I booked a trip through YTB Travel Website on March 11, 2007 and around April 30, 2007 or May 1, 2007 I was contacted by customer service that I needed to change the hotel status because the hotel was not ready for opening. The original hotel that was purchased was Hotel Lasalle 1113 Canal Street, New Orleans LA 70113, it was then changed to St. Vincent's Guest House 1507 Magazine Street, New Orleans LA 70130 and I have a receipt showing the May 1, 2007 date where this hotel was booked. That Hotel is a boarding house for the homeless and should not be allowed to be a hotel for people that are coming in from out of town for the Essence Music Festival, who are paying for a Hotel. The pictures that are on the website are very misleading that the hotel looks like that. Arriving at the hotel, I was kind of suspicious but didn't follow my gut instinct and proceeded to go the hotel (boarding house). The room was complete filth, and utter disgust. The blankets on the bed were dirty and had spots on them that were very noticeable, and the curtains were falling off the windows. Pulled back the sheets and there were bugs in the bed. The toilet was dripping water and the shower door did not close. I was not in the room no more than 30 minutes and 20 of those minutes I was on hold with customer service, trying to get a new hotel. Spoke a representative by the name Anna who advised me that a person would be calling me back to see what is going on and at the hotel. With no assistance by her, I tried calling back and then got hung up on by the second agent. I immediately went to the front desk and refused to stay there, and then was treated as if this was a 4 star hotel and was told I would be charged for one night because I checked in. I refused to stay at this place and advised the front desk. I found another hotel the Ramada Plaza and had to pay addition charges out of pocket. I have receipts showing that I stayed at another hotel on the days that was booked at St. Vincent's Guest House. After getting settled in with the new hotel I didn't want to ruin the rest of my vacation and so I didn't bother contacting them. Once returning home I then contacted customer service about this matter. On numerous attempts I contacted the customer service department for a refund and that keep giving me the run a rounds that I would have to contact the hotel for a refund and when calling the St. Vincent's Guest House, I am being told that the manager is not in he will be in the next day between 8am and 11am. Called back the next day and was told the same thing. I just want a refund for the money that was spent on the St. Vincent's Guest House. I submitted a complaint to the Better Business Bureau in reference to the whole situation.

Chudney
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.