An OMAAT reader asked me an interesting question about staying at a hotel at the same time as a controversial conference being hosted there. I know how I feel about this, and I’m curious to hear how others feel…
In this post:
Guest surprised by conference being hosted at hotel
I received a message from a reader who is staying at a Marriott property this weekend, and discovered that the hotel and surrounding area is currently hosting an event for a rather controversial political group.
The politics of this shouldn’t matter. Given the polarized climate we’re in, let’s just assume the event is for whatever specific organization you think really lowly of. The reader explains that of course this is impacting the guest experience, with the hotel bar even having different TV on than usual, to accommodate the preferences of the majority of guests.
So he asks me, should hotels have to acknowledge when they’re hosting certain events or conferences, especially when it can impact the guest experience for others? He explains that he believes in free speech, but the idea is that he would’ve stayed somewhere else had he known that this conference was being hosted at the hotel over these nights.
This is a major frustration I have with hotel stays
Let me zoom out even further than the question being asked, because this is a general pet peeve I have with hotel stays. I wish there were more transparency among hotels when it comes to what events are being hosted over a given period, and what impact it’ll have on the guest experience.
Free speech is important, and it’s not unreasonable that hotels host conferences for some partisan groups. But also, I think we can all agree that certain events can impact the experience someone has a hotel.
To make this not at all political, let me give another example. Say you visit a resort for a weekend stay, and then find out that four different weddings are all being hosted at the property over those days. This is just a total pain for anyone who isn’t part of those events, since venues may be closed over certain hours, and you feel like you’re tip-toeing around larger groups.
Back when I lived in hotels full time, I witnessed some pretty interesting conferences. Like, I once stayed at a hotel hosting a “furry” convention, which was… an experience.
To the extent that hotels are supposed to offer a pleasant and hospitable experience, I do wish there were more transparency and warning of what’s going on at a hotel during a stay, whether it’s a huge conference, or multiple weddings at once, because it would very much impact my hotel choice.
At the same time, I understand why we don’t get more notice. Hotels aren’t necessarily at liberty to disclose to third parties what events are taking place in advance. So as much as I wish there were more transparency, I wouldn’t expect anything to change.
I realize it’s potentially a huge inconvenience, but if you arrive at a hotel and think the events will diminish your stay, I think it’s reasonable to check-out, and at least not be charged for the nights that you choose not to stay. Again, it’s not always practical, but I do think it’s a backup option that’s reasonable.
Bottom line
When we stay at hotels, we of course don’t have any control over who our fellow guests are. That being said, if an event at a hotel could materially impact the experience of other guests, I do wish properties would do a better job of warning those with reservations in advance.
I understand the limitations that exist, and also that hotels want revenue at all costs. But this is also one of the single biggest things that can diminish a hotel experience, in my opinion. And I’m not even talking about controversial events, but even just things like multiple weddings at once, where you feel the property is being run as a wedding factory rather than a resort.
Where do you stand on big events being hosted at hotels, and the extent to which guests should be warned?
Really timely piece—thanks for shedding light on the challenges hotels face when hosting controversial events. It’s tough: hotels risk boycotts or blowback but also rely on venue income. For instance, Marriott saw franchise-level backlash (though corporate may not always control local bookings). Industry-wide, chains are grappling with pressure from both social justice movements and labor protests—cancellations reportedly spiked up to 30%, with many resorts lacking adequate insurance against such disruptions. It really shows how hotels...
Really timely piece—thanks for shedding light on the challenges hotels face when hosting controversial events. It’s tough: hotels risk boycotts or blowback but also rely on venue income. For instance, Marriott saw franchise-level backlash (though corporate may not always control local bookings). Industry-wide, chains are grappling with pressure from both social justice movements and labor protests—cancellations reportedly spiked up to 30%, with many resorts lacking adequate insurance against such disruptions. It really shows how hotels must weigh inclusive values, financial resilience, and community expectations when deciding who can book—and maybe that means building stronger policies and better real-time PR readiness.
Last year, in attending a convention, I stayed at one of the "convention hotels" right next to the convention center. What I didn't know ahead of time is that the hotel was being picketed by one of the unions seeking better wages and such. So the first problem was feeling like I was crossing a picketing line to get to my hotel. The second problem was that in response to an email from the hotel...
Last year, in attending a convention, I stayed at one of the "convention hotels" right next to the convention center. What I didn't know ahead of time is that the hotel was being picketed by one of the unions seeking better wages and such. So the first problem was feeling like I was crossing a picketing line to get to my hotel. The second problem was that in response to an email from the hotel a couple of days before my stay - when they knew they were going to be picketed - I upgraded my room for a better view. Yes, the view was better, but it also put me right above the picketing, which started at 6 am and ran until 9 or 10 at night, thus waking me up early and making it impossible to take a nap. Had I kept my original room I would have been around back and not disturbed, but at the hotel's suggestion I changed rooms. On the second day I complained to management and they ended up comping one of my two nights.
Once stayed at a hotel the same night that multiple high school sports teams had booked for a tournament. It was for our anniversary. The whole place was noisy and smelly, and when we tried to shower, there wasn't any hot water, as the sports teams had all departed as we were waking up and had all chosen to shower before leaving. Awful. Absolutely, all major events should be disclosed to guests. Either you cater...
Once stayed at a hotel the same night that multiple high school sports teams had booked for a tournament. It was for our anniversary. The whole place was noisy and smelly, and when we tried to shower, there wasn't any hot water, as the sports teams had all departed as we were waking up and had all chosen to shower before leaving. Awful. Absolutely, all major events should be disclosed to guests. Either you cater to individual travelers, or you cater to conventions and big events. You can't do both simultaneously.
My wife and had I a very similar experience many years ago at a hotel in a small city that happened to be hosting a modest-sized sports tournament for young people. The kids looked like they were in junior high / middle school. Lots of noise and slamming doors throughout our stay. We never saw any chaperones for the kids.
