Canadas Best Value Inn Chinook Station — Hotel in Calgary

Do NOT stay at this hotel. Unless you want to be treated poorly, overcharged and threatened then stay away. I stayed at this hotel on June 30th, 2025 for one night. I usually sleep in my van but because this place was only $97 a night I decided, why not. Even if it’s not the nicest or cleanest of hotels, I’m usually fine with that if it means saving some money. I was very tired as I had been travelling and sleeping in my van for many days up until then. It gets exhausting living on the road so I was grateful that this place had vacancy for the night. Since I do sleep in my van majority of the time, I have a lot of blankets and pillows… I always take these with me into hotel rooms since I hate sleeping in other people’s beds. Especially at places like this. The room had a musty, mildewy odour and just felt very dusty/dingy. It was a very old room with old bedding, old towels and not the cleanest place… but it was only $97 so of course I wasn’t going to complain! Right?! I moved the hotel’s pillows to one bed and I put my blanket down on the other bed and fell asleep. In other words, I did not sleep in the bed or use the sheets… The room had an AC unit which would blow dusty, smokey smelling air but it was cool and refreshing so I wanted to just stay in bed the rest of the night. The window wouldn’t open in this particular room so I couldn’t get any fresh air but I had my own blanket and pillow so I felt fairly comfortable. When I woke up the next day, I packed up my stuff and decided to have a shower… I used one of the washcloths and lathered it up with my body wash and enjoyed my shower, as any normal person would? Upon leaving, I made sure to place all of the towels and washcloths into the bathtub and I went around the room and threw away any garbage… Even when I was leaving, I noticed that the countertop was wet so I took one of the clean washcloths and decided to wipe the counter with it. Like I said, this wasn’t the cleanest place so the rag ended up having black dirt on it from the countertop but I just washed it in the sink the best I could with soap and water and left it in the bathtub for housekeeping to wash. I checked out of the room and the lady at the front desk took back my key card and said that I was “good to go.” She said that my $100 deposit would be returned to my credit card in a few days. She didn’t offer me a receipt or anything but just wished me a good day. At that point, everything was fine and it seemed like an okay stay, despite the odour and dingy room. Until a few days later on July 5th, I went to check my credit card and noticed a $557.75 CHARGE?!?!??? This can’t be right. Surely they made a mistake? Everything was “good to go” right?! Wrong. I went back to the hotel, thinking this would be an easy fix and I would get my money back… I was respectful and mainly just confused, asking why I was charged SO MUCH, when I already paid the $97 for the room? I asked that maybe it was a mistake and they could simply just reverse the charge and give me my money back? The ladies working there just started speaking to each other in their own language about me. Then they both looked at me and angrily accused me of smoking in the room. They said they had to charge me that because apparently the “washcloths and sheets were stained.” I told them I don’t smoke and I didn’t sleep in the bed so how could it have been stained? I asked for evidence and they said they would email me photos which they tried to show me in person but barely let me look and just got angrier and angrier until they threatened to call the police on me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and how these ladies were treating me in that moment, I couldn’t do anything but cry and try to explain to them that I don’t smoke, I didn’t sleep on the sheets and I didn’t intentionally stain their washcloths, as I used it to clean their dirty room. They angrily yelled at me and told me I should’ve complained about the room if it was so dirty? I just cried and begged for my money back but they kicked me out and laughed at me....

