La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Jacksonville Mandarin

They couldn't find my reservation when I arrived around 2 PM, and I spent nearly four hours dealing with the third-party company without getting the issue properly resolved. On top of that, the $25 incidental fee I was quoted on the phone turned out to be $100. The hotel only accepts a traditional credit or debit card for the hold, not cash or Cash App cards, even though I had the funds available. If I'm putting $100 on hold, I'd choose a much nicer hotel. That's why I called to check first. Before booking, I called La Quinta directly to ask about a Mayo Clinic patient rate. They said they offered it but couldn't provide it because of an event. I asked whether they'd match the online price if I booked with them instead of using a third-party site, and they declined. I then asked about the incidental fee and was told it would be $25, which sounded reasonable for a La Quinta, so I booked through a third party. I showed proof of the earlier call, including its time and duration, and explained that I'm disabled and was in Jacksonville for a Mayo Clinic appointment. By around 5 PM I was still trying to sort this out. I asked the desk employee to tell management what was happening and see if they could waive the fee because I'd been given the wrong information. I also offered to show my appointment proof. The manager refused and said the fee was mandatory. I've worked in hotels for years and know properties can adjust or waive incidental holds in some situations. Between the missing reservation, the incorrect fee information, and the lack of willingness to help, the whole experience was extremely disappointing. Either the property doesn't know how to handle third-party bookings, or it makes things difficult so guests book directly. The fee information over the phone was wrong, and nobody tried to help someone who was in town only for medical care. If you stay here, expect a higher incidental hold than quoted and don't rely on what they tell you about fees. Keep that in mind.