I think it would be great if visitors could check the schedule of events in advance, at least large-scale events. (This info is usually on monitors in the lobby anyway.)
I once staffed a high school academic competition hosted at a hotel at the same time as a rope bondage convention took place in the same hotel. Hotels ought to use more discretion about what events they book simultaneously.
So what I'm hearing is that it wasn't just the questions tying folks in knots that weekend?
*ducks*
From my experience many hotels in downtown or near airports host meeting/ conferences of different sizes. If the hotel isn't thr host of thr conference as s whole, it csn be a primary tenant of visitors and still host some meetings and social events ( like a conference professional group dinner and awards ceremony)
The bigger issue i do have goes to safety if other guests. If this us a very controversial group that can...
From my experience many hotels in downtown or near airports host meeting/ conferences of different sizes. If the hotel isn't thr host of thr conference as s whole, it csn be a primary tenant of visitors and still host some meetings and social events ( like a conference professional group dinner and awards ceremony)
The bigger issue i do have goes to safety if other guests. If this us a very controversial group that can lead to outside protests and if you are a guest staying there and not associated to the event you could be "outed" on social media even if not true
Most hotel bookings take place online these days. It would be pretty easy to set up a system that notifies guests that stay on X date that certain facilities may be impacted due to a group event (it doesn't matter what it is, political, wedding, conference etc). Airlines can do it for weather events a day before you fly to help you prepare or make alternative arrangements and you may have booked that months in...
Most hotel bookings take place online these days. It would be pretty easy to set up a system that notifies guests that stay on X date that certain facilities may be impacted due to a group event (it doesn't matter what it is, political, wedding, conference etc). Airlines can do it for weather events a day before you fly to help you prepare or make alternative arrangements and you may have booked that months in advance. The hotels just don't want to because they know they'll lose revenue. I travelled for work for 18 months straight and many hotels would have events or conferences. It wasn't the nature of the conference that was always the problem but the size. One example... I stayed somewhere and Comicon was on, great costumes, relaxed bunch of people but there were 500+ people and trying to get breakfast, eat at the hotel restaurants, use Starbucks etc - this was an airport hotel so other options were limited. Had I known I would have picked elsewhere, not because of the conference but the practicality of the numbers of people involved. Take another example, if you had young kids would you appreciate a "furrys" conference taking place at the time you were staying. Maybe not?
Bit disappointed tbh that I have yet to book a hotel also hosting a furry convention at the same time. I feel like in hindsight these would make great stories to tell
these events are rarely secret, and are often advertised by the organizers. i see no reason why the hotel would be unable to provide notice in the vast majority of circumstances, and (having decided to host such a conference in the first place, which....) it just seems like the right thing to do rather than ambushing your guests.
Like most on here, I would hope if the group or meeting takes over XX% of the total hotel, we might get a general notice like they do when under construction. And those groups should have to follow the same rules as other guests. Ideally, they'd also be limited or clustered onto certain
A recent stay in St Louis during a Hot Wheels convention had rooms on every floor filled with homemade signs off...
Like most on here, I would hope if the group or meeting takes over XX% of the total hotel, we might get a general notice like they do when under construction. And those groups should have to follow the same rules as other guests. Ideally, they'd also be limited or clustered onto certain
A recent stay in St Louis during a Hot Wheels convention had rooms on every floor filled with homemade signs off the elevators and room doors propped open for selling/trading and it was so loud each night (our floor had seating near the elevator bay) we couldn't sleep. Didn't help that half the elevators were out of service and POS went down. Complaints to management went unanswered.
Hotels should definitely advise their guests of any controversial conferences or conventions being held at the hotel.
I was staying in San Jose California, and the hotel I was at ended up hosting a Furry Convention.
We were not advised, and it completely ruined our stay. The queues for the elevators were so long, as only about 2 furrys could fit in the elevator at one time, as their costumes were big.
...Hotels should definitely advise their guests of any controversial conferences or conventions being held at the hotel.
I was staying in San Jose California, and the hotel I was at ended up hosting a Furry Convention.
We were not advised, and it completely ruined our stay. The queues for the elevators were so long, as only about 2 furrys could fit in the elevator at one time, as their costumes were big.
And they were all staying on the 3rd floor, and unfortunately when I was in the elevator, it stopped on the 3rd floor, and to my disbelief the entire hallway was covered in plastic wrap, and reaked of pee.
Let’s just say they got a very strongly worded email from me after that.
So many questions......lol
That conference is Further Confusion and it's got a reputation as a "party con." The floor mentioned was the designated party floor where they line the floors and walls with sheet plastic to make it easier to clean up afterwards. Needless to say, the alcohol flows freely especially on that floor.
I'm honestly surprised the entire hotel wasn't bought out with a convention of that size, where the only guests would be the attendees....
That conference is Further Confusion and it's got a reputation as a "party con." The floor mentioned was the designated party floor where they line the floors and walls with sheet plastic to make it easier to clean up afterwards. Needless to say, the alcohol flows freely especially on that floor.
I'm honestly surprised the entire hotel wasn't bought out with a convention of that size, where the only guests would be the attendees. That's been my experience with few exceptions. One being at the Dallas Hyatt Regency where we had our small convention while Mary Kay was having theirs. I remember explaining to a nice eastern European couple, while I was in full fursuit, what was going on with all the fluffy animal people milling about the shared lobby.
I know some cons "buy out" the hotel. But the brands also have "overrides":
(1) If DCA shuts down during Magfest, it's going to be "beggars can't be choosers" on hotel space. (This did, in fact, happen one year - there was a lot of space because a blizzard shut down the Eastern Seaboard.)
(2) Elites can often "knock their way in" with the guarantees, and you inevitably get a few cancellations (weather,...
I know some cons "buy out" the hotel. But the brands also have "overrides":
(1) If DCA shuts down during Magfest, it's going to be "beggars can't be choosers" on hotel space. (This did, in fact, happen one year - there was a lot of space because a blizzard shut down the Eastern Seaboard.)
