Best Western Inn & Suites - Lake Charles

I checked out before 2pm, but later found that my card had been charged for the whole stay plus the deposit. When I contacted customer relations, I got what I consider a completely fabricated lie. Nobody had told me there was a 1pm checkout or that I’d be charged for a full night. I would never have agreed to that. We work hard for our money, and it’s bad business to take it, even if it’s only $5. I won’t stay at this location again because I don’t like dishonest people. The check-in on 10/10/205 was smooth, and the staff seemed friendly and accommodating. The room had a horrible smell, like the carpet needed a deep cleaning, so I sent my daughter to the Dollar store across the street for air freshener and ran the AC on its lowest setting to circulate the heat out. I’m not usually a complainer and tried to sort things out myself. The tub was dirty, and there was hair on the floor by the tub and toilet, but I had brought cleaning supplies. The ceiling had what looked like a mud spot and a dark mark above the window. The next morning, I asked for a later checkout. The clerk said 2pm was the latest and would cost $20, so I agreed right away. When she asked how I’d pay the deposit, I said everything was on my card, and she told me I was all set. On the way out, we spotted a dead cockroach at the top of the curtain.

The key cards kept failing and needed to be reset. Staff blamed our phones and the non-smart watches we were wearing, though I’ve never had this issue at another hotel while carrying a phone and using a key card. That got frustrating. In the suite, one TV worked fine, but the second only had 3-5 channels.

After losing most of Monday to phone calls and still ending up without a reservation, I gave up, cancelled, and booked an Airbnb. I was on the phone for about 30 minutes with the 1800 number before we got disconnected. They never called back, and I couldn’t face more verification and endless hold time. It was 2pm, and I felt like I’d lost nearly the whole day. I’m spending a full week somewhere else in Lake Charles, and I bet this Best Western won’t be full. I wish I’d read the horrible reviews before trying to book this dirty place. Best Western used to be my go-to, but now my member points keep piling up because I can’t even use them, and it’s hard to find a clean one. I started calling around 7am Monday because the website wouldn’t let me book with points. A nice young woman at the 1800 number took care of that. The problem started when I tried to add one day. After going back and forth, the only option they gave me was an extra $300. I asked for the same rate as the other days and was told to call the location. The MLK location in Lake Charles also tried to charge the extra $300. The receptionist said she’d speak to the manager, Paul, who apologized and wasted my time but didn’t try to solve anything. So I decided to cancel and rebook everything.

We’d stay again, though I’d ask for a different room. Check-in was quick, the associate was very nice, and the room was great apart from a low machine-like noise that kept turning on and off during the night. Breakfast was okay, with boxed eggs and the usual breakfast sausages. This was our first time at this location.