A charge labeled “La Quinta Motor Inns” on your credit card or bank statement is a hotel charge from La Quinta by Wyndham. The descriptor looks dated because payment networks still identify the brand through a legacy merchant category code (MCC 3516) registered under the old “La Quinta Motor Inns” name, even though the chain has operated as La Quinta by Wyndham since Wyndham Hotels & Resorts acquired it in 2018.1Hancock Whitney. MCC Codes2Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Form 8-K Filing
Why the Descriptor Looks Outdated
Every hotel brand is tied to a merchant category code that pulls a specific name onto cardholder statements. La Quinta’s code was registered years ago under “La Quinta Motor Inns” and has not been refreshed to match the current branding, so a stay at any La Quinta by Wyndham property can post under the old name regardless of what the lobby sign says. The parent company today is Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc., and the La Quinta brand runs through subsidiaries such as La Quinta Franchising LLC and LQ Management LLC.3U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Exhibit 21.1 No active entity is actually named “La Quinta Motor Inns”; the words only survive inside the payment processing registry.
What the Charge Might Be For
If the amount on your statement doesn’t match a room rate you remember, it is usually one of the following:
- A completed stay. The card used to guarantee the reservation is charged for the nightly rate plus taxes at checkout.
- A no-show fee. La Quinta reservations are automatically guaranteed to your card, so if you neither cancel nor arrive, the property charges one night’s room rate.4Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. La Quinta FAQ
- A cancellation penalty. There is no single company-wide cancellation fee; each reservation carries its own policy tied to the rate and dates, and canceling outside the allowed window can trigger a charge.4Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. La Quinta FAQ
- A pet fee. Many pet-friendly locations charge a nightly amount, with some properties billing $20 per night (up to $40 per stay) and others $25 per night (up to $75 per stay). The fee is non-refundable once applied, and service animals are exempt.5Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. La Quinta Pet Policy Details
- A smoking cleaning fee. Guests found to have smoked or vaped in a non-smoking room may be assessed a cleaning charge; reported amounts range from $250 to $400 depending on the property.6TripAdvisor. La Quinta Inn & Suites New Orleans Downtown Reviews
- An incidental or damage hold. Hotels commonly place a temporary authorization on your card at check-in. A hold that hasn’t dropped off yet can look like a real charge on an interim statement, and Wyndham notes that deposit refunds can take up to 30 days to appear depending on your bank.7Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Wyndham FAQ
What to Do If You Don’t Recognize the Charge
Start with the specific hotel property, not corporate. La Quinta’s billing guidance states that receipts and credit card billing details are maintained at the property level, so the front desk or general manager is the person who can explain or reverse a charge.8Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. About My Stay Have your reservation confirmation number plus the exact charge amount and date in front of you before you call.
If the property can’t or won’t resolve it, escalate to Wyndham’s corporate customer care line at 800-466-1589. Wyndham also offers an online “About My Stay” contact form for written complaints.9Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. La Quinta Contact Us
A chargeback through your credit card issuer is available but works best as a last step. Card companies often side with the hotel when the underlying charge was legitimately authorized, such as a no-show fee on a guaranteed reservation. Trying the property first and corporate second gives you a documented record of good-faith effort, which strengthens any dispute you later file with your issuer.
If the charge looks like outright fraud rather than a billing dispute, you can also report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or 1-877-382-4357, and ask your card issuer to freeze the card and reissue it.10Federal Trade Commission. FTC Files Complaint Against Wyndham Hotels