Best Western Motels cancellation policy Nationwide

On March 7, 2009 I was in Niagara Falls, New York for what I thought would be a weekend. I am an over the road truck driver and had delivered in the area.

I called Best Western National Reservations and reserved a room for 2 nights in Niagara Falls on Sat morning and had to call them back that afternoon and cancel when I found that I was going to have to leave the area. I was informed by the motel clerk that the chain's cancellation policy is a 24 hour notice and if they do not have a cancellation within the 24 hrs, the chain charges the credit card for the first night.

When the Niagara Falls desk clerk told me this, I asked to speak to the manager. He was unavailable, but the desk clerk said she would have him call me. I never heard from him. I called at least twice trying to speak with him.

I feel like that since I cancelled as soon as I could and did not have the 24 hours to do so, the motel should not charge me for the room. Customer Service has informed me that the charge will stand--their policy is their policy. Also, she said that in training the reservation agents they are taught to say 4 different times what the cancellation policy is at the time the reservation is being made. This was not done. If I had been told I would have found a different motel to begin with because I think that is wrong. Especially with economics they way it is.

Sandra
Hotchkiss, Colorado
U.S.A.