A British holidaymaker has been left more than £1,000 out of pocket after staying at a major New York hotel chain, with unexplained additional charges causing significant financial distress.
Unexpected Charges During New York Getaway
Clare Ibrahim, a 36-year-old Londoner, traveled to the United States earlier this month with two friends for what should have been a straightforward holiday. The group checked into the Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel in Downtown Brooklyn, operated by hospitality giant Marriott International, for a five-night stay.
The original booking cost $765.66 (approximately £567), with an additional refundable damage deposit of $250 (£185), bringing the expected total to $1,015.65 (£753). However, upon returning home, Clare discovered her debit card had been charged three additional times over several days, escalating the total to a staggering $2,627 (£1,947).
Frustrating Communication and Partial Refund
When Clare contacted the hotel on February 17th, a staff member confirmed her stay should have only cost $765.66. They explained that refund processing could take up to fourteen days due to standard banking procedures, but crucially failed to explain why the extra charges had occurred, even when Clare pressed for clarification.
To date, Clare has received just £117.46 in refunds, which she believes represents the damage deposit. She remains approximately £1,200 out of pocket, with no confirmation from the Sheraton regarding when or if the substantial overcharge will be returned.
"I'm obviously needing to use my savings because you plan for the holiday," Clare explained. "You plan for the amount the hotel is going to cost and the amount the flights are going to cost, and you save spending money. You're not expecting there to be a random extra £1,000 on top of that."
Unanswered Questions and Financial Strain
In an email sent to the hotel on February 18th at 1:20 PM GMT, Clare directly addressed her concerns: "My concern is that you have accidentally charged me again when you instead meant to release funds. So I want to be 100% sure the refund/funds are coming."
She specifically referenced an additional charge of £560.19 on February 11th, questioning whether this was intended as a refund rather than another charge. "So are you sure the full refund of £1,000+ is in process? Please confirm," she wrote. The Sheraton has yet to respond to this communication.
The financial impact has been immediate and significant, forcing Clare to dip into her savings to cover essential expenses including bills and mortgage payments while awaiting resolution.
Broader Context of US Hotel Industry Challenges
Clare's experience comes during a period of notable turbulence for the American hotel industry. Recent data reveals that hotel bookings in the United States decreased by 9.43% in 2025 compared to the previous year, with international bookings specifically dropping by 7.56% during the same timeframe.
Industry analysts attribute this decline to what has been described as a "volatile year for business," marked by significant economic and political factors including tariff fluctuations, a weaker US dollar, and the longest government shutdown in American history from October 1 to November 12, 2025.
Interestingly, while US hotels faced booking declines, neighboring Canada experienced a 6.14% increase in total booking volumes during the same period, despite seeing plummeting numbers from American travelers.
The Daily Mail has approached both Marriott International and the Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel for comment regarding Clare Ibrahim's situation, but no response has been received at the time of publication.
