I rarely leave negative reviews, but I feel other travelers should know about my experience.
I reserved a room at the Quality Inn in Ponca City because the hotel is advertised as smoke-free. As soon as I walked into the lobby, there was a strong wet dog odor. When I entered my room, it smelled heavily of old cigarette smoke and mildew. It wasn't a faint odor--it smelled like years of cigarette smoke that had soaked into the carpet, walls, and furniture.
Because I have breathing issues, I went back to the front desk and asked for a different room. Unfortunately, the second room smelled just as bad. At that point, I couldn't stay there and had to book another hotel at my own expense.
When I requested a refund, the owners refused. Even more confusing, the front desk manager told me the smell was because they had sprayed a new air freshener that "might smell a little like cigarettes," which made no sense given how strong the odor was.
If a hotel advertises itself as smoke-free, guests reasonably expect rooms that don't smell like old cigarette smoke. For travelers with asthma, allergies, or other respiratory issues, this isn't just an inconvenience--it can make the room unusable.
I paid for a room I couldn't stay in because of the condition of the property and had to spend additional money on another hotel. I'm extremely disappointed that the hotel refused to issue a refund, and I would not stay here again. read more