The Hilton Canopy in Dallas Uptown walked guests last week, something that happens all the time. But the guests suspects discrimination, and the situation is odd to say the least.
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**Update**
The General Manager of the hotel has written a response which I have included here. He has stated that it was sent the day following publication, though I have no record of it on file. That said, his email could have been filtered by my inbox so I assume his statement is true:
Kyle,
By way of introduction, I am the Chief Enthusiast (General Manager) at the property mentioned in your post from yesterday.
I have looked into this case with my team and can confidently reject any suggestion of discrimination. We remain open to hearing from the guests with additional information regarding the facts. It is my view that our team members went above and beyond to provide a positive experience.
At the Hilton Canopy Dallas Uptown, we aim to provide a welcoming and hospitable environment for all. We are proud of our diverse team, and treat everyone who walks through our doors equally.
You are welcome to include my reply in your post.
Mike Haddad
Chief Enthusiast
Hilton Canopy Dallas Uptown
I have reached back out to management to open a dialogue and will report back if a follow-up post is warranted.
The Situation
I was alerted to a situation this week through a Facebook group for Hilton Diamond and Gold members. A gay interracial male couple checked in to the Hilton Canopy Dallas Uptown on Saturday, September 14th on a one-night reservation which they hoped to adjoin to their Sunday-Thursday reservation. The pair had arrived earlier than they initially expected and wanted to extend their stay on the front side of their trip.
The first reservation for a single night was in an ADA-room. The second reservation for generally the same room type (though not a designated ADA room) the duration of the stay. The couple had some issues with the property (outlined below) but had asked if they could stay in the same room throughout their stay, the room type was available online for sale at the time they asked and following their checkout.
Following service issues, they were walked from the hotel (kicked out) following the first night without explanation nor alternate accommodation. The booking party holds Diamond status with Hilton, their loyalty program’s (Honors) highest public elite level.
Guest Treatment
The guests had trouble getting their luggage for nearly a week stay (several pieces) into the hotel and were not offered assistance by the bell staff despite their struggle. Once inside, they spent an extended period of time waiting to be checked in while the staff was otherwise occupied. Once in the room, several service items were missing or unsatisfactory, the room didn’t even have toilet paper according to their account.
The guests raised these issues with the front desk and were told they would be contacted by a manager. By 4:30 pm the following day, the pair were told they could no longer be accommodated in the property without further explanation. The General Manager never called to address their complaints. A duty manager, Clint, was the one who delivered the news that it was time to leave the property without giving a reason why.
Again, without any help from the bell staff with their bags, they found themselves back on the curb and had to contact American Express for a refund of the remaining nights. They booked their stay elsewhere at their own expense. The property did not make arrangements for the couple.
Allegations
The guests sensed judgement from several staff members starting at the curb. It was subtle, and they don’t think the room was intentionally poorly serviced in anticipation of their visit, they also don’t think that the slow checkin process had anything to do with them.
The couple were addressed rather publicly and never given a reason as to why they could no longer be accommodated. They were walked from the hotel and again without any assistance regarding their bags. It seemed as though there may be something more to the story.
At minimum, if the hotel was sold out for either room type (it wasn’t), and that was the reason for the walk, Honors rules would have required the following:
- Find suitable accomodation at another Hilton if possible with the full cost covered by the hotel
- Hotel General Manager issues a written apology
- $200 cash on the spot
There are some other items but these are the easiest for me to verify.The guests were not offered another location, had to contact AMEX to file for a refund of their costs, the General Manager did not reach out to them or me, they did not receive any cash for their expulsion. They still have not been given a reason for why they were told to leave.
The Hotel’s Response
After hearing the guest’s perspective, I reached out the property to discuss it further. I encouraged the guest to do the same and they were advised the General Manager would contact them on Thursday (following their Sunday checkout.)
Thursday came and went for the guest and they never heard from the elusive manager. Nor did I. I left a couple of voicemails and spoke with at least two employees and was told I would also receive a call from a manager. I never heard from anyone from the property.
I believe wholly that there are always two sides to any story. I would love to provide a statement from the hotel, a counter to the claim or at least the hotel’s perspective on the matter. I am unable to do that at this time.
Conclusion
I have never been walked from a hotel. I do not fit into this couple’s demographic but I don’t want to assume they are reading into something that’s not there. I also do not want to assume that the hotel discriminated. But there are two problems with assuming the hotel did nothing wrong. The hotel failed to reach out to the guests or myself, they failed to do so – that’s either disorganized or dismissive. The property also walked a Diamond member already checked into the property so even if the justification was valid, there was also very little impetus to follow up with anyone and tell their side of the story.
Hilton corporate has been very proactive in the past with me and I imagine that hotel management at the Canopy by Hilton Dallas Uptown didn’t inform them of my requests for comment either. Without their voice on this matter, how could we assume anything but accurate feelings from the guests?
What do you think? Did the hotel discriminate or was there something else at play? Have you ever been in a similar situation?
If the hotel had a valid reason, they probably would’ve mentioned it, or offered some type of statement.
That sounds like BS. That area of uptown dallas is super gay friendly. Taco Diner across the street is basically gay Sunday funday. That hotel is let the annoying real housewives film there.
That Real Housewives program reflects the very worst of the USA ( and none of the best of it…or even the good or the neutral). Absolutely hideous.
As for this incident: there is nothing more frustrating than the unfulfilled promise of an explanatory ‘phone call; that alone raises questions about the management of this property.
Years ago I worked for Holiday Inn both before and after it was initially sold. The last thing any GM wanted or Front Desk mgr or F&B mgmt wanted was a guest calling corporate. Corporate did not play around when a guest called them sometimes mgmt was called by corporate when the guest was on site and Priority Club members were king. So I don’t understand why they didn’t call Hilton corporate and start raising hell. As premium members the response should have been swift. The article doesn’t say they called corporate so I think their story is somewhat suspicious.
