Complain about a product or service

Holiday Inn - Racial Profiling

Hector of Frederick, MD, writes: On Aug 7 1999 at 02:15am I entered the Holiday Inn 4110 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY. I approached the desk clerk and he informed me that there were no rooms available.

I asked if there were anymore Holiday Inns within the Louisville area close by, he told me there were five, I then asked for the phone number to contact the other Holiday Inns to check for vacancies instead of driving to them.

He informed me in a very unprofessional manner that I could find the phone numbers in the phonebook. I then asked him if the Holiday had an 800 number and again in a very non-caring way he gave me the number.

I walked over to the public phone area to contact the Holiday in Reservation & Information desk. The gentleman informed me that there were vacancies (at the cost of $52 with a military discount) and he provided with a confirmation number at the location that I was calling from.

Immediately, I informed the desk clerk that I had just received a confirmation number for vacancies at this location. He responded with there are no vacancies.

After returning to the phone I informed Reservations that the clerk said that there wasn't any vacancies.

The Reservations clerk asks to speak to the desk clerk. I asked the desk clerk to come to the phone because the Reservations clerk would like to speak to him about the matter.

After several requests, he finally came to the phone. I heard him tell the Reservations clerk that he didn't have any rooms. When I returned to the phone the Reservations clerk transferred me to Guest and Relations.

At this time I spoke to an Ms Carol and she informed me that the Reservations clerk had made a mistake and book me for Aug 7, 2000, instead of Aug 7, 1999.

She then informed me that she would make reservation at another Holiday Inn using the same confirmation number, which she did. After arriving at the other Holiday Inn (1325 Hurstbourne Ln) I checked in with the desk clerk and gave her the confirmation number and I was given a price of $92.00, which was a significant difference.

I informed the desk clerk that I had already been booked with that same confirmation number at another Holiday Inn but there where no vacancies. I asked her should I be entitled to receive the same rate as the first reservation, she told me no.

I asked her if they had any discount such as military, AAA. The desk clerk told me no and said that their Holiday Inn wasn't connected to the other Holiday Inn.

Upon checking out the next morning the desk clerk was totaling up my bill and I asked him about the military discount and he gave it to me ($77.00).

After returning to my home in Frederick, Md, I called the 800 number and a couple more Holiday Inns to ask about being booked for the year 2000.

They informed me that they couldn't do it because they can only book up until 52 weeks out.

I really do think I was not given the room because of my color.(Black). Because I could clear hear the Reservations clerk saying that they had a lot of rooms open.

I felt as if I had gone back to the 1960's, not being able to get a room because of my color

My 10-yr-old daughter was left out in the car for about 45 minutes as this all took place.

Back to the top | Racial Discrimination