This motel treated us very badly and ripped us off by adding an additional day's charges to my credit card without my authorization.
My son and father-in-law and I drove all night from Oklahoma City hauling a large boat behind my pickup. We wanted to drive at night to avoid traffic through the major cities along our route (especially Kansas City). We stopped at the Super 8 motel in Ames Iowa at 7:30 in the morning in order to sleep a few hours before continuing our journey to Northern Minnesota.
We checked in a little before 8:00 am and were in our room a little after that. At 10:30 am, approximately 2½ hours after we checked in, we were awakened by a phone call from the front desk "reminding" us that we had to check out before 11:00 am that same day. I did not consider it a reminder because we weren't told that we had to check out by 11:00 when we checked in 2½ hours earlier. I went to the front desk and asserted that we paid for one night and we ought to be able to sleep a little longer. The desk clerk was unconvinced and at first accused us of actually arriving the day before. I reminded her that she checked us in only three hours earlier. She then apologized and asked for my original receipt back. In hindsight, I should not have given it to her.
Because we were wide awake at that point, we left. We pulled out of the parking lot at 11:30 am. In other words, we were there for less than four hours total. Afterward, I saw on my credit card statement that I was charged for two days. I called the hotel and tried to talk to the manager. The manager was unavailable both times I called but the desk clerk told me that they had researched my call and concluded that I was a guest for two days and that the charges were valid. I felt like she was accusing me of lying about when we got there. I contacted the Super 8 corporation and made a complaint. I was told that the motel was required to respond to my complaint within one week. I have not heard back.
This motel ripped us off. I did authorize one days charge on my credit card even though I feel they made a mistake in asking us to leave after 2½ hours and then refusing to acknowledge it. Adding another days charge to my card without my consent when we were there for less than four hours is just plain theft.