If I have confirmed the reservation and paid for it with a credit card to hold the reservation and they give my room away, I will not only ask them to find another hotel in the area and call and book it for me, but I will also write to their corporate office's email address and ask for free rooms.

Motel 6 is very good about this. If you complain appropriately and have a legitimate issue, they will give you vouchers for free hotel stays. Embassy Suites also has the most exceptional customer service and they will even go so far as to PAY for your stay at another hotel if it's their fault (had that happen too).

It's amazing how much being professional but standing up for yourself can accomplish. My husband is amazing at it. When we get bad service, he will complain appropriately, and we almost always end up with sincere apologies and free meals, free hotel stays, etc. Then again, my husband, when treated well, is extremely generous too, and will compliment as much as he criticizes and his appreciation shows in his tips.

The only time this has ever happened to us where we couldn't find another place to stay was at the South by Southwest conference... there wasn't a hotel anywhere within a two-hour drive of Austin, Texas. We ended up being booked in a hotel in San Marcus, and they had their shuttle van drive us there.