Drove across the US and Canada, stopped here. Got lost finding the place. Make sure you have a GPS to find the interstate again. Total dive but we had a good sleep. The bathroom was clean & sheets were clean. The door didn't have a deadbolt. No alarm clock. Old touch tone phone. Internet worked great. There were people on the other side of the building partying outside. One guest approached us and asked since we were from Canada if we had any "Canadian Happy Time" aka marijuana. We stayed in a better $40/night motel along the drive. For a super 8 I didn't complain. Area was not well lit. Make sure you lock your car.

I paid about as low a price as I have paid for a hotel room in the last ten years. For this I got a room that was large and clean although not at all fancy. I had stayed here about 15 years ago when it was an independent. I can tell they did put some money into it since then as it was better now then it was then. Slept very well.

My destination for this trip was actually New York City. The Raritan Train station is only about a ten minute walk away. So I ended up paying about 1/5th what I would for a similar room in the city.

I have stayed at this Super 8 a number of times over the past 10 years.

The rooms are worn -- i've seen the patched curtains, too, and one room had particularly visible carpet stains. The bathrooms are tiled with some sloppy paint and caulk work, but clean. I had to laugh when I saw the fancy new bowed shower curtain rod in a bathroom that looked straight out of 1975.

Most of the rooms I've stayed in have had little or no smoke odor.

The hotel is alongside a local landmark, the "Raritan Circle", which has an almost laughably sad ambiance. A three story tall pyramid clad in brown shingles (what appears to be the pool house for the long-closed swimming pool) sits out front with "Super 8" signs plastered over old for-sale signs. An abandoned chain restaurant sits next door.

Now here's what's great about this hotel:

The price is a fraction of what newer properties and even some of the older nearby places charge (the Quality Inn down 287 comes to mind).

For NYC tourists who would like to leave the car and ride public transit to the city, the Raritan station is about 15 minutes walk. The NJ transit trains run at least hourly and take about 90 minutes each way into 34th Street - Penn Station. Cost in summer 2009 was $19.50 round trip, off-peak. This is a great way to see NYC for about one-fifth what you would spend staying in the city.

Being on the circle provides great access to a number of major through routes, including Route 22 and I-287. The property is convenient for those visiting businesses in the 287 corridor on your own nickel, this is a good choice.

Good bagels and coffee are 10 minutes walk down 202 at Bagels 4 U. The Time to Eat Diner is steps away, open till 1 am. Other restaurants and businesses n the village center of Raritan are near the train station. A shopping center with chain stores and restaurants is on the opposite side of circle, but take care if you walk as you will run into a couple of harrowing pedestrian crossings.

overall the motel looks and room quality are okay...but that's what you get for a cheap prices...
at least there is wireless internet available to use...