I booked a room in Econolodge (Niagara falls-US) for the memorial day weekend. Just one night before our scheduled departure, my 2 yr old son fell sick (high temperature and coughing). We thought he'd be ok by next morning ... but next morning his condition worsen. I decided to cancel the trip and called Econolodge to cancel the reservation. To my surprise, the GM of hotel Mr. BS Patel, says that he would still charge me because they have a 48 hrs notice deadline. Mr, Patel does not understand that the health issues (specially of a 2 yr old) are not predictable under any set timeline. He surely must refund the money but argues that he won't. I am looking for options to get my money back.

I spoke with Choice Hotels (which owns the Econolodge) and made reservations for 2 rooms at the Econolodge by the Falls in Ontario, Canada on Victoria Avenue for 3 nights (20, 21, and 22). I got my conformation number. When I returned home on the 23, I had a letter from Econolodge at the Falls in Niagara Falls, New York stating that they were billing me for one room that I had reserved for 3 days at their hotel and didn't show up for (that I reserved the rooms on line). I made my reservations over the phone for 2 rooms. They refused to remove the charge or accept the fact that I wouldn't have make reservations at two hotels for the same days, one room at one hotel and 2 at another.

We picked this hotel as it was the only hotel that accepted pets in that area, we had driven 7 1/2 hrs to get there. We have stayed at Econolodge before & have never had a problem but this property was absolutely disgusting. To start they charged me $10.00 for my pet which ended up with a bad case of fleas, the rugs were black, the beds rocked on the floor when you turned over in the nite, the bathroom was the worst the tub was chipped with black mold all over it and bad pee stains embedded on the floor needless to say we did not shower in that. It cost me 73.69 a night for my dog to get fleas and us to go stinky. The girl at the front desk was to add my points to my stay and guess what she didn't. I will not ever stay there again. As a choice hotel it rated a "0".

After driving over 12 straight hours my husband and I decided to stop for a few hours sleep at an Econolodge. The place was very clean and the evening girl was very helpful

We arrived at 5:30 in the morning, and when we checked in I asked the girl if we had until the upcoming 11 AM for check out, or if we had until the following 11 AM, and she said the following. So to clarify, I made sure she meant we had an extra 24 hours, and again she said yes. So we went to our room. I hopped in the shower while my husband ran to get some stuff from the car. When I got out of the shower there was a cockroach on the floor. I put a plastic cup over it to show my husband when he got in. He confirmed it was a cockroach, so we took it to the girl at the front desk. She offered to give us a new room, but I said that if there was a cockroach in one room she had them in the hotel, moving rooms wouldn't make a difference. Plus, it was 6 AM by now, and I just wanted to sleep. So, the girl said she would leave a note for the manager in the morning, and we speak with her before we left.

We woke up around 10:45 the next morning, and while my husband jumped in the shower I went to speak to the manager. I was "greeted" by a gentleman talking on his cellphone. He didn't seem to care that I was there at all. I had to ask for the manager 3 times before he grudgingly hung up his phone to rudely tell me there wasn't a manager available and to ask what I wanted. I explained the cockroach from the evening before and he said there was nothing they could do. He then proceeded to tell me we had to leave immediately because it was check out time. I told him that the evening staff had advised us we still had an extra 24 hours, at which point he began yelling at me telling me I was wrong. I calmly tried to tell him that I wasn't mad at him, but that he needed to let the overnight staff know that wasn't their policy. He continued to yell at me, so I walked away telling him I would be in contact with his manager.

As we were leaving he asked if I wanted a receipt. I said yes, and that I wanted his name on it. I had to ask him 3 times to write the name down before he rudely and sloppily wrote it down for me. I took a business card and we left. I then called the Econolodge customer service where I spoke to a very helpful gentleman who told me that A) There should not have been a cockroach in my room. B) It is their company policy to always have a manager on duty. C) I should not have been yelled at or treated rudely in any way. And D) Our check out time should have been the following day, as that is how we had been checked in the evening before. He said he wasn't able to extend a refund, but that the hotel had 72 hours to get back to me. Later that day I received a call from an employee saying the manager was on duty and that she would be back early the following week. I told her I was on vacation without access to my e-mail and asked if she could note that I would prefer a call and that she was welcome to leave voicemail as I would check it.

So early the following week came and went with no call. I decided I would call them back when I got back home. Well Monday (yesterday) I checked my E-Mail and what do you know? She sent me a short email saying,

"I am deeply concerned in regards to your experience at the Econo Lodge. However our records indicate that you checked in at 5:28 am, our check out time before 7:00am is 11am. We do offer an extended check out time up to 2pm. We can not issue a full refund at this time, this is our motel policy at the Econo Lodge. I apologize for any inconvenience that you may have experienced and we invite you and your family to use us in the future for any of your lodging needs."

Well she completely missed the main point of my problem. So I sent her an email back stating all the details of our stay. And today I wake up to a SECOND charge on my bank account for the cost of the room!!! I called the hotel to speak to the manager and was told that I was wrong and that she had done all she could. I told her in no way would I pay again for a room I shouldn't have paid for in the first place. I told her I could send her a copy of my bank statement, to which she replied that she could send me a copy of her paperwork and we would both think we were right. I again emphasized that I refused to pay for the room again, and emailed her a copy of my bank statement. I am still waiting on a response, but I am so upset about all this has caused me that I felt compelled to share.

I had an overnight stay at the EconoLodge in Middletown, RI in March 2010. During the evening the rain had come down heavy and only to awake to the parking lot full of bits and pieces of the shingles from the roof causing the debris to fall and hit the cars in the parking lot and my car alone has significant damage. My car is black so this really stands out and it is only a 2008 vehicle. I am pushing to get my repairs covered by the hotels insurance company, but Mr. Patel is not very helpful and it is very frustrating.