False Advertising. Terrible Management. Zero Accountability…read more
We stayed at Cambria Hotel El Centro-Imperial from July 10-13, 2026 with more than 10 Little League families. It was, without question, one of the most frustrating hotel experiences we've had.
We reserved a "Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Kitchen (Studio)" through Expedia before another family on our team. They booked the exact same room description through Expedia after we did and were assigned Room 201 a spacious "Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Kitchen (Studio)". Yet we were given Room 220--a standard-sized room with only a kitchenette.
No one at check-in mentioned we were being placed in a different room than the one we reserved. The next day my friend stopped by our room and was shocked at the size difference. She said, "I thought we booked the same room. Come look at ours." And that's when we realized we had not received what we paid for.
I requested to speak with someone in management and got the unfortunate experience of speaking with Sales Assistant Clarissa instead. She was rude, dismissive, and completely unprofessional. Rather than attempting to resolve the issue, she ended the conversation by telling me to "have the day you deserve."
I then requested to speak with the General Manager Todd who was no better. He insisted that "suite," "studio," and "kitchenette" all mean the same thing, while also admitting he charges more for the Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Kitchen (Studio) "because he can."
If they're all the same, why would the hotel charge different prices?
When Clarissa claimed the hotel doesn't even have suites, I showed Todd a video of one inside his own hotel. He admitted he has been trying to get third-party booking sites to change the room descriptions because they are misleading. The more he contradicted himself, the more visibly nervous he became and he began sweating profusely. When I asked why the descriptions needed to be changed if they all meant the same thing, he then said he wasn't going to argue semantics.
The primary issue was Todd's admission of being fully aware of the discrepancy yet refusing to make it right and still continuing to book rooms with the same misleading description.
And the problems didn't stop there:
* Multiple families had leaking air conditioners.
* The indoor pool area's A/C wasn't working. While the temp in Imperial ranged from 105-113 during our entire stay.
* The hotel sold breakfast vouchers advertising an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, yet they were out of pancake mix for our entire three-day stay.
After getting nowhere with management, I disputed the charges with my credit card company because I do not believe we received the accommodation that was advertised and reserved.
Cambria didn't just lose one customer--they lost the trust of an entire Little League community.
If you're considering staying here, screenshot your reservation, verify your room before unpacking, and don't assume the room you booked is the room you'll receive. Better yet, take your hard earned money elsewhere!