Best Western Independence Kansas City

The staff made a big difference after we'd arrived on edge from a terrible hotel stay earlier in our road trip. We were driving home from Tennessee with our puppy, and at check-in they quickly arranged a first-floor pet room near the back doors. Taking him out was easy, without going through the lobby. The room was clean, with fresh smelling sheets, tiled floors, toiletries, coffee, and the other basics. It was quiet, the shower was clean with good pressure, and the room felt a fair size for the price. The temperature suited our puppy, who had room to stretch out and settle in. There were cleaners and staff around even over the holiday, which reassured us, and the door had three locks. Our puppy did well, and thankfully there were no accidents. There was an incidental fee, which was fine with us since it's common, refundable, and understandable. The staff were friendly and prompt throughout. This isn't a luxury hotel, and it doesn't pretend to be. It's an affordable, no-frills, pet-friendly place with a clean room and good service, just what we needed for a restful stop.

The storm made us decide not to drive through the night on our way from Kansas to Ohio. We're truck drivers, though we weren't in a semi this trip, and they easily accommodated us and our service dogs. Everyone was kind, and the room was clean and well kept. I really appreciate all they did.

I booked directly through the bestwestern.com website/Best Western app, not a third-party site. I stayed near the end of August, after a ten-hour drive, and found that the hotel's rate had dropped from $134.10 to $98.10 that same day. They wouldn't honor the lower price because my original rate was locked in through the app. I know prices can move a few dollars from day to day, but this felt like they were sticking me with the higher booking. I can't sit watching an app while I'm driving. This was my first stay with the hotel and chain, and it left a bad taste. I'll take my business elsewhere if I have to worry about whether I'm getting an honest rate.

Our vehicle was broken into in the parking lot overnight on 1/2-1/3, and its contents were stolen. In response to the owner: claiming you worked closely with the guest and provided available video footage is a lie. I'm the guest involved. When we asked about footage, the man at the front desk said there was no manager on site and nothing more he could do. The blatant lie has made an already bad situation even worse.