Dishonest staff and unresolved billing dispute:
I had a genuinely enjoyable stay, but the checkout experience left such a bad taste that I feel compelled to leave my first ever 1-star review.
When checking out, we asked about late checkout and were clearly told: $15 for 11am–12pm, $45 for anything after 12. We specifically chose the $15 option and made sure to be at the front desk before noon. The staff processed our checkout and wished us well.
I was later charged $45. When I emailed to dispute it, the hotel first claimed any late checkout was $45 — directly contradicting what we were told at the desk. When I pushed back, they acknowledged the tiered pricing but insisted we checked out at 12pm exactly. When I said we were there before noon, they suddenly "checked the system" and claimed it was 12:03pm.
Most frustratingly, in a Feb 18th email, the hotel explicitly wrote that they would "honor the late checkout fee as shared during the exchange at the desk" — seemingly agreeing to the $15. When I followed up asking when to expect the adjustment, they reversed course entirely and refused the refund anyway.
A $30 dispute is not the end of the world. Being lied to, given shifting stories, and then having a written commitment reversed — that is. I won't be returning.