I bought a reservation at this “hotel” for the stampede weekend. A singular night at this motel for friday 11th - saturday 12th. Pre booked and payed for online through booking.com. Through booking.com they didnt tell me i had to also pay a damage deposit fee prior to arriving at the establishment. I was only aware of the charging payment of 200 dollar charge and to me that seemed like more than enough for a room. Keep in mind this 2 star “hotel” had raised their prices due to the stampede weekend. So time goes by me and my girlfriend arrive at this hotel that I didnt think was bad better than 500+ for a room in calgary. We ask to check in, and this rude east indian women says we have to pay a damage deposit fee. Im unaware of this and told her if i had known i wouldve brought my credit card. She gives me the whole spiel on how we cant overcharge and use a debit card and how they would only accept a credit card. And BTW she was so racially profiling me and my girlfriend during this whole time. So we then realized we we’re screwed. We had a akon and tiao cruz concert soon and haven’t showered all day let alone get a room to drop our luggage off. I asked this rude lady if we could refund and they said we would have to do it through the app we booked the room through which was booking.com. So we left and fortunately found a place on AirBnB for like 500 bucks. We then looked at reviews at this “hotel” and they are dirt low. A lot of customers get scammed for damage deposit or simply being told they damaged items or stolen. And after seeing some of the reviews, SOME PEOPLE GOT TO USE THIER DEBIT CARDS FOR PAYMENT OPTIONS!!! Like what is that? This East Indian said we couldnt use a debit card cause it wouldnt work, but someone in the reviews literally states that is what they did, i mean 500 dollar charge and they were stinjy to give back the money even trying to accuse that they broke stuff to keep it but thats someone elses story. Anyways just upset how a reservation at this hotel didnt work out and made me spend a lot more money in the end. So at this point i paid 200 for a reservation for a room i never got to use and after contacting booking.com and they said they sent a cancellation email to this Best Value “hotel” . So at this point im just waiting for Best Value to reply to the email to confirm the cancellation so i can get my money back for the reservation i never got to use. Ive called this “hotel” multiple times to tell them to reply to my email about the cancellation. And after calling for a day of this they tell me the manager is the only one that replies to emails and that the manager wouldn’t be in for another few business days. Keep in mind it was saturday the 12th, so i waited those few days called them every morning and evening. And they always tell me the same stuff like oh try calling tmr or try another time. And i ask when them to atleast pass the message to their manager so their aware and can help me get my money back. Fast Forward to the present day, its the 24th, 14 days after i had told best value and booking.com that i wanted a refund. Still get the same old try again another time from best value everytime i call and booking.com telling me they cant help me unless best value replies to their email. So ive taken matters into my own hand by writing a most accurate description of my experience and time with both this “hotel” and booking.com. I hope whomever reads this, stay away from these stingy hotels that steal your money. Save up and just go to something nicer...

15 days later have not returned $400 deposit! Soon to be a matter of theft with CPS.

I was attempting to book a room for family while they were between homes. Over the phone, they first told me it was not possible to purchase a room if I was not staying in it personally. I explained to them I’ve done this many times before. After a lengthy debate, they finally determined that I can in fact buy a room for someone else, but only if I check them in myself. Fine, I’ll make time to get across the city for this if it saves money and gets my family a place.

We arrive. Suddenly the rate has jumped $20/night (due to the 3rd party credit card form). There is a different employee at the desk. The person on the phone did not inform me of the rate increase, even though they knew this form would be required. The price is now higher than many closer hotels in the city we’ve priced out. But we’ve already made the journey, and give in. This is just beginning of the problems with customer service.

With this form, a $400 deposit is required. They do not pre-authorize the charge like a regular deposit. It is fully charged and taken from your card immediately. It is not automatic. It is their responsibility to manually return it.

This was Dec 1st. It is now Dec 15th. Christmas is approaching and they still have not returned the fully charged $400 (we last spoke just prior to this review). This is not due due to issues with the room. They are now blaming my bank. I spoke to Visa and TD, they see no attempt at a refund and there are no issues on my end with my banking.

I call the hotel for the 4th time regarding this. They have made no attempt to contact the Merchant Solution Line (this number was given to me by Visa, it is for merchants only to resolve transaction issues. I cannot call this number myself).

When the return of my deposit was incomplete, they did not successfully contact me, nor leave a voicemail or even an email. Despite having all of my information, I am completely on my own watching my bank chasing them for my money.

During this time they’ve made no attempt to remedy the extreme inconvenience and financial troubles it is now causing me. They claim it is my responsibility to make sure they get my deposit back to me (for which I’ve made almost a dozen calls between the bank, Visa, hotel itself). Not upper management or anybody other than the two front desk employees have made any attempt to contact me or resolve the situation.

They are not even polite or considerate about it, they are hostile and combative. It is your problem your money is missing. They simply do not care how much it affects you and your well-being.

The issue is still ongoing. Different employees give different information and do not communicate with each other. I will also be reporting this to the Better Business Bureau. If you need your deposit back for the holidays, DO NOT STAY AT CANADA’S BEST VALUE INN CHINOOK.

UPDATE

They did finally return my deposit. Approx 3 weeks later, way past due for the much needed Christmas holiday cash. They never admitted fault or apologized. Instead doubled down that it was my problem, as I “provided the wrong credit card”. Despite their ability to remove cash from it.

Still will never stay at or recommend to...