We booked a room for our 20-year-old son, who lives two hours away but was working a project nearby. Before reserving, I called the hotel directly to verify the minimum check-in age. I was told clearly that guests 18 and older could check in, so we proceeded with the reservation.
When our son arrived at 8pm, two hours before his overnight shift, he was denied check-in. He called us from the parking lot, understandably stressed, and we then spoke with the front desk. Although they apologized, they ultimately refused to honor what we had been told during the booking process. We were forced to scramble last minute to find alternative lodging for him. Policies are policies, and if the actual minimum age were 21, we would have simply booked elsewhere. The issue is that we were given incorrect information, which resulted in lost time, unnecessary stress, and a few hundred dollars tied up in a reservation that never should have been accepted. Bottom line: this experience reflects poor business practices, inconsistent communication, and inadequate staff training. With many other options in the area, I would keep looking.