My name is Irina, and I want to share an important story for future guests…read more
My fiancé and I stayed one night at Anchor Inn in early September 2025. We loved the location -- beautiful, quiet, and clean. The hotel itself feels far above its 3-star rating. The pool was great, and the room, around $155 per night, was very comfortable. We left happy.
Around 2 a.m., I spoke with a pleasant woman at the front desk. I asked if they had ocean-view rooms, and she said yes, "I could reserve one for the following weeks. I told her I'd confirm in the morning after speaking with my fiancé.
The next day (September 3, 2025) we checked out. The front desk was empty, so we left without confirming anything. My fiancé decided he didn't have time that month, so we planned to return later.
The next day, Anchor Inn charged my debit card $534.34 without my authorization. I immediately called the hotel. The manager, Eva, was extremely rude and unprofessional -- shouting and refusing to listen. She claimed that I had "booked the room," which is false. I never signed or confirmed any reservation, and under Massachusetts Consumer Protection Law (M.G.L. c. 93A) and Federal Electronic Fund Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. § 1693 et seq.), a business cannot charge a consumer's account without explicit authorization or signed consent.
Even if a reservation had been made, I had the legal right to cancel before the scheduled stay, and the hotel was obligated to provide a refund under Massachusetts 940 CMR 3.16(3), which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in business transactions, including the refusal to refund for services not rendered.
I explained this to Chase Bank's fraud department, and they agreed with me -- the charge was unauthorized and they refunded my money.
Shockingly, on October 22, 2025, the hotel charged my account again -- another $534.34! I called repeatedly; no one answered. My emails were ignored. Chase later informed me that Anchor Inn submitted "documentation" claiming I signed the charge. That is completely false -- I have never signed anything. Submitting false authorization documents constitutes fraud and theft under Massachusetts General Laws c. 266 § 30.
What makes this even more painful is my health condition. I have suffered severe pneumonia since April 2025, confirmed by CT and X-ray (lung scarring, chronic cough, loss of voice). These were my last funds meant for medication, oxygen equipment, and masks. By wrongfully taking this money, the hotel put my health and life in danger, violating M.G.L. c. 93A § 2(a), which forbids unfair acts that cause foreseeable harm to consumers.
I am now preparing a motion to the Massachusetts Superior Court (Boston) to recover the stolen $534.34 and seek additional damages for fraud, theft, emotional distress, and health endangerment. I will also file complaints with:
* Massachusetts Attorney General's Office - Consumer Protection Division
* Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
* Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Please, future guests, be cautious. The location and rooms may be beautiful, but no hotel has the right to charge your card without your permission, and no one deserves to be treated with such aggression and disrespect.
-- Irina
Boston, MA