CandleWood Suites - Shari Baker Operations manager Rude service. Charged credit card but would not provide room requested. Asked for non-smoking was placed in smoking. Has happened before to others. Topeka Kansas

Hotel: CandleWood Suites Topeka KS.

I requested a non-smoking room. When I arrive I am told that I have been assigned a smoking room. I ask about my request for a non-smoking room and the front desk person confirmed that I asked for a non-smoking room; however, there are no non-smoking rooms available. If I cannot stay in the room assigned to me they will place me in a different smoking room. I go to the smoking room and after 20 minutes my throat hurts, I am coughing, and now the clothing that I am wearing smells like smoke.

I again ask about a non-smoking room and I am told that it is not possible. I check out stating that I cannot stay in a smoking room and explain what happened after being there for 20 mins. Front desk guy says that there may still be a charge because I am canceling my reservation without giving 24 hours notice. I explain if provided a non-smoking room as I requested I would stay. This is not possible so I leave.

Soon after there is a charge on my credit card for $67. I call the Candlewood Suites and I am shuffled around and nobody will actually speak with me. I am delivered to the voicemail of Shari Baker. I then call the corporate office and lodge a complaint. Less than 15 mins later Shari Baker calls me back.

Shari Baker tells me they are charging my credit card because I didn't cancel 24 hours in advance. I explain that if I knew I was going to be put in a smoking room after requesting non-smoking I would have canceled two weeks ago when I made the reservation. Shari Baker then tells me "it isn't our fault that you just had to have a non-smoking room. Just because you request a non-smoking room it does not guarantee that we will provide one to you." At that point I couldn't think of anything else to say. I told her that I didn't agree with the charge, and Shari Baker said she was going to charge me anyway.

Currently I am in the middle of trying to dispute the charge with JPMorganChase. This all started back in 05/2009. Recently I did a google search on the hotel to see if my review had been posted. It has; however, there are now additional reviews with similar problems at the hotel.