TZ
Toufik Ziad
Jul 20, 2026
There are trivial matters that hardly warrant long winded epilogues, but there are others that must be brought to the attention of the greatest number, for they touch upon the universality of certain values which we must defend at any cost—at the risk of seeing dishonesty, greed, and vulgar capitalism triumph.
And I fear, unfortunately, that this hotel has succumbed to all these vices, robbing its honor from a profession once so noble, which made hospitality a cardinal rule and the happiness of its guests a sacred duty. Let me recount the story:
My friend and I were surrounded by the plains of Kansas, so conducive to letting the mind wander, when, after eight hours of driving, we decided to look for a hotel for the night. Without further ado, overwhelmed with fatigue, we made a reservation at 10:33 PM French time at the SureStay, even though it lacked any of the qualities we had previously appreciated, for example, in the mountains of Colorado or among the ochre rocks of Utah. We simply needed rest, and ordinarily, that is what this establishment seemed to offer.
At 10:41 PM, exhausted by the journey, we realized we had made a mistake that we did not yet know would be fatal: we had booked for the wrong date. Without hesitation, we then canceled it—at precisely 10:41 PM and without any apprehension. Indeed, in our vast experience of American hospitality, which generally leaves the traveler with the sweet impression of being at home everywhere, we assumed the establishment would have no difficulty refunding us.
What a disappointment, disillusionment, and disgust it was to discover that SureStay had no intention of granting our request, even though the cancellation had taken place a mere five minutes after the booking, and we had acted so swiftly that Booking's confirmation email only reached us after the cancellation.
Instead, we received a curt response, nearly two hours later, informing us that our request was rejected. You will be able to verify my words yourself from the screenshots I am attaching to this review.
But you will also see that SureStay has chosen to abandon the very idea of welcome, of the hospitality owed to a traveler far from home. Much more than a mere tradition, this is a moral obligation to which hotels all over the world adhere, for the very nature of this activity requires looking beyond the sole lure of gain to dwell on the pleasure of welcoming those who, far from home, seek refuge.
SureStay was neither a refuge nor a place of rest, for this establishment chose cupidity. Can you imagine, then, as an exhausted traveler, finding shelter in a hotel that only has eyes for your wallet? I think not, and I am convinced Kansas has much better to offer.