Annemarie V.
Yelp
This was, without question, the most unacceptable hotel experience I've ever encountered. I booked a room through a reputable third-party platform that I've used reliably in the past. Upon arrival, the front desk was shuttered, the lights were dim, and the atmosphere was unsettling, with questionable individuals loitering in the hallways. It was immediately clear that this property was not properly managed--or safe.
There was no staff present to assist with check-in. I was informed by another guest that I would need to use a wall-mounted phone to call for assistance. After several failed attempts, during which the line disconnected following an "all circuits busy" message, the guest called someone on my behalf. He acknowledged the hotel has ongoing operational issues and offered to escalate the matter internally to the owners. I later found out his name is Mario and he works for corporate. For the record, he was very kind and helpful.
Eventually, a woman--who I learned does not work the front desk but resides on the property--arrived in pajamas. She was dismissive, unprofessional, and made it clear she had no interest in helping. After observing the property's poor condition and lack of security, I immediately informed her I did not feel safe staying there with my children and requested to cancel my reservation. She refused, stating she couldn't assist and that I would need to call the next morning. I asked for written confirmation that I would not be staying on property, which she also refused. I was never issued a key, a room number, or stepped foot beyond the lobby.
She then involved her regional manager, Jovette (Jo) Wilson, via phone, who was even more abrasive and disrespectful. She repeatedly talked over me, dismissed my concerns, and flatly denied my request for any documentation or assistance. I was told that if I left, it would be "on my own accord and at no fault of the hotel." At that point, well after midnight, I realized I made the right decision in trusting my instincts by not wanting to stay on property. Although it resulted in me cancelling my theme park plans for that morning, it was worth it to not risk my family's safety by staying at that unfit and mismanaged hotel.
I contacted the third-party booking site immediately, and over several days, three refund requests were submitted--all denied by the hotel. The following morning, I spoke with Robert at the front desk, he was courteous and professional. He referred me to General Manager Josiah Moore, who was unresponsive, evasive, and completely ineffective. After several pointless phone calls, I reached out one last time following his meeting with Jo where he was supposed to discuss my refund request. He offered no meaningful answers, insisted he had no contact information for anyone above Jo Wilson, and repeatedly gave the same non-answer to every question: "I gave you all the information I have." After many, many requests for Jo's superior and/or Mario from corporate's contact information, he gave me a general corporate number, which I had already called twice and had gotten no where. He even stayed silent to pretend there were phone issues and hung up on me twice. The final time was when I inquired about a partial refund as a comprise.
While I understand policies exist, this situation was beyond a simple cancellation. This hotel failed at every level--from safety and cleanliness to basic communication and customer service. The property smelled strongly of mildew, was clearly unsanitary, and other guests confirmed they had similar problems, including broken amenities and lack of staff.
It's disgraceful that a hospitality business operates in this manner. The staff, with the sole exception of Robert, demonstrated a complete disregard for professionalism and guest safety. The lack of accountability, transparency, and basic courtesy was astonishing. I strongly urge anyone considering this property to stay elsewhere.
