Howard Johnson - Rate Disputes

On September 14, I rented a room for a week. The person I spoke with on the phone told me the price is $299.00 and informed me they don't take bookings as it is first come first serve. So I went there to book it. The man at the desk was rude to me, by talking on the phone without even showing that he noticed me standing there for 10 minutes. He charged me the $299.00 for the room, then he charged me $250.00 deposit. I've never heard of such a large deposit. He informed me the room service was not included for the week.

While in the room, the toilet was plugged. I called the front desk and they told me I could borrow their plunger. The power went out every time I used the microwave. There were cockroaches everywhere. The room smelled like vomit and feces. No plug for the bathtub, garbage all outside my door. Upon checking out, the same man who checked me in told me there was a paw to whiskers fee of $100.00 for having my 2 small dogs staying with me. He didn't tell me about these fees when I checked in. When I complained about this fee, he told me to never return to the hotel. He told me to get out. He was the rudest person I have ever met. Awful service. I will never recommend that hotel to anyone and I feel sick thinking that I may have carried those cockroaches with me.

I just moved to Florida with my lil' Yorkie from MO, three months ago. I work as a waitress around the corner from HJ so I picked there until I got on my feet. About a month after staying at HJ, Luis, the manager, started letting me pay the weekly rate daily if needed which came to $32 per night; before was $50 per night or $199 per week. I told him how much that helped me because it was hard to come up with the whole week sometimes. Then, after two more months, he changes it back to the regular.

I am very quiet, keep to myself, never have anyone over. I'm just trying to get on my feet and it's so hard, especially when, for no reason, Luis decided to start charging me, a good customer who has been here for three months and never once asked for room service! I like to clean my room. I even use my own towels every day. Then he starts charging me regular price. I'm outraged! Why and how can he do this? I feel so stuck and helpless.

I made a reservation for July 6 - July 9, 2011. At that time, I had said over the phone that this card is just to hold the room and I am paying cash when I get there. I showed up with my mom and we were there to see my niece. When we arrived, we saw that is was a run-down and just about empty. The handicap room was good for my mom so we stayed. But we both wanted to leave. At this point, I wished that I followed my gut feeling.

At the time of check in, the oriental manager lady had gotten my card number wrong but that was already corrected. I had again stated that I was paying cash and I didn't want my card charged. I was presented with a receipt saying that I was paying by Visa but I insisted that I am paying through cash. I was told at 6:00 p.m., after driving all day through the 100 degrees heat, that it would be fine and that I can pay cash. It was my mistake to sign the receipt and not mark "cash" on it myself.

We checked out on a Saturday morning and I paid Nadine $249. I remember getting some change back from $250. She did give me a print out and I foolishly thought that I did not need that piece of paper. I am an honest, hardworking small business owner. I have learned through this experience not to trust folks. I have made a few formal complaints about this. But because I did not keep my receipt and did not amend the paper I signed, I have paid at a high cost to learn how to be on guard as a consumer. My card was, in fact, charged the Tuesday after we had checked out (12 July 11) when I already paid in cash.

I'm wondering if all customers are treated this way when they dissagree with a reserved price or is this a standard practice for this hotel with people of a different race. This is the worst hotel that me and my family have ever had to stay in. It's shocking to know that people that run a chain hotel can treat you like dirt and think that it's okay. I know that my family and other members of our party will never stay in another Howard Johnsons Hotel no matter where it is.