Stayed here again last night -- hard to beat the price at $97. Upgraded in advance to a corner. Free drink token at check in, $10 food credit. What a deal -- or so I thought.

Unexpectedly, I had to have a car for my overnight. No big deal, valet is $60+tax ($64.35 all in). (There are cheaper garages nearby but I had to come and go a few times after I arrived.)

I checked in around 4:20pm, gave the car to valet, paid online via their provided link for my parking (payment doesn't go through the hotel), and had no problems--until I tried to get my car at 4pm today and the car-retrieval link asked me to pay another $64.35.

I went down and the valet guy fired up his machine, which showed that I owed a total of $120+, I had paid $60+, and I thus had a balance. "You must pay." He did not dispute that I already paid, but he said his system said I still had to pay. He did not seem to understand that this was a problem.

Now, I've seen occasional hotels (Westin FLL, for instance) that charge extra for late checkout on an overnight even if you're within 24 hours, but that's always been advertised. (And Westin FLL didn't actually charge it.) But the signage here has no such extra charges and clearly advertises $60 for overnight parking for Moxy guests. I've never had any hotel in DC try to charge me for 2 days of parking for a period under 24 hours.

Valet guy called his boss. I tried calling the phone number on the parking sign but no one answered. Long story short, valet guy's boss told me that "his company's system" resets the charge at 1pm. It doesn't matter when you arrive, if you stay past 1, you pay for a new day. Valet guy tried to make me a deal so I would only pay an extra $35 (the "day rate"). I said the same thing I say to my toddler ("no bargaining"), and I went to the front desk agent, who offered to have them just put the charge on the hotel's house account and deal with it later (because I had to go) but the parking boss wouldn't talk with her.

I then called the cops, explained the situation succinctly, and they came in less than 5 minutes. Had my keys within 2 minutes after their arrival. But wow. I'm used to scammy parking but this was next level. Caveat viator!