(2) Elites can often "knock their way in" with the guarantees, and you inevitably get a few cancellations (weather, cancelled flights, work/family emergencies). Again - Magfest usually has a few rooms pop open in the week or two before the con, and I got my DragonCon Legacy status when a room broke loose at the Hyatt the week before the con some years back.
There's also a chance that the con just...fell a bit short on the buyout. A lot of hotels would rather deal with a few grouchy "mundanes" (that is, non-congoers) than let a bunch of rooms go unsold, so if the con isn't also going to pay for unused rooms...
In 35 years traveling for business all over the planet, I have never been offended by whatever conferences might be going on at whatever hotel I might be staying. If that were ever the case, I'm always free to leave and move to another hotel. I'm amazed how the eternally offended even survive these days.
As a Meeting Planner – I’ve had clients events cancelled by venues due to their “political nature.” Marriott is known to take an anti-risk approach & cancel any groups (no matter what their political stance is) that might create issues for security or crowd control reasons. Hilton tends to be more accommodating by simply requiring additional security (for a price of course).
When a venue cancels an event – they might end up being liable...
As a Meeting Planner – I’ve had clients events cancelled by venues due to their “political nature.” Marriott is known to take an anti-risk approach & cancel any groups (no matter what their political stance is) that might create issues for security or crowd control reasons. Hilton tends to be more accommodating by simply requiring additional security (for a price of course).
When a venue cancels an event – they might end up being liable for any additional costs related to moving the event – such as the new venue costs more as an example. So, a cancelation usually happens at the upper corporate level with agreement of the General Manager. I find corporate owned or managed properties are more risk adverse than independently owned or managed properties.
I know when personally traveling – I usually check 2 websites first to see what groups are in town (usually the CVB’s calendar of events plus EventBrite). I do not do this to avoid a property – but to see what the group rates are at hotels (which can sometimes be heavily discounted), if there’s free transportation offered from the airport, plus discount codes for airlines, attractions, restaurants & shopping!
One time visiting Orlando, I took advantage of the free transport from the airport to the resort – saving me $50 or so on an Uber. I also took advantage of many of the discounts that were offered plus a “free” concert with a well know performer that was on their schedule of events – where I made my way to the front of the stage!
I actually ended up accidentally "ghosting" a con I usually attend because, while I wasn't planning to go that year, the hotel ended up having the cheapest rate at LAX that weekend (I had a forced overnight connection where I was on a Buddy Pass) because someone had left the con rate live. I got in too late to buy a day pass (I did go down and try to buy one) and left too...
I actually ended up accidentally "ghosting" a con I usually attend because, while I wasn't planning to go that year, the hotel ended up having the cheapest rate at LAX that weekend (I had a forced overnight connection where I was on a Buddy Pass) because someone had left the con rate live. I got in too late to buy a day pass (I did go down and try to buy one) and left too early to buy one the next morning, but I did get to hang out with some friends at the parties that evening.
In a fairytale world, we'd all know about big groups but we all also know that is never going to happen. It just feasibly can't.
I find recently the bigger issue is the hotel staff giving up on enforcing rules and letting groups disturb everyone's enjoyment of a hotel or a simple night's sleep in ways that have nothing to do with events.
The most recent trend that drives me crazy is the...
In a fairytale world, we'd all know about big groups but we all also know that is never going to happen. It just feasibly can't.
I find recently the bigger issue is the hotel staff giving up on enforcing rules and letting groups disturb everyone's enjoyment of a hotel or a simple night's sleep in ways that have nothing to do with events.
The most recent trend that drives me crazy is the youth sports teams that take over hotels on weekends. These groups take over lobbies, breakfast areas for their unofficial dinner "parties" and generally are rude guests - supposedly with parental supervision. One instance recently was at a hotel with a lobby bar where I tried to enjoy a drink after a long day and the bartender couldn't even hear to order. We wrote notes and she said it was always like this on the weekends. No wonder there was no one else at the bar. I didnt stay long. The sound traveled throughout the hotel with teens running everyone and yelling. Yes, I said something to the front desk. I had to walk there on crutches to even get to talk to them (they weren't answering the phone; not surprised). The girl just shrugged her shoulders.
I was surprised the first time but this has now happened repeatedly at different brands (some pretty pricey) and over many months
All the HATE going on.
But also being a snowflake.
Hypocrisy!!
Simple (ish) solution…
This is an issue almost exclusively with a certain type of hotel. When I stay at my favourite hotel in Singapore, I am almost guaranteed to have at least one wedding during my stay, and oftentimes a mini conference as well.
I don’t particularly mind, I enjoy witnessing the romantic vibe, but if I did, I’d just pick a smaller, more boutiquey hotel. Just returned from a month in Europe...
Simple (ish) solution…
This is an issue almost exclusively with a certain type of hotel. When I stay at my favourite hotel in Singapore, I am almost guaranteed to have at least one wedding during my stay, and oftentimes a mini conference as well.
I don’t particularly mind, I enjoy witnessing the romantic vibe, but if I did, I’d just pick a smaller, more boutiquey hotel. Just returned from a month in Europe and none of the hotels I stayed at would be able to host any conference or wedding involving more than a dozen people.
You choose to stay at the Four Seasons or the Intercontinental, accept the fact that’s a big part of their business model
I can’t count the times I’ve been to Hyatt Regency Clearwater when we try to go up to use the hot tub on the roof terrace and they’re like “sorry, closed for a wedding”, or we’ve been in it and then they kick us out. Ok, great, but how is that my problem exactly?
If you make another Italian Mafia pizza like that I'm going to hit you in the mouth. Naples is the worst and I am down for murder.
Its time we all learn to live together again, further division just continues to divide, learn how to talk to people with different thoughts than you, its plain and simple we are all on this world together
"we all learn to live together again"
When has society ever embraced togetherness?
