Hi, A work colleague of my wife's here in the UK is having a bit of an issue with Residence inn LAX and asked for my help. There is much more experience and knowledge on this forum than I have, so posting here in case anyone has any suggestions! Here's what she's sent me:

"I stayed at the Residence Inn LAX on the 28th September. On check In I had to pay a $250 deposit on top of the room ($180) charge. I paid on debit card. Almost three weeks later I’ve still not had the $250 refunded. They sent me my final invoice on the 11th showing a break down of the hotel bill (which I had paid in advance of the stay). The invoice shows no mention of the $250 dollar deposit.
After they ignored my emails and Facebook messages (despite someone their end opening each message), I phoned the hotel and twice was told someone from management would call me back. The third time someone from the accounts team transferred me back to reception and I was eventually cut off. Leaving me with £25 international phone charges.
They’ve not verified or responded to my booking.com review and Booking.com told me I need to deal with the hotel directly. Until someone from the hotel confirms in writing by email my bank are unable to release the refund so they’re just withholding the whole amount!"


I think she's a fairly inexperienced traveller and I'm sure for some people here that being without $250 for a few weeks isn't the end of the world. However as she works for a children's charity she isn't really paid very much and is struggling to get by until payday without the money. Usually when I pay a deposit at check in (admittedly on my credit card), it goes pending and then disappears after a couple of days. Having said that I haven't travelled around the US so is it more standard that deposits are kept for three weeks?

Anyway, any advice or suggestions on a quick solution would be gratefully received. (I've already told her to get Skype to call international in future, crazy spending £25 on it!)