- Report: #90521
Complaint Review: Days Inn - Crystal City/National Airport - Arlington, Virginia Virginia
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Days Inn - Crystal City/National Airport
2020 Jefferson Davis Highway Arlington, Virginia, 22202 Virginia, U.S.A.
Phone:
703-920-8600
Web:
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Days Inn - Crystal City/National Airport ripoff charge for room not used Arlington Virginia
*Consumer Comment: you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
*Consumer Comment: you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
*Consumer Comment: you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
*Consumer Comment: you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
*Consumer Suggestion: file a chargeback
*Consumer Comment: Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
*Consumer Comment: Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
*Consumer Comment: Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
*Consumer Comment: Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
Letter e-mailed to Days Inn manager.
At the Days Inn in Crystal City, Virginia, I was charged half price for a room I did not use. A misunderstanding occurred regarding the room rate, and when I discovered the mistake, I checked out of the hotel and returned to the motel at which I had previously been staying. Here are the details:
I was visiting Washington D.C. May 8-14, 2003. On May 10, 2003, as I was about to spend my third night at the Crystal City Motel (which charged $60 per night), I called Days Inn and asked their rates. I thought I heard the receptionist say $54 per night. I made a reservation there for the next three nights.
At approximately 9 a.m. on May 11, 2003, I dropped off my suitcase with the bellman at the Days Inn (the room was not ready yet) and quickly signed in (I was hurrying to a nearby conference) without noticing any room rate printed on the document. There were a bunch of numbers that were meaningless to me. I was not given any receipt or copy of the sign-in document.
I returned to the Days Inn about 4:30 p.m., brought my suitcase up to my room and set it on the floor, then went out for dinner. I returned again about 6:30 p.m., went up to the room, and turned on the TV. When I saw the large channel selection, and for the first time appraised the quality of the room, I began to realize that maybe I was mistaken about the room rate. I called down to the front desk and was told the rate was $154 per night.
I spent the next hour and a half looking for my Days Inn receipt (which it turns out I had not been given), arguing at the front desk, hoping someone would come along to assume my room reservation (which the hotel said they would be willing to transfer), and making phone calls to my VISA card company and the Crystal City Motel (to see if they had a vacancy; they did).
The person at the front desk showed me the registration form I had signed that morning. As it turns out, the word Rate did appear on the document, but it had been printed over the hotel's logo, making it difficult to read. I'm sure that had the printer not been misaligned, I would have seen the word Rate and not signed in.
I was told the hotel was not sold out that night, thus they did not have to turn away any business because of me. I cancelled my three night reservation but was told that even though I had not used the room (in the sense that it was as clean as I found it and I had only turned on the TV), I would still be charged half price ($84.87) for that first night. I walked out at about 9 p.m. and returned to the Crystal City Motel.
In sum, I had not heard the rate correctly over the phone when I called the day before. I would not have checked out of my much cheaper motel otherwise (which I eventually checked back into). The word "Rate" was difficult to read on the Days Inn registration form. When I found out the rate, I checked out of the hotel without using the room. Nevertheless, I was still charged half price. The hotel experienced no loss because they did not have to turn any business away and the room did not require any maid service.
There was no "meeting of the minds" in this transaction, thus no legally binding contract. I was the only one who had to endure any hardship because I had to change lodgings twice. The charge of $84.87 is not something I should have to pay since I received NOTHING in exchange for it. I tried talking to the nighttime assistant manager, but he could only follow "policy," not what was ethically correct. I would really appreciate it if you could correct this and post a refund to my VISA card.
August
Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S.A.
At the Days Inn in Crystal City, Virginia, I was charged half price for a room I did not use. A misunderstanding occurred regarding the room rate, and when I discovered the mistake, I checked out of the hotel and returned to the motel at which I had previously been staying. Here are the details:
I was visiting Washington D.C. May 8-14, 2003. On May 10, 2003, as I was about to spend my third night at the Crystal City Motel (which charged $60 per night), I called Days Inn and asked their rates. I thought I heard the receptionist say $54 per night. I made a reservation there for the next three nights.
At approximately 9 a.m. on May 11, 2003, I dropped off my suitcase with the bellman at the Days Inn (the room was not ready yet) and quickly signed in (I was hurrying to a nearby conference) without noticing any room rate printed on the document. There were a bunch of numbers that were meaningless to me. I was not given any receipt or copy of the sign-in document.
I returned to the Days Inn about 4:30 p.m., brought my suitcase up to my room and set it on the floor, then went out for dinner. I returned again about 6:30 p.m., went up to the room, and turned on the TV. When I saw the large channel selection, and for the first time appraised the quality of the room, I began to realize that maybe I was mistaken about the room rate. I called down to the front desk and was told the rate was $154 per night.
I spent the next hour and a half looking for my Days Inn receipt (which it turns out I had not been given), arguing at the front desk, hoping someone would come along to assume my room reservation (which the hotel said they would be willing to transfer), and making phone calls to my VISA card company and the Crystal City Motel (to see if they had a vacancy; they did).