I think, in the spirit of adventure, you have to put up with this sort of thing. Yes, you may disagree with whoever is at the hotel bar, but it IS possible to really like someone you disagree with.
The best event I ever witnessed at a hotel was a convention-type hotel that was hosting a large Anime convention at the same time as a Gun Show. It was very interesting, to say the least. Sports and cheerleading events have more impacted me at hotels where the coaches and the hotel lose all control of the teams, creating noise ALL night and a disaster in the lobby and breakfast areas. Staying at a hotel...
The best event I ever witnessed at a hotel was a convention-type hotel that was hosting a large Anime convention at the same time as a Gun Show. It was very interesting, to say the least. Sports and cheerleading events have more impacted me at hotels where the coaches and the hotel lose all control of the teams, creating noise ALL night and a disaster in the lobby and breakfast areas. Staying at a hotel with my kids in New Orleans during a gay pride parade, with many of the participants staying in our hotel, wasn't awesome and made the pool area unusable, but it was more the guests' fault than the hotel's.
The modern left and right have developed extremely thin skins. I find their child-like reactions to that which doesn't conform to their world view hilarious. I don't watch Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC. Why watch left or right propaganda? But, I actually won't melt if one of them is on a bar TV. And, I do get to chuckle under my breath as pretend journalists blabber some spin. The right was never known for their...
The modern left and right have developed extremely thin skins. I find their child-like reactions to that which doesn't conform to their world view hilarious. I don't watch Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC. Why watch left or right propaganda? But, I actually won't melt if one of them is on a bar TV. And, I do get to chuckle under my breath as pretend journalists blabber some spin. The right was never known for their acceptance of differing views, but today's left has certainly abandoned the "you do you" attitude they had in my youth.
In China most of the luxury hotels have converted their standard suites into “Maternity care center”. The logic is that the hotel leased all standard suites and premium rooms to a "Maternity care center". Chinese women would be taken care of 24/7 by paying over 10k USD after giving birth. This means there are no premium rooms to be upgraded for elites. But to the extreme, when I visited Park Hyatt Hangzhou last time and...
In China most of the luxury hotels have converted their standard suites into “Maternity care center”. The logic is that the hotel leased all standard suites and premium rooms to a "Maternity care center". Chinese women would be taken care of 24/7 by paying over 10k USD after giving birth. This means there are no premium rooms to be upgraded for elites. But to the extreme, when I visited Park Hyatt Hangzhou last time and I went to the swimming pool, the front desk asked me "you are the father of?", which means that they expect all guests to the swimming pool are new fathers from the "Maternity care center".
Your triggers are your responsibility. The rest of the world is not obliged to tiptoe around you. Grow up.
I think it should be mandatory to tell guests if a specific area will be dedicated to an event and closed. This happens to me more often than it should: the deck is closed for an event, the pool is closed for an event. Man I paid to access those spaces, which you advertised to me online. It seems completely unacceptable not to tell me in advance so that I can look for an alterative if needed.
So if you booked six months ago, then a function is booked three months later and will be using the roof deck for one night during your stay, what action do you expect the hotel to take?
These things happen. You’ll be fine.
Most hotel bookings take place online these days, so a simple email would do. It would be pretty easy to set up a system that notifies guests that stay on X date that certain facilities will be closed due to an event. Airlines can do it for weather events a day before you fly to help you prepare or make alternative arrangements and you may have booked that 6 months in advance too. The hotels just don't want to because they know they'll lose revenue
Advise you of the subsequently-booked event and resulting known space issues, and permit you to cancel free of penalty with a refund of prepaid money? Email would probably cut it for the vast majority of folks (either to them personally or to their travel agents, and it's not insane for the major chains to require that OTAs give them a way to let folks know of this sort of stuff).
To be clear, this is doubly problematic in cases where there's a "resort fee" at play.
There's a simple enough solution without having to get political - hotels could generically disclose any large event/wedding that is scheduled to occur during the selected booking period without actually naming the organization. Something like "the hotel is hosting large events during your selected dates that may limit access to selected amenities and/or create temporary disruptions in your experience". And if an event is booked after the fact, give the guest the opportunity to cancel...
There's a simple enough solution without having to get political - hotels could generically disclose any large event/wedding that is scheduled to occur during the selected booking period without actually naming the organization. Something like "the hotel is hosting large events during your selected dates that may limit access to selected amenities and/or create temporary disruptions in your experience". And if an event is booked after the fact, give the guest the opportunity to cancel without penalty.
But the reality is, if you're going to book a stay at any decent-sized convention hotel or resort, there's a roughly 100% chance that some kind of large event is going to be scheduled during your stay. Adjust your expectations accordingly.
Thank you @Ben Schlappig for raising this. I agree, the fair and proper solution would be to disclose any bookings that might inconvenience other guests. The closest I've come to this was when a noncontroversial foreign head of state stayed at my very large hotel when I also did. Fortunately there was no security scare, which presumably would have seriously interfered with my plans. It was one of the reasons I started directing almost all...
Thank you @Ben Schlappig for raising this. I agree, the fair and proper solution would be to disclose any bookings that might inconvenience other guests. The closest I've come to this was when a noncontroversial foreign head of state stayed at my very large hotel when I also did. Fortunately there was no security scare, which presumably would have seriously interfered with my plans. It was one of the reasons I started directing almost all my domestic business to smaller hotels that were too small or distant to accommodate more than the occasional corporate departmental meeting. Of course, this type of choice is restrictive and not always practical, especially in Europe.
If you care about this, simply do a Google search for your hotel name and dates + event, conference, etc. 80% of the time you can easily find out what events will be there.
I'm sure it's in the "rules" or the "contract" I've agreed to, but it doesn't seem fair that a hotel can close an amenity to a paying guest in favor of another paying guest. This particularly bothers me when I've booked a hotel specifically for that amenity (the pool!) only discover I can't use it. It ought to be disclosed ahead of time with an offer to relieve me of my booking or offer me...
