Stay was comfortable

2026-10-07 • via Nuitee
H
Hailey • couple • us
10
2026-10-07 • via Nuitee
D
Deb • couple • us
10
awesome
Pros:

it was great

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
K
Karthik • family_with_children • us
9
2026-09-11 • via Nuitee
W
Wendy • solo_traveller • us
5
I come to Arcata often as I have family there. Unfortunately, I won't be staying here again. :(
Pros:

Front desk folks were super nice. The room was clean and the location was good.

Cons:

My sink was clogged. The guide didn't work on the TV (yes, I read and followed, the directions on the little card in the nightstand drawer) so I had to just run through all the channels to see what was on. There was no cable from Saturday evening until I left the next day. I was a little concerned to see homeless across the street, but what was more concerning? Seeing the plexiglass in the office. Is that a shield to protect the office people? Extremely off-putting.

2026-09-10 • via Nuitee
A
Aleksandra • solo_traveller • us
3
Pros:

Clean sheets and clean bathroom

Cons:

Awful smell in the room from the dirty old carpet. Everything in the room worn off. Very noisy, can hear someone sneezing in another room. Cleaning staff started opening our door at 9am when we were sleeping even though we were supposed to check out the same day at 11am. Completely not worth the money.

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
C
Cruz • solo_traveller • us
9
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
T
TETIANA • family_with_children • us
10
2026-09-04 • via Nuitee