SureStay Hotel by Best Western Ridgeland

I booked online for $63 because I was bringing my two kids for one night while we moved into our new home, and I thought I'd get a discount. At check-in, the woman at the desk said that because I live in South Carolina, there was another $40 to pay. Nobody had told me this when I booked. I'm a single mom and was devastated. After that extra charge, a night at a hotel that wasn't even that nice came to $90, and I cried because I'd spent my last $40 there. I don't blame the front desk worker. She said several times the owner makes the rules, and that the owner would say the same thing. Maybe some locals damage the rooms, but charging me extra just for living in South Carolina felt unnecessary, sad, and money hungry. It wasn't a deposit, and the booking sites tell you about fees like that, but this hotel didn't. I felt scammed out of my money. I don't recommend it, given the hassle and cost.

It was pet friendly, which was the one good thing. We arrived late, tired, and with few options, and although it was affordable, I still don't think it was worth the price. It wasn't clean or comfortable, and I felt uneasy the whole time.

The highway noise was so bad that I couldn't sleep. I had told the woman at the desk face to face that I had a dog, and they charged me the pet fee. Then they added another $90 and claimed I hadn't mentioned the dog. The same woman offered me only half back, so I had to argue to get a full refund since I'd already paid the pet fee. She started the refund, but after we hung up, I saw it disappear from my account. They took the $90. Avoid this hotel if you can.

I've stayed in worse places, but this one smelled bad. We got there at 10 pm, and a group was partying in the back parking lot. When we left at 6:30 in the morning, they were still going. Guess they were having a good time.