I'm sure it's in the "rules" or the "contract" I've agreed to, but it doesn't seem fair that a hotel can close an amenity to a paying guest in favor of another paying guest. This particularly bothers me when I've booked a hotel specifically for that amenity (the pool!) only discover I can't use it. It ought to be disclosed ahead of time with an offer to relieve me of my booking or offer me an alternative. I've also stayed at a full service hotel with one restaurant only to come down for my breakfast to learn that restaurant is closed for a private event. Lunch sure, dinner maybe with notice, but breakfast is a meal you are most likely to take in house (especially when it's an elite benefit). These sorts of actions by the hotel ought to be forbidden by consumer protection laws.
I think it would be pretty simple to have a popup that says "Are you part of the White Christian Nationalists group staying over this period?" I'd be thrilled to know that in advance so I could book somewhere else that one time but would actually go out of my way to give the hotel business in the future for being so forthright. Can you imagine how intensely uncomfortable a black family wedding would be...
I think it would be pretty simple to have a popup that says "Are you part of the White Christian Nationalists group staying over this period?" I'd be thrilled to know that in advance so I could book somewhere else that one time but would actually go out of my way to give the hotel business in the future for being so forthright. Can you imagine how intensely uncomfortable a black family wedding would be in that circumstance? That would go a long way toward ruining the wedding.
It’s a tough issue. Hotels need all the business they can get from as wide of the public possible. This includes groups from all political parties, from all hobbies (including sex parties - which, let’s face it, is not an insignificant part of the hotel and travel industry). You can’t have stuff like Nazi or supremacist conferences. And maybe you want to avoid the absolute most heated issues of the day (and it’s up to...
It’s a tough issue. Hotels need all the business they can get from as wide of the public possible. This includes groups from all political parties, from all hobbies (including sex parties - which, let’s face it, is not an insignificant part of the hotel and travel industry). You can’t have stuff like Nazi or supremacist conferences. And maybe you want to avoid the absolute most heated issues of the day (and it’s up to property management to be up on what that is). But beyond that, it should be almost anything goes
One more point on this - hotels are public accommodation, just like airlines are public transportation. If you are staying in public accommodation, you can’t be shocked if you see someone wearing a MAGA hat, Palestinian or Israeli garments, or leather fetish wear or something. If you want a more private experience, choose Airbnb or stay with trusted friends and family.
I am guessing it is a hotel in the DC area hosting several anti-trans grifters.
How about notifications by airports? By cities? For example, this weekend in St. Louis, where a TV station reports:
ST. LOUIS — Hundreds of people waited for hours outside of Terminal 2 at St. Louis Lambert International Airport Sunday morning, with the lines spilling out onto the streets where cars drop off passengers as people waiting to check in for flights were frustrated by long lines and long waits. “5 On Your Side” received images...
How about notifications by airports? By cities? For example, this weekend in St. Louis, where a TV station reports:
ST. LOUIS — Hundreds of people waited for hours outside of Terminal 2 at St. Louis Lambert International Airport Sunday morning, with the lines spilling out onto the streets where cars drop off passengers as people waiting to check in for flights were frustrated by long lines and long waits. “5 On Your Side” received images and messages from people who said police were helping with crowd control and that some tempers were getting short as some people missed flights.
Airport spokesman Roger Lotz told 5 On Your Side that the end of a large Seventh Day Adventist conference in town may be the cause of the crowds as people tried to get home ahead of the work week. Laura Swift, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, echoed Lotz's thoughts.
Absolutely not. Who draws the line of what is ‘controversial’?
Either the hotel notifies you of every event it is hosting or none, but can’t be somewhere in between
You're right. Any and all conferences should be available for the public to see at all times. That way there's no cherry picking or intensely uncomfortable situations like a Mexican-American wedding at a hotel hosting an ICE conference.
This does not just occur just at large scale conference hotels. It occurs at any hotel. Even the Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia. :)
I had a stay at the Post Oak in Houston a few months before the election. I had no idea and was not warned that a huge oil executive meeting was taking place there at the same time. Of course, who was making an appearance? Yes. Him. The entrances and...
This does not just occur just at large scale conference hotels. It occurs at any hotel. Even the Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia. :)
I had a stay at the Post Oak in Houston a few months before the election. I had no idea and was not warned that a huge oil executive meeting was taking place there at the same time. Of course, who was making an appearance? Yes. Him. The entrances and valet parking were a mess. Security everywhere. While it's generally a solid property I had seen enough and asked to check out early. Politics aside I was not interested in spending the day with security at every elevator and blocking entrances.
Indeed, I wish I had been warned....
Yes, I'd definitely prefer to know in advance. There are a lot of folks who wouldn't be comfortable staying where a hate group is attending, for example, and might be made varying degrees of unsafe by not knowing that they were dropping into the den of . One shouldn't have to completely change their plans or itinerary to avoid groups that one normally goes to great lengths to steer clear of...
My husband once was staying at a hotel for business and found out the second day that the hotel was hosting a sex workers conference and there were news crews covering it...
And where something like /this/ gets messy is if folks end up in the background of the news coverage. On a bad luck roll, I can see that getting awkward as heck.
Main character energy here
I ran into awkward stay at a high-end guest house in Key West years ago. We arrived late at night and after checking in we headed to the pool bar to have a drink of two after a day of travel.
There was a number of people at the pool area, and we ordered a couple of cocktails. I began to notice that nobody in this group was drinking and they obviously knew each other....
I ran into awkward stay at a high-end guest house in Key West years ago. We arrived late at night and after checking in we headed to the pool bar to have a drink of two after a day of travel.
There was a number of people at the pool area, and we ordered a couple of cocktails. I began to notice that nobody in this group was drinking and they obviously knew each other. I eventually asked the bartender who the group was, and turns out if was an AA group!
It did not disrupt my stay but did make for some awkward moments by the pool over the weekend.
