I was in business in Brownsville and Harlingen and decided to stay here rather than fancier rooms in town for about the same price. Location, location, location. Beach access is a few blocks away. A convenience store is located across the street. In a pinch, you may catch a shuttle bus that takes you to Port Elizabeth where you take the airport shuttle. My colleague who arrived earlier took it from the Brownsville airport and the whole trip took up to two hours.

The clerk in the lobby was friendly and helpful with advice on local restaurants. Service was prompt.

The appearance of the hotel was acceptable although the hallways could use a scrubbing. My room was adequate and reasonably clean although the odor of carpet deodorant was overpowering when I first stepped in. Fortunately it dissipated after a day.

The air conditioning worked well and kept the room nice and cool. The TV had cable. The wireless signal was stronger than many fancier hotels I have stayed at recently. Best of all, the bed was comfortable and I was able to get a decent night's sleep. The room had a coffee service.

Breakfast was complimentary and had the usual fare - boiled eggs, Activa yogurt, pastry and waffles. The hotel clerk made waffles for everyone. (he probably didn't want guests messing up the counter with spillover.) That was okay by me. The coffee was not too bad.

The location was not bad. There were a few restaurants within a short walking distance. Blackbeard was just a block away. The Big Donkey (well, that's a peculiar name for a Mexican restaurant) is right next door. My favorite was La Jaiba about a mile away. It's a modest Mexican seafood cafe run by a bunch of Latina women. Definitely not a fancy join. The interior had the sixties look. My favorite was the cup of seafood soup that accompanied most entrees. Big chunks of seafood and a clear broth. A bowl of it and a salad would have made a nice meal. I recommend it highly.

All in all a decent experience at the Ramada Limited. You could do worse.