Did This Woman Fall Victim to a Hotel Bait-and-Switch Scheme?

December 23, 2025 1

A woman and her sister book a New York City hotel room and come away feeling like the victims of a bait-and-switch scheme. Here’s what happened.

TikTok creator Kenny (@kennycorndog) posted a video about the incident on Nov. 22. The video starts with Kenny showing her sister on the phone with the hotel front desk.

Then, she goes to the window, which has a “view”—a pull-down blind with the New York City skyline screen-printed on it. She lets the blinds up, and the city is visible, as promised. However, it is a lackluster view.

Viewers React to New York City Hotel View

Of course, a gander into the comments will draw a hearty laugh. “Hotel worker here. That’s definitely a city view. What you see outside that window is… city,” said one person.

A second person claimed, without proof, “That’s called a bait-and-switch, and is very much illegal.”

Another commenter said: “It’s a city view… just not the perfect one you dreamed up in your head.” This is likely the most accurate explanation.

Some cited an obvious logistical issue. “I’m genuinely curious as to how you wanted to see the skyline of Manhattan while also being inside Manhattan?” asked one commenter.

Others were more sympathetic. “As a hotel manager I KNOW, and I’m SORRY,” one woman said. “The staff probably hate it as much as you do, since the wording is controlled by sales/corporate. But if you’re nice, I swear we’ll give you free vouchers.”

Booking a Hotel with a Nice View of Manhattan

There are some mid-tier hotels with nice views of Manhattan, such as the somewhat notable Millennium Hilton in Midtown or the Hyatt in Chelsea. However, after a brief scroll down in the comments, things become clearer.

It seems the sisters were staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Times Square South. The entire affair makes more sense just by looking at the filthy couch her sister is sitting on. Unless the fine print promised a specific view, lower-end hotels aren’t likely to deliver.

A true bait-and-switch scheme generally involves a company offering a ridiculous discount. Then, when a customer comes to redeem the deal, the business directs the customer to another (more expensive) product or tacks on additional fees.

People have been tricked into seeing fake skylines for ages. If you’re a fan of the lawyer-centric show “Suits,” then you’ve seen something similar. The show was filmed in Toronto, which is a strong doppelganger for the American metropolis, but they needed to mimic a Manhattan backdrop.

All Hip Hop reached out to Kenny (@kennycorndog) and Marriott for more information.