If I had known when booking i would have chosen another property.
Hotels sometimes double book controversial events like furry conventions with incompatible groups like teen sporting meets without telling either group. That's messed up.
This post says a lot about nothing. What type of event did the reader find so controversial? I also think we need to recognize that hotels make money on conferences and other events much more than the daily operations.
I remember a hotel at SeaTac airport that had a S&M conference that came back multiple years, and the hotel has all of the booths out in the lobby. Had friends who worked there. Think about the unexpected surprise for the visiting family, etc!
Assuming that the conventioneers are abiding by all of the hotel's policies (e.g. noise standards, anti-harassment, etc.), then the hotel has no obligation to inform other guests. In fact, I would not stay in a hotel that actively points out the political beliefs, religions, sexual orientations, etc. of other guests.
What about a group that traffics in racist, homophobic, and transphobic speech…is that worthy of notification to hotel guests?
Purely a hypothetical of course.
Yes. A hotel is a public accommodation under the law and must accomodate the public, even the parts of it that I don't particularly like. If the three groups you described are not to be accommodated, what basis do you have to demand the accommodation of their inverse groups?
It’s perfectly their right to host said groups. If I were a guest at say a hypothetical Tampa hotel this week, I would GTFOH due to said conference, however. And I would bet a plurality if not majority of guests might like to know the group in advance too.
I'm not aware of any such obligation insofar as use of ballrooms, changing TVs in public areas, or anything other than offering individual rooms on the same terms offered to the general public.
What about a group that traffics in censorship, sexual grooming of minors, and harboring of violent criminals? Is that worthy of notification to hotel guests?
Purely a hypothetical of course.
Slippery slope. Hotels are definitely NOT responsible for determining which beliefs might offend people.
Looks like someone was really triggered by the lack of Epstein files transparency!
At the very least, it is reasonable for hotels to tell their guest what facilities will be closed and the hours. On a couple of occasions we have selected hotels specifically to use specific facilities only to find they those facilities were closed for private events during our stay. Especially when you know that people come to your hotel for those specific facilities, you need to tell your guests.
Hotels should be more transparent about amenity closures, in general. We booked a resort in Palm Springs in the winter only to find the hot tub was closed for our entire stay for maintenance. That was a big reason we chose that property. The hotel wins, I guess because I'm a sucker and they got my money.
Delta is using AI to manipulate fares and increase profits. Think hotels are going to lose revenue by telling folks “not a great idea to stay here this week?”
I’m not defending any of that, but it’s just reality in 2025. Profits and shareholder value are the only things that matter for most businesses these days. They couldn’t give a flying F about the consumer
In general, no. The hotel also has a responsibility for safety and security of all guests, including conference/event attendees, so publicizing the conference schedule on their website or elsewhere would potentially cause endanrement.
If some of the venues are being taken over for private events, such as the pool area, that's reasonable to advise guests without publicizing who the event host is.
Now....I know of several adult conventions (but have never attended one!)...the hotel...
In general, no. The hotel also has a responsibility for safety and security of all guests, including conference/event attendees, so publicizing the conference schedule on their website or elsewhere would potentially cause endanrement.
If some of the venues are being taken over for private events, such as the pool area, that's reasonable to advise guests without publicizing who the event host is.
Now....I know of several adult conventions (but have never attended one!)...the hotel should require a buy-out and close general reservations for non event attendees (can use a simple booking code). A major hotel in Chicago does this for an annual "convention" and posts signage in front of the doors to advise the public that the hotel has restricted access.
I know exactly what conference you mean...as i have been to them....buyouts are the norm....however, we have had significant amazing experiences with a Dell conference attendees that butt-ended to our conference.....so its not all negative....its a lack of open minds...you may be surprised (by any conference topic really).
I think that if the hotel anticipates that any event they're hosting risks significantly impacting the guest experience, they need to make that known as soon as they're able. For a Marriott property, I think a pop-up during the booking process is fair, or an email if the event is scheduled after reservations are on the books. It's unreasonable for them to try to alert guests booking through 3rd parties, of course, just as it's...
I think that if the hotel anticipates that any event they're hosting risks significantly impacting the guest experience, they need to make that known as soon as they're able. For a Marriott property, I think a pop-up during the booking process is fair, or an email if the event is scheduled after reservations are on the books. It's unreasonable for them to try to alert guests booking through 3rd parties, of course, just as it's unnecessary if their event is, say, some corporate event that won't really spill over into shared spaces like lounges, pools, and lobbies.
Depending on where I am and why I'm there, I'd like to be empowered to decide whether my stay will be impacted in a way that's meaningful. If I'm coming to Orlando with young kids, I might have issue with a number of different kinds of events, whether due to behaviors, appearances, or noise. But if I'm coming to Chicago for work and only need a place to sleep, I'm going to be less concerned as long as the event doesn't impact my private space at the hotel.
More important to me than notifying me of a conference is notifying me if the hotel is using illegal alien labor. The old Holiday Inn I worked at in Santa Maria, California back in my college days used to employ illegal alien dishwashers. I know because we used to hide them in the cooler when our Teamster rep came in to collect dues (and shake down the illegals for money). These days you could wind...
More important to me than notifying me of a conference is notifying me if the hotel is using illegal alien labor. The old Holiday Inn I worked at in Santa Maria, California back in my college days used to employ illegal alien dishwashers. I know because we used to hide them in the cooler when our Teamster rep came in to collect dues (and shake down the illegals for money). These days you could wind up in the middle of an ICE raid or a mob of masked Democrats shooting fireworks, throwing rocks, burning cars or shooting guns after using the Internet to gather the clan. My safety is worth more than knowing that there is a convention of this or that.
Interesting way to broadcast that you have the IQ of a snail.
What a psychotic comment. What even compels someone to write such drivel?
If a hotel is advertising certain amenities to guests (including access to bars, restaurants, and the pool) and particularly if it’s charging a resort fee, it should be providing notice if any of those things will be unavailable. Crowds and noise are hazards of hotels, much as I hate them.
