Aloft by Marriott Columbia Harbison

I wouldn't recommend Aloft Hotel in Harbison if you need to watch your budget or can't spare extra money. We were told the two-night stay would be $178.21 plus a refundable $100 incident fee, but my bank showed a $216.74 charge on top of those amounts. After we got back, Amanda acknowledged the extra charge but said it was probably a computer issue and there wasn't much she could do. It was the weekend, so I planned to call my bank on Monday about a possible fraudulent charge if the money wasn't returned. **Update:** After checkout, another $116 was charged. Austin said he'd recently submitted a refund when I called. The "general manager" commented, but hasn't helped at all. There is no logic to these extra charges. I was already upset after driving almost 10 hours to the only hotel with an available room that looked remotely decent. Layla checked us in at 4 a.m., seemed friendly, and said Austin could handle the additional payment later that morning. He charged us the $178.21.

I lost hours of my stay moving between three rooms on two floors because they couldn't find a TV that worked properly. I arrived around 6 for an 8 o'clock meeting and didn't settle in until 11. Even then, the television, remote, or both still didn't work right. Trish tried hard to fix it and was very helpful, but couldn't get it resolved. I finally stayed put because the only alternative was trying more rooms and hoping for luck. I got apologies but no offer for the inconvenience. As a Bonvoy member, I expect a clean room, comfortable bed, and working television, which is what I pay for. This left me feeling misled and taken advantage of, and unsure about booking here again. There are other options in this competitive area. I usually find this hotel a good value and spend a lot of time in the room, but this visit fell far short.

The lack of professionalism was incredibly frustrating. My boyfriend travels for work and stays in hotels every week, and this was one of his worst experiences. His first key card didn't work, and neither did the replacement, so he had to move rooms. Then the internet didn't work in the new room either. When he called the front desk, they hung up on him three times in a row. We later spotted an unexplained $40 charge and called to ask about it. The front desk kept answering and immediately hanging up several times before finally saying she'd need to speak with the general manager. Is this normal here? DO NOT RECOMMEND.

The stay itself was phenomenal, with great customer service and an awesome bartender. But when I arrived, I was asked for a $150 deposit that hadn't been mentioned during booking. I paid it and enjoyed my visit, but four months later, after several calls, I still haven't gotten it back or received a clear explanation. At first they said it could take 60-90 days, which I was already unhappy about. Make sure you understand that this deposit apparently isn't refundable.