La Quinta Inn & Suites San Antonio Medical Center

The staff were friendly, the hotel was clean, and breakfast was good and kept neat. The person looking after breakfast was especially kind. The hot tub, though, was too hot for us. I spotted two cockroaches. It’s a large hotel with lots of guests, so they may have come in with someone. Housekeeping is scheduled every third day. I may have misunderstood the day at check-in, and the DND sign was on our door, so we missed service. When I asked the front desk, they checked with the manager and sent a cleaner first thing the next morning. The main reason I’m giving four stars is the parking charge. It wasn’t mentioned when I booked, and six nights added $60 to my bill.

The pool and fitness area were nice, and parking was good. Our room was spacious and very clean, with a firm, comfortable mattress that helped me sleep well during our three nights. Breakfast was included, and I’d give it a 7 out of 10.

We always pay in cash, but now they won’t let us do that. They keep the card open for what they call incidentals, then add charges after the stay. They dismissed one night’s charge, but another showed up seven days later. The parking fee is $10 a night. If you book outside LaQuinta, free parking still appears as it has for years, and they don’t disclose the fee until you ask. They say the booking company sold a block of rooms and doesn’t pass along all the money. To me, that sounds like a scheme, with hidden charges on both the hotel and booking-company sides. When you argue, they put the responsibility back on you. Why should guests have to pay for security in the hotel parking lot? This is a horrible practice hotels are forcing on us.

The woman at breakfast was the best part of the stay. She cheerfully wished everyone good morning and sang as she worked. The room was of average cleanliness, and breakfast itself was just okay. They also charge for parking without mentioning it during online booking.