We were in Pasadena/Clear Lake area for a wedding shower and did not make reservations ahead like we normally do because we were not sure about the best location.
I printed a search list from Google maps with several hotels in the general area where we needed to have dinner Saturday with the bride-to-be's step-family. Then discovered I left it at home.

We stayed Friday night with friends in the Spring area N of Houston. could not use their home computer because there were in new home and did not have cable yet for Internet.
So we could not really do anything until we got there.
Drove to Pasedena for wedding shower Sat. noon.
After the shower, my husband and I just used his car's GPS to search for hotels because we knew where the restaurant was by then.
We tried a Residence Inn off Bay Area Blvd first because we clicked it and have had good luck with them in past.
But it was full. So we went back to the Homewood Suites at 401 Bay Area Blvd we had passed---it was very close to a railroad track but looked pretty new and had non-smoking vacancy. We got room on second floor away from the train tracks...
Did not hear any trains during the night so don't know if windows were that soundproof or there are not that many trains...

Room was clean--enough towels in the bathroom--layout of room had kitchen to the right when you came in w/table+chairs right across--Frig had ice maker--and we used that ice for our small Igloo the next morning--

seating area w/small couch and recliner-type chair in front of tv--don't think there was a fireplace because it was rainy/damp and we probably would have used it for effect if nothing more--window looked out on east-side parking lot but there was no buidings close so there was privacy--we could have had the curtains open--

Shower pressure was good and hot--had the curved shower rod so the curtain did not cling to you like some of the regular ones do--there was only cloth shower curtain--no plastic liner--
sink was outside bathroom and had good counterspace for toiletries but there were no hooks for my husband's dopp kit on either door or the wall--had to use the towel rack which made it hang in front of light switch and hair dryer--just not good planning...

There were two closets--bigger one in hall and smaller one inside the bedroom--also chest of drawers w/tv in bedroom...
mattress lacked support and had no pillow top although initially it felt like it would be pretty comfortable--but I woke up twice from having back pain-- and my husband at least once--
walking around room in bedroom was kind of tight--room was not square--Had a ceiling fan in bedroom which is nice feature-

Fairly quiet inside hotel room except for A/C unit--in closet between kitchen and living area---had couple of people/kids in hall around 9 or 10 pm going to their rooms that we could hear very well but there was no one right next to us I don't think--no tvshower/toilet noises--which was nice because I don't think bldg is that soundproof internally....and we did not have any noise from above on 3rd floor...

Breakfast Sunday morning was normal but disappointing as well--scrambled eggs were pretty good--not runny--but no meat of any kind--no waffle iron or toaster waffles or pancakes--there were biscuits that were cold in the buffet pan--toaster for making toast--pastries--3 kinds of cereal--no strawberry jam just apple and grape--orange and apple juice and some fresh fruit...and coffee of course...

larger breakfast eating area than in some hotels of this type we have stayed at--maybe could seat 40 people so guess it gets lots of business traffic during the week--few people down Sunday morning around 8 when we were there...

did not see any complimentary papers outside our room door or stack by the breakfast area (which some do provide)

TV above fireplace to watch during breakfast and the hotel pool is in the courtyard between the wings of the hotel--more private from street and some shade during the hot months--did not notice if there was spa or just pool itself...

PROBLEM:
Entrance to hotel lot is only made going west on Bay Area Blvd--which has a median at that point-- so you have to go past the hotel if you are coming from Hwy 3 and make a U-turn.
Entrance is NOT well-lighted during the night--there is low sign and what looks like one opening--my husband missed it when we came back later that night from dinner at the restaurant--had to make a block and then he almost missed it again--

looking at Google map's overhead satellite view it is easy to see there are 2 lanes that merge and offer entrance to the hotel's lot--but they are both BEFORE the hotel's sign--
many times there is a second entrance lane AFTER a hotel sign--Not here...
Parking out front close to front entrance was limited (weather was very rainy)--there was 2 smaller sections available for maybe a dozen cars and some of those slots were for check-ins

then a row at the front of the lot and more along both sides sides -- we used front entrance only--don't know but sure there are other doors if your room is located toward the back--saw used/only one elevator --could get 4-5 people w/suitcases in it probably

Hotel might be totally smoke-free--just noticed that lobby/halls, elevator, and restroom by the breakfast area had no smoke odor even lightly from people's clothing--and I am pretty freakish about cigarette smoke...

there was fairly good security lighting during the night but I was really kind of worried about vandalism. Hotel fronts on busy street and is close to Hwy 3 (another busy street)
and some of the area around Hwy 3 is run-down--but we had no problem...
paid like 140 for one night w/tax--not great deal--we don't get lots of traveler perks to use for personal travel-- but hotel was clean and location worked for us--and there was no train noise--so we kind of lucked out...but if I had done better research probably could have gotten better price--