I've been staying at Howard Johnson for the last two years. It is a nice, clean, effective hotel, with a very kind customer service. Perfect for business travelling! Nevertheless, they need to speed up a little the internet service in rooms ... and they really need to improve their gym / exercise area (a swimming pool would be a GREAT idea). But , as an overall, is a really excellent choice if you are going to Guayaquil for business or leisure and looking for a 4* option.

We stayed at Howard Johnsons for 2 nights on January 11h and January 12th. The last time I had stayed before I noticed that they charged an extra $1.00 per person insurance charge. I was told they could not take it off because it was already charged on my credit card.
This time, before we went to our room I informed them I did not want this $1.00 insurance charge. In addition they charge $10.00 per day for breakfast for an extra person. The breakfast was certainly satisfactory but not worth anywhere near $10.00. I asked for a breakfast menu and they did not have one. So I paid the $10.00 breakfast charge. I only had coffee, eggs and a roll. We were very tired when we checked in and tried to take a nap but were waken 2 times. One time for candy and the other for a bath mat. Good idea to put the sign on the outside of the door if you want a nap during the afternoon.
The hotel is very nice and close to the airport but am disappointed in the price and the hidden charges. This one room cost $247.66 for 2 nights with 3 people.

My husband and I stayed at the Guayaquil Howard Johnson.

At 1:30 AM I was awaken by smell of smoke, I woke my husband and at that time the air conditioning unit started to smoke and then it shut off because it over heated. We called Front Desk and explained the situation and I was told that I must have turned the knob to heat, and that's why it smelled like smoke. I told her that we had been asleep for 3 hours and had it in Low Cool. She asked whether I wanted Maintenance to come, but did not offer to move us to another room, and we knew according to Ecuadorian time that it would be late. Having to get up at 6:30 AM to catch a flight, we opted to turn the Air-conditioner to "fan only", instead of waiting for maintenance, just to be told that it overheaded.

The next morning I asked Front Desk for a discount for a sleepless night. She pointed out that a maintenance person had been offered to me and I rejected it, therefore, they felt a discount was not warranted.

My Advice: Go to a different Hotel or don't stay in Room 403, it might catch on FIRE!!

I booked my Jan 2007 stay by internet directly with the hotel. They were very responsive and courteous. I stayed there 2 nights and was very happy with the room, the service, the jacuzzi, sauna, restaurant. Complimentary buffet breakfast was wonderful. Hotel is one block from the Mall del Sol. It's a nice enclosed mall with a nice variety of stores and restaurants. Aside from the mall there is not much to see or do within a few blocks of the hotel, but for a dollar or two a taxi can be secured to go to other nearby places. I liked the hotel so much that I talked to the receptionist upon check-out to make a reservation for the following week, when I was returned to Guayaquil. She put the information into the computer system and assured me that my reservations were arranged. When I returned one week later and called from the airport for their courtesy shuttle, I was told that the hotel was full and that they didn't have a room for me. There was no offer to help me find other accomodations. Consequently I found the Hampton Inn in downtown Guayaquil, which was 8 dollars more but also much nicer. The Hampton Inn is within a few blocks walking distance of the Malecon, which is a wonderful pedestian walk along the river, with security guards stationed strategically in various parts of the 2-mile stretch of gardens, stores, restaurants. I was there at 11 pm on a weeknight, and felt completely safe walking the area, surrounded with lots of couples walking the Malecon and also the street back to the Hotel. Next time this will be my first choice.