Hotel misrepresented rates

I feel compelled to share for the safety and awareness of fellow travelers. On 2/14/24 around 6pm I arrived after seeing high reviews on Google and Booking.com. Booking.com and the Super 8 website both listed the basic rooms at $55 per night. However, upon arriving at the hotel and requesting a room, the front desk employee informed me that the room rate would be $70 per night.

Despite showing him the online listings for $55/night, the employee insisted he had no control over the pricing but offered a "discount" bringing the cost to $60/night. I agreed to expedite the check-in process. I requested an itemized receipt which he was hesitant to provide, and when he did give me one, I had been charged $61 instead of the $60 he said. I didn't complain because I just wanted to be done with the check in. He then pointed me to my room which was about as close to the check-in desk as you could get.

I left to grab my bag but something didn't feel right so I double-checked the Super 8 website which explicitly showed that there were $55/night rooms available at this location. I returned to the front desk and showed the employee the Super 8 website showing the $55 rate, at which point he claimed it was the member price and later stating it was due to an online discount, both of which turned out to be untrue. The combination of the employees shady evasive behavior and the location of the room he put me in made me incredibly uncomfortable, and at this point I told him I no longer felt comfortable staying there and requested a refund.

The employee then demanded the itemized receipt back, which I refused, before finally proceeding with the refund. On the refund receipt he put the reason for refund being "guest has problem with rate," when in actuality it was me having a problem with him lying. Nowhere on the Super 8 website, including under additional rate details, is there wording indicating that the rates displayed online are an "online only" rate or discount. The clerk also used other excuses as to why the rate he was charging me was different than the online rate. It wasn't until I returned to the front desk a second time (and after other excuses) that he told me it was an online discount.

After leaving and checking the Super 8 website again, it became evident that he had likely booked me into the most expensive suite (listed at $70/night) without my consent and without telling me, despite requesting a basic room. He failed to disclose this upgrade and provided false information about the $55 rate, claiming it was a member price or due to an online discount, both of which were untrue. I believe he purposefully did this so that my room would be in close proximity to him.

I STRONGLY urge that management look into this and that prospective guests, especially women traveling alone, look for lodging elsewhere. The employee was not wearing a nametag and did not give me his name. I firmly believe this employee was preying on me.

The hotel continues to respond back saying that after I was quoted $70 and I showed the desk clerk the $55 online rate, they informed me I could book the room online for that rate. That is absolutely untrue - the clerk used other excuses as to why the rate he was charging me was different than the online rate - It wasn't until I returned to the front desk a second time (and after other excuses) that he told me it was an online discount.

I replied to the hotel that if they produce the surveillance/CCTV footage and I am mistaken, I will remove all of my negative reviews of this Super 8. I hope they do because the footage will also show me avidly and clearly asking the clerk WHY he didn't tell me the online rate is if you book online only AT THE BEGINNING of this interaction when I showed him the rate on my phone.

Feb. 20, 2024