Depends on the property.

I'm 99% sure the newer properties (less than 5 years old) have thermostats that run an underlying program.

I like to sleep cool (65-68 degrees) and that's where I set the thermostat. I'll wake up around 2AM sweating. The thermostat will still show where I set it, but the room is definitely not the right temperature. I'd go back to the thermostat and cycle through the heat/cool/auto settings and the system would start right back up. This is not an isolated incident.

The older hotels with wall-units under the windows will stay where you set them.

I think it was the DoubleTree near Anaheim where the thermostat was 4-feet away from the output of the unit. I'd set it cool, it would come on for 5 minutes and shut off because the cool air was blowing directly onto the thermostat. I ended up wrapping the thermostat in several plastic bags to insulate it from the air blowing right on it.

I posted earlier this year where the thermostat display reminded me to review the hotel on TripAdvisor. I had to tap the "OK" and "Cancel" buttons before it allowed me to access the temperature controls. There's definitely underlying programming going on.