Woman Accuses El Paso Hotel of Canceling BTS Concert Booking, Relisting Room at Higher Price

Sasha Thomas says La Quinta Inn by Wyndham El Paso East Lomaland canceled her reservation and then listed the same room for over $1,100.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:23am

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A bold, geometric illustration featuring sweeping, airbrushed gradients and towering, streamlined architectural forms, conceptually representing the challenges and disappointments of travel booking around major events.As travelers face unexpected hotel booking cancellations and price hikes around major events, the frustration and sense of betrayal can cast a shadow over even the most anticipated experiences.El Paso Today

A woman from Dallas named Sasha Thomas claims the La Quinta Inn by Wyndham El Paso East Lomaland canceled her reservation for a room booked through Hotels.com to attend a BTS concert in May, and then relisted the same room for over $1,100 - a significant increase from the original $500 she had paid.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the challenges consumers can face when booking travel accommodations around major events, where hotels may cancel reservations and then relist rooms at significantly higher prices to capitalize on increased demand.

The details

Thomas said she booked the room last month for around $500 total. However, she was later informed by the hotel in an email that the property would be closed from May 1-7 for 'essential maintenance.' When Thomas checked, she found the hotel still had availability for her original dates, but the room was listed for over $1,100.

  • Thomas booked the room last month for May 1-3.
  • Earlier this week, Thomas learned her reservation had been canceled.
  • Thomas later found the hotel still had availability for her original dates, but at a higher cost of over $1,100.

The players

Sasha Thomas

A woman from Dallas who had planned to attend a BTS concert in El Paso in May and booked a room at the La Quinta Inn by Wyndham El Paso East Lomaland, only to have her reservation canceled.

La Quinta Inn by Wyndham El Paso East Lomaland

The hotel that canceled Thomas' reservation and then listed the same room for a higher price.

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What they’re saying

“I think it's a real problem, and I think it's a moral problem to gouge like that, and maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they hadn't lied in the letter.”

— Sasha Thomas

“So it's really based on your revenue manager who is looking at the upcoming bookings and how to protect the demand. Once they see an influx of higher reservations, then that's when we went as an industry, that's when they increase pricing.”

— Marianne Ayub, Vice President, El Paso Hotel Lodging Association

What’s next

Thomas said she filed a complaint with the Texas attorney general's office, citing possible price gouging. The attorney general's office did not respond to a request for comment.

The takeaway

This case highlights the frustration and sense of betrayal consumers can face when hotels cancel reservations and then relist rooms at significantly higher prices around major events, underscoring the need for greater transparency and consumer protections in the travel industry.