According to Chris Elliott, people are not just being walked these days; they're also being downgraded from four-star hotels to a no-tell motel. One guy he talked with took the downtrade, even though he was in the block for a medical convention at the hotel, which one would think would at least get him a room at a comparable hotel instead of a dive.
Please let your folks know they can say no if this happens to them, and that you can intervene on their behalf. They don't have to, as this guy suggests tongue in cheek, "simply start disrobing in the lobby, and wait for them to suddenly find a room.” Chris offers other solutions for travelers who find themselves in this situation. Though in my experience, "being nice" can be translated by a harried hotel worker into "guest with 'sucker' stamped on her forehead" just as easily as, "gee, let's give this nice person a break." Just saying...