Imagine traveling nearly 270 miles only to find out there's no room at the inn. That was the unfortunate reality for one couple whose story has recently gone viral on Reddit.
Their ordeal has captured the attention of the internet, leaving users both shocked and amused.
The post, shared on September 22 by Reddit user u/Llebanna, has amassed an astounding 78,000 upvotes and thousands of comments. The woman, who lives in the Indiana suburbs, shared images of the makeshift room she and her husband were forced to stay in at the Royal Sonesta Chicago in Illinois, U.S.
Despite booking their room weeks in advance, they were met with a surprising turn of events upon check-in: no room was available.
"We were very tired and stressed and wanted to sleep," the woman explained in the comments, detailing why they reluctantly accepted the offer of a sofa bed in a conference room.
The couple had originally paid $780 for the stay plus $200 deposit, booking through a third-party provider during the busy Labor Day weekend.
"My husband kept trying to get the TV to work, even though it was 30 feet away," the woman captioned the photos, adding that despite the room having a bathroom, it was far from satisfactory.
"It was small, dusty, dim, and there was a socket filled with dust next to the toilet," she commented.
The average cost of a hotel room in Chicago as of September 2023 was $305, according to Statista. While the couple's $450 price tag was above average, it pales compared to cities like New York, which had the highest average rate of $504, and Miami, which had the lowest at $198.
However one user said, "$450 is not remotely cheap," to which the original poster responded, "It is not, but we wanted something close to the main loop, and it looked fine online." However, the reality was far from what they had expected.
The images accompanying the post depict a stark and uncomfortable setup: a sofa bed in a dim conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows that did little to block out the noise from the bustling streets outside. To make matters worse, the hotel was located across from a fire station and the couple were subjected to sirens and honking throughout the night.
She said: "It felt like everyone in Chicago was having a fire that night."
Although the first night was far from ideal, the second night saw an improvement. .
In the comments, she wrote: "[We were] charged $450 for second night, we were placed in a jacuzzi suite. [We] would've rather had two nights in a normal room but whatever- it was late at night and we didn't have the energy to fight as hard as we should've. They offered no alternative accommodations."
Initially, the hotel provided only a partial refund. However, on September 25, the woman updated her post, revealing that she eventually received a full refund.
A spokesperson for the Royal Sonesta confirmed the details of the story, telling Newsweek: "We've been made aware of the situation and have been in communication directly with the guest to rectify. At Sonesta, we strive to exceed guest expectations and work diligently to ensure that this experience is resolved."
Reflecting on the experience, the woman wrote, "It's kind of funny now, not at the time," adding, "A lot of people said I should be grateful; prisons are more accommodating."
The viral post has generated 2,600 comments, with many users referencing an iconic quote from the 2008 comedy, Step Brothers.
"So much room for activities!" said one comment with 8,600 likes.
Another user said: "They're good at taking reservations, but it's the holding part they need to work on."
Newsweek is waiting for a comment from u/Llebanna.
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