A little over 2 weeks ago I stayed at the Ft. Lauderdale Beach Howard Johnson during spring break (the hotel was full of spring breakers and the Ft. Lauderdale police were roaming the halls all evening and into the early AM when we were there). Hojo.com had it for $160, Expedia $159, I submitted claims for my friends and myself in late February for one night and the free night was honored for each room (within two hours of the submission).

At check-in at the hotel, no verbal mention of the guarantee (it was printed on the registration form) and no problems either. I felt treated just like any other guest. We even checked in early with no problem. We did have to pay per room a $17.XX tax and mandatory $2 safe charge (as is mentioned on the HoJo FLL Beach website).

This isn't the worlds greatest hotel but I will chalk it up to location, location, location.

For the next night I found the Howard Johnson Deezerland Miami Beach had a lower Expedia rate for multiple room categories. I went for the highest one, Oceanfront with balcony. The guarantee was also honored for my friends rooms and my room (I found this less than a week before our hotel stay).

Again at check-in, no verbal mention of the guarantee. But it was printed on the registration form just as it was on the Ft. Lauderdale beach location. I felt I was treated just like any other guest at this hotel as well - very nicely. We were given great higher floor oceanfront rooms with balconies (my only complaint about this hotel is thin walls, the shower which would go from scalding hot to cold to scalding hot over and over) and an $8 breakfast buffet which must be avoided at all costs). This room was over $190 on hojo.com and I found it for $159 on Expedia during the peak spring break season.

All we had to pay at this hotel was the $6 resort fee per room and a one-time $8 parking charge. No tax.

I have future reservations with the guarantee at a Ramada in San Diego, the HoJo Express in Palm Springs and The Inn on Bourbon in New Orleans.

So far I have only used rates from Expedia and Yahoo! Travel (same as Travelocity) to claim the guarantee. Only one was rejected (a Yahoo! Travel rate they claim was viewable but not bookable). I resubmitted that rejection with an Expedia rate for the same night and that was honored.

They are quick in responding to you when submitting a claim. The quickist has been less than one hour, the most 3 hours (I always submit during their business hours during the week). I am quite impressed with their professionalism. And I am not easily impressed!