That’s one of the many reasons I gave up hotel loyalty and have shifted my stays from big hotel chains to smaller boutique hotels. For my travel style and needs, I rather stay in a smaller property that offers everything I need vs a big chain hotel. Usually you will get much better service as owners rely on delivering that to survive. Also, almost zero chance a conference will be held at the place. Lastly, chances of being charged stupid fees are much lower.
No. As others pointed out, it’s not the hotels responsibility to notify every guest what is taking place especially for privacy reasons. Traveling involves being tolerant of others. Anyone that has traveled enough knows that you’ll run across stuff that you don’t believe or personally support, but that’s part of life. Of course, if a person doesn’t support it, a hotel isn’t jail and one can go to a different hotel.
Tolerant, sure, but given the rise in political violence from, shall we say, certain segments of the population, I would want to know depending on what I or a partner looked like and wore.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/briefing/right-wing-mass-shootings.html
One problem is hotels not telling one group that another group is hosting an event there. When it's a couple of weddings, that's not a problem.
When it's a religious camp and a science fiction convention, you can get a bit of comedy and/or tension. Yes, this happened at least once.
If it's two opposing political groups and the GM didn't think to tell either that the other would be present, that sounds like it...
One problem is hotels not telling one group that another group is hosting an event there. When it's a couple of weddings, that's not a problem.
When it's a religious camp and a science fiction convention, you can get a bit of comedy and/or tension. Yes, this happened at least once.
If it's two opposing political groups and the GM didn't think to tell either that the other would be present, that sounds like it could turn into a real disaster for everyone involved, and the hotel could plausibly end up being held liable (likely by folks caught in the middle suing the hotel for recklessly mixing two possibly volatile groups).
There are other mixes that could be bad - religious groups on opposite sides of some conflict, extremely opposed lifestyle groups, and so on - that all have the feeling of a "Far Side" comic subtitled "Trouble brewing".
Any sort of event which is going to disrupt my experience at a hotel should be flagged. This includes weddings, buy outs of certain restaurants etc. If it's not going to disrupt in any real way I don't think it's a big deal.
But even "notice" by management may not be enough. A couple years ago I stayed for a week with a group at a hotel in Armenia, and TWICE the pool area was closed in the afternoon -- when many of us wanted to use it -- for private parties. There WAS a sign ahead of time at the front desk...but the effect was one of "false advertising," with amenities expected at booking rendered unavailable.
Not really responsive to the question asked here, but I was once on a cruise where about 1/3rd of the guests were part of a charismatic southern baptist Christian offsite.
Another 3rd were part of a big gay cruise group.
The last 3rd (including myself) was unaffiliated guests.
I didn’t see any obvious conflict, and neither group bothered me at all, but some of the scenes in the neighboring venues made me laugh….
We always run the risk of having unpleasant (to us) hotel guests staying at the same time as us. If it does not impact the provision of services to us, then there is no need, in my mind, to tell us about it. On the other hand, if the group is large enough to reduce services to everyone else, then we should be warned. We were in just such a situation in Medellin. There was...
We always run the risk of having unpleasant (to us) hotel guests staying at the same time as us. If it does not impact the provision of services to us, then there is no need, in my mind, to tell us about it. On the other hand, if the group is large enough to reduce services to everyone else, then we should be warned. We were in just such a situation in Medellin. There was an enormous convention of travel agents at the resort for our first night. On top of them being generally obnoxious people, there was no restaurant or bar available on the property and it was a half hour journey (involving a tuk-tuk and a car or two tuk tuks) to anywhere to eat. No access to the pool, long waits for any hotel tuk-tuks that were required to get to the edge of the property, nobody to help us when our key didn't work.
The hotel had warned us that there might be some limited access to common areas but not the extent and by time we were warned, it was pretty much too late. This was a situation where the warning was well warranted and if it is to this extent, hotels definitely should be warning other people away or not taking other reservations for those nights.
Doesn't matter if they are controversial, just matters how disruptive they are to hotel services (and no, having a different TV station on, is not disruptive)
George Clooney that sh!t and con your way into the open bar reception and extract a price for your misfortune. Done this several times, works every time
This is why I generally avoid grand country hotels at weekends - there's a wedding, and the noise means that I cannot sleep.
So for Saturday nights in the countryside I book hotels small enough that there will be no big party.
Where I was surprised to find this encroaching into a city was at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel.
Political no, assuming activities are conducted within conference/ball rooms. Now something like a porn convention with people walking around next to nude, yes.
Generally I agree with you.
The borderline issue here is things like the channels shown in the public bars.
I'll take nudists over fascists any day.
Seems like a reasonable request to let guests who are not part of the larger event know and give them the option to book elsewhere. A simple courtesy. Any hotel exec or employee in our situation would appreciate the same when they travel.
When I was in high school, a tournament had booked the same hotel as "the world's premier annual exhibition and conference that focuses on education and information exchange among lovers of Japanese rope bondage."
As you can imagine, the organisers of a national tournament for high schoolers were not pleased that the hotel hadn't told them about the other event that would be sharing the hotel's conference spaces.
Our organization was able to extract a...
When I was in high school, a tournament had booked the same hotel as "the world's premier annual exhibition and conference that focuses on education and information exchange among lovers of Japanese rope bondage."
As you can imagine, the organisers of a national tournament for high schoolers were not pleased that the hotel hadn't told them about the other event that would be sharing the hotel's conference spaces.
Our organization was able to extract a promise from [large multinational hotel group] that this wouldn't be happening again, but there's no way they would proactively disclose this to a normal traveler unless forced to. Though it is hard to say that it's unreasonable that a normal family on vacation should know they may be sharing an elevator with barefoot late middle aged white guys in kimonos (barely) tied closed with rope or that there would be lots of scantily clad women moving between hotel rooms at odd times in the middle of the day...
lol. Nope. When you travel you learn the rest of the world isn’t like you. If the guests are rowdy, wrecking the place or engaging in illegal activities- complain to management and when you decide on your next trip remember if management cared or not. If they guests are just boisterously voicing opinions you find disgusting, too bad. Put your big boy pants on and find a different bar for the night.