The person at the front desk showed me the registration form I had signed that morning. As it turns out, the word Rate did appear on the document, but it had been printed over the hotel's logo, making it difficult to read. I'm sure that had the printer not been misaligned, I would have seen the word Rate and not signed in.
I was told the hotel was not sold out that night, thus they did not have to turn away any business because of me. I cancelled my three night reservation but was told that even though I had not used the room (in the sense that it was as clean as I found it and I had only turned on the TV), I would still be charged half price ($84.87) for that first night. I walked out at about 9 p.m. and returned to the Crystal City Motel.
In sum, I had not heard the rate correctly over the phone when I called the day before. I would not have checked out of my much cheaper motel otherwise (which I eventually checked back into). The word "Rate" was difficult to read on the Days Inn registration form. When I found out the rate, I checked out of the hotel without using the room. Nevertheless, I was still charged half price. The hotel experienced no loss because they did not have to turn any business away and the room did not require any maid service.
There was no "meeting of the minds" in this transaction, thus no legally binding contract. I was the only one who had to endure any hardship because I had to change lodgings twice. The charge of $84.87 is not something I should have to pay since I received NOTHING in exchange for it. I tried talking to the nighttime assistant manager, but he could only follow "policy," not what was ethically correct. I would really appreciate it if you could correct this and post a refund to my VISA card.
August
Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S.A.
9 Updates & Rebuttals
Meredith
Broadway,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
#2Consumer Comment
Fri, June 03, 2005
I had a similar situation at a Days Inn. But once they have your credit card number, they charge whatever they want on it, and apparently do it with impunity. Lodging a complaint with corporate Days Inn does no good. They only fax your complaint back to the original hotel, which is a ridiculous, corrupt policy.
Meredith
Broadway,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, June 03, 2005
I had a similar situation at a Days Inn. But once they have your credit card number, they charge whatever they want on it, and apparently do it with impunity. Lodging a complaint with corporate Days Inn does no good. They only fax your complaint back to the original hotel, which is a ridiculous, corrupt policy.
Meredith
Broadway,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, June 03, 2005
I had a similar situation at a Days Inn. But once they have your credit card number, they charge whatever they want on it, and apparently do it with impunity. Lodging a complaint with corporate Days Inn does no good. They only fax your complaint back to the original hotel, which is a ridiculous, corrupt policy.
Meredith
Broadway,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Once Days Inn has your credit card. . .
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, June 03, 2005
I had a similar situation at a Days Inn. But once they have your credit card number, they charge whatever they want on it, and apparently do it with impunity. Lodging a complaint with corporate Days Inn does no good. They only fax your complaint back to the original hotel, which is a ridiculous, corrupt policy.
Kasey
New Haven,Connecticut,
U.S.A.
file a chargeback
#6Consumer Suggestion
Tue, May 18, 2004
Always read everything before you sign it on the registration card and confirm rates etc. Althought they could have charged you anyway for a full night they shouldn't have charged you at all. I work in a hotel and as long as nothing was touched in a room and the guest wasn't satisfied we will not charge anything-its always good business to make the guest happy-as they usually remember the kindness and will return. I suggest contacting Days Inn corporate and file a complaint or filing a chargeback with your credit card company
Beth
Richmond,Virginia,
U.S.A.
you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
#7Consumer Comment
Tue, May 11, 2004
I can understand why they charged you something, if not, anyone could just walk off the street, stay in the room for a couple of hours, shower, watch HBO...and then just tell the front desk that they did not realize that the room was that expensive. Actually, you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days, some hotels/motels will charge you for breaking your reservation without a 24 hour notice. My suggestion- read what you sign, and ask questions before running off to conferences!
Beth
Richmond,Virginia,
U.S.A.
you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
#8Consumer Comment
Tue, May 11, 2004
I can understand why they charged you something, if not, anyone could just walk off the street, stay in the room for a couple of hours, shower, watch HBO...and then just tell the front desk that they did not realize that the room was that expensive. Actually, you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days, some hotels/motels will charge you for breaking your reservation without a 24 hour notice. My suggestion- read what you sign, and ask questions before running off to conferences!
Beth
Richmond,Virginia,
U.S.A.
you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
#9Consumer Comment
Tue, May 11, 2004
I can understand why they charged you something, if not, anyone could just walk off the street, stay in the room for a couple of hours, shower, watch HBO...and then just tell the front desk that they did not realize that the room was that expensive. Actually, you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days, some hotels/motels will charge you for breaking your reservation without a 24 hour notice. My suggestion- read what you sign, and ask questions before running off to conferences!
Beth
Richmond,Virginia,
U.S.A.
you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days
#10Consumer Comment
Tue, May 11, 2004
I can understand why they charged you something, if not, anyone could just walk off the street, stay in the room for a couple of hours, shower, watch HBO...and then just tell the front desk that they did not realize that the room was that expensive. Actually, you are lucky that you did not have to pay for the 3 reserved days, some hotels/motels will charge you for breaking your reservation without a 24 hour notice. My suggestion- read what you sign, and ask questions before running off to conferences!