Why does anyone have to reply to you?
It is a blatant case of discrimination. No explanation. No assistance to find alternative accommodations. Not only do you not treat a Diamond member like they don’t matter but you don’t other human beings as if they don’t matter
Kyle – when you have someone with “whtnationalist” in their name saying being gay is a “mental illness”, it’s probably OK to block their IP
Agreed generally though it wasn’t terribly specific.
Homophobes can still be in super gay friendly areas.
Also…what does the Real Housewives have to do with this?
My husband and I won’t be staying here again. EVER.
Hahaha classic
How it is your business at all, asking the comments from hotel???
Because he’s trying to let the hotel explain its side of what could be a damaging story. Are you daft or just a touch slow?
He’s a nobody
And who is he? Asking the hotel their side of story based on what? A facebook post? Is he a journalist? You sure is daft and slow… Hahaha
And yet, here are you and Harleywoman whtnationalist, reading and commenting on his post…
Your improper subject-verb agreement would leave me to believe you’re projecting a fair amount. However, despite it being a losing proposition to engage with fools (you and Harleywoman whtnationalist), I’ve some time to kill…
Since the couple has engaged the hotel for an explanation and have gone public via social media – a medium that our president has made clear is now a tool for policy-making – it’s now a matter of record for the hotel and something that could likely be evidentiary in a civil suit. It’s likely the hotel/chain is consulting with counsel just in case this does blow up. If Kyle were representing the couple, would that make a difference?
Exactly
Thank you
You’re welcome and I hope you and James find the psychiatric or Kevorkian-esque help you clearly need. God bless!
I hope so
It seems that Hilton has something to hide. Why weren’t the club rules not given to them…….I I can’t wait to hear what Hilton has to say. Please do not let this fall between the cracks.
Generally speaking, if a business is facing publication of a story that paints them in a bad light and that unfavorable coverage is undeserved, they’re usually eager to get their side of the story out.
On the other hand, if the business has behaved badly, they’ll often stoically sit on their hands and hope the problem quietly goes away.
I take their silence in this as an admission of guilt.
Or they can say since its a blatant lie, why would anyone care? No evidence, no suit, only hearsay.
And some stupid tabloid and click baiting blogs maybe….
Former Hilton Diamond member from early 2000s.
Conrad Singapore refused to allow my partner in lounge and use of gym; told need to pay for it. Told no upgrade.
Twice at Hilton DC, told my partner couldn’t have my benefits in same room. No upgrades either.
Called corporate; told benefits are only for card holder and married spouse. Asked if hotels ask for marriage licenses at check-in. Told staff assume married.
Moved all stays and loyalty to SPG; never had an issue.
So a stay goes badly. The couple is then ignored. Then they are booted (not walked) from the hotel. This happens totally contrary to Hilton policy and despite the fact they are Top Tier elites.
The hotel then goes incommunicado even when it’s clear that the story has all the elements required to become a major media circus with everything needed to destroy the business.
I can’t see how you can spin this in a way that looks good for them. If they did nothing wrong they should be loudly proclaiming that. But when you accuse someone of wrong doing, and they remain silent, well he who is silent is understood to assent.
So… Where is the circus now? If its non-existent, it is what it is.
Just like some fake pilot on some internet blog proclaiming that Boeing is not at fault with 737Max MCAS issue, but the respective pilots were actually untrained. Does it have any grip? Does it stop people and aviation authorities doubted FAA?
Hahaha…..
Hey @James did you see the NYT piece on the Max?
Yes, everyone should read that piece. Scathing of Lion Air, Indonesian regulators and Boeing.
I’ll be covering it in a dedicated post.
Not yet official issued by NTSC. But that is to be expected, since I knew how they works
I don’t want to take the side of the hotel if they did in fact discriminate against this couple, however, even if they didn’t, they may be silent because they are afraid any statement will end up being used against them. Since we do not know the full story here, every situation has two sides, for all we know, these guys could have been chronic complainers, somehow made the staff feel intimidated in some way, and that’s why they were asked to leave (even if they didn’t,
that’s all an employee has to say to get rid of chronic complaining) . The point is, we really don’t know.
I do know that it is very suspicious to be asked to leave without explanation or accomodation, for both sakes of the argument, especially Honors members. We are Honors members, never had a problem, but my family never had to face discrimination like these gentlemen could.
I hope they were not judged like that, but I think they may have read into it a bit much and there may be more to this story.
Lixue: I agree wholeheartedly and was very careful to title the post “Did” because it remains a question. However, I made numerous attempts to get ahold of the hotel, the guests were promised yet another call on Friday to discuss the matter for which they did not receive.
The benefit of doubt can only extended so long before the absence of an explanation becomes the explanation itself.
And you wholeheartedly believe that they did not receive the call, beyond any reasonable doubt? Smart!
Why you just do not ask from main hotel chains monthly reports about discrimination claims or all claims, select what you like and ask an explanation to each and everyone??? I cannot imagine that hotels respond to irrelevant third party curiosity emails demanding an explanation.
What’s with all the conspiracy theories? I’ve had these things happen before at Hiltons and elsewhere and I’m not even gay or female or handicapped or whatever else counts for a special protected class. Hell the Sheraton Inner Harbor in Baltimore wanted to walk me to a hotel in Fairfix, VA one night – only 56 miles but typically at least a 2 hour and 15 minute drive in the normally harsh traffic environment that is Northern VA.
This is simply a case of typically shitty management at a hotel – been there, done that. Contact corporate for a resolution in the form of points and move on.
If people would get off this “addiction to outrage” afflicting 90% of the world these days, we would be a better civilization for it.