Big Country Hotel Suites

I booked through the state travel site for a conference and needed Wi-Fi for an online meeting I was hosting less than two hours later. At check-in, they told me the Wi-Fi was out. The young clerk had no suggestion for finding Wi-Fi and wouldn’t ask the manager, saying she probably wouldn’t know either. I felt I had no choice but to check in. Their system tried to charge my card three times but kept asking for a PIN it doesn’t have, though the card worked elsewhere that day. They finally used another card, even though they knew the Wi-Fi was down. Nobody told me I could cancel. I was never offered the option to refuse the room. There was a long black hair in the bed, so I left right away, told the clerk I couldn’t stay, and said I’d contact management. I was not offered another room or any other accommodation when I left. My only concern then was a clean bed and Wi-Fi. Back home, I called for a refund. The front-desk manager, McKenna, wouldn’t give her last name or her supervisor’s name, but said she’d pass my information to the manager. There was no transparency about management. The manager, Sabina, later called, said she didn’t know why I’d called, and promised to call back shortly. Two days after I contacted Best Western Corporate, she finally called to say her district manager had denied the refund because they’d “told me in advance.” That warning happened at check-in, after I’d arrived. She also brushed off the cleanliness concern, saying it was just one hair and they could have moved me to another room. My two emails to the district manager went unanswered. The property was unprofessional, unclean, and unreliable, with poor training, broken systems, and no accountability. I’ve asked for it to be removed from our university and state travel booking lists. I’d give zero stars if I could. Avoid this hotel.

The location worked really well for us, close to restaurants, stores, and family attractions, and it was easy to get in and out of town. Breakfast was free, with something for everyone, and the dining area was clean and inviting. Big Country Hotel & Suites felt comfortable and affordable for a family, with real Texas hospitality. We’ll stay there again next time we’re in Abilene. Our room was spacious, clean, and well maintained, with cozy beds and room to unwind after traveling. The hotel felt quiet and safe. From arrival, the front desk team was warm and welcoming, patient with our kids, and helpful with local suggestions for family meals and activities. We had a great experience at Big Country Hotel & Suites, part of the SureStay Collection.

The staff were generally friendly, and the linens were clean. But I had a musty room, a shower diverter that sent water partly to the shower and partly to the tub, and a toilet that kept switching between not refilling and running nonstop. There wasn’t time to wait for maintenance, so I made do. The walls didn’t block much sound either, and I could hear everything from neighboring rooms. I was only there overnight for a wedding. I arrived about an hour before check-in and was told the room was ready, but it would still cost an extra $40 to get in before 3pm. I was frustrated, but short on time to get ready, so I agreed.

The hotel is beautiful and very clean, and the staff are nice. I booked through my United app when I bought my airline tickets, picked a room after doing a little research, and paid. The woman at the desk, Diane, was lovely and helped us check in. But we couldn’t open the door to our room. When I went back down, Miss Diane told me the key wouldn’t work, so an employee would have to let us in every time we came and went. Then the thermostat wasn’t working and the room was hot, so I went down again. Ms Diane took me to 303. It had two beds instead of the king I’d booked, but at least it was cool, so I accepted it. The key card still didn’t work there either. We had to keep stopping at the desk and asking someone to let us back into our room. Ridiculous.