Several years ago we went to a hotel in Florida with our four-year old for a vacation. Other than about a dozen other guests, the entire property was taken by a medical conference discussing some rather unpleasant looking maladies
Their displays, which filled up not only the function rooms, but also every available corridor were totally distressing, and to my daughter in particular
We left - but to this day I wonder why...
Several years ago we went to a hotel in Florida with our four-year old for a vacation. Other than about a dozen other guests, the entire property was taken by a medical conference discussing some rather unpleasant looking maladies
Their displays, which filled up not only the function rooms, but also every available corridor were totally distressing, and to my daughter in particular
We left - but to this day I wonder why the hotel allowed the group to book (say) 96% of the rooms and not either close the others or require the convention to take them all.
The answer is money.
But I agree with you that management should have done as you suggest.
I hope you put a clear description of the issue on TripAdvisor.
Well since you were so easily triggered and by your own squirrely logic I guess we know what you like.
I would be happy if hotels told me there would be construction /reno work going on that shuts off services. But they never tell you even if they know so when you book. The closest notification I ever received was the day before I check in. Hotels know you will cancel and they know they're not obligated to inform guests so why bother. I hate weddings at a hotel because you know the elevators will...
I would be happy if hotels told me there would be construction /reno work going on that shuts off services. But they never tell you even if they know so when you book. The closest notification I ever received was the day before I check in. Hotels know you will cancel and they know they're not obligated to inform guests so why bother. I hate weddings at a hotel because you know the elevators will smell like booze and if you're lucky your floor is the wedding party and you'll hear it all night.
Sounds like a convention going on right at the moment in Tampa.
YES ! I think hotels should post on their websites what large meetings are going on property on a daily basis so potential guests may make an informed decision whether or not to stay.
Whether it in political, niche (Furries ??) or a large corporate meeting.
Just like cruise lines should do likewise, for the same reasons.
As long as the noise and activities of a hotel conference's event doesn't affect you in your room and enjoyment of the facilities, why should you bring yourself to be agitated to care what exactly they're doing or saying?
The hotel is not your property to say what should be there or not, as long as it is within the lawful bounds of society. Learn to not be offended at every instance of something...
As long as the noise and activities of a hotel conference's event doesn't affect you in your room and enjoyment of the facilities, why should you bring yourself to be agitated to care what exactly they're doing or saying?
The hotel is not your property to say what should be there or not, as long as it is within the lawful bounds of society. Learn to not be offended at every instance of something beyond your control in the world. Just because something happens adjacent to you 5 floors down, doesn't mean you have to care.
Otherwise you'll soon stray into the problem of objecting to things based on your opinions, which are no more valid than other people's opinions to the contrary.
By the way, if you choose to checkout, I don't think the hotel owes you a refund.
So instead of learning the art of decorum from Lucky’s example, you inject your ignorant trash into the conversation. Way to go, Winston. Shame that Lucky’s dog shares your name. The dog is less bigoted than you.
The dog is more loving too.
Don't you have a rock to scurry under, A$$hole ?
This is a tough one. Obviously some sort of conservative group is hosting this event and requesting Fox News be put on TVs because the other side demanding MSNBC just isn't a thing. I'm inclined to say as a guest, as long as the attendees are behaving themselves, then you should just deal with it.
However, if it's truly something offensive, like a Klan rally or a group promoting conversion therapy, then perhaps some...
This is a tough one. Obviously some sort of conservative group is hosting this event and requesting Fox News be put on TVs because the other side demanding MSNBC just isn't a thing. I'm inclined to say as a guest, as long as the attendees are behaving themselves, then you should just deal with it.
However, if it's truly something offensive, like a Klan rally or a group promoting conversion therapy, then perhaps some notice would be appropriate. If it's merely a conservative gathering, then I don't think it matters.
We don’t have “mere” conservatives anymore. This isn’t the aughts or even the early 2010s when conservatives were still straddling the boundary of acceptable civil politics. Modern conservatives are complete and total scum, backwards ignorant asshats, and the United States is better off in all respects if Democrats lead the nation.
Your ignorant reply is why Dems are stuck at about a 29% approval rating. It's people like you that cause the hyper partisan divide in this country.
No. Proving the conference hosts behave and respect other guests and sign an agreement to that effect. Personally I think guests should investigate the ownership of the property before criticising events.
It's not going to happen, but this is something simple hotels could do that would make it easy to see what's booked without divulging event information.
Have a calendar on their website with a list of room blocks and/or big groups on each date. Group sizes would vary by property size, so a 100-room hotel would probably list a group of 10+ rooms or 50 attendees, while a 1000-room hotel wouldn't.
1/1/2026
...
It's not going to happen, but this is something simple hotels could do that would make it easy to see what's booked without divulging event information.
Have a calendar on their website with a list of room blocks and/or big groups on each date. Group sizes would vary by property size, so a 100-room hotel would probably list a group of 10+ rooms or 50 attendees, while a 1000-room hotel wouldn't.
1/1/2026
1 group of 50 guestrooms
1 group of 10 guestrooms
1 group of 200 attendees
Meh, telling a guest ahead of time that there was an event would deter bookings. Hotels aren't in the business of not purposely turning away money.
At the end of the day, you are a guest. Hotels don't need your permission or consent. You are renting a room and it's your choice to use the rest of the facilities.
Should an Airbnb host tell you that a bachelor party is being thrown next door when you rent out a townhouse for the weekend?
So, the difference is that the AirBnB host isn't also booking the bachelor party (for the most part), so it's not really on them. The hotel, on the other hand, generally is booking the event.
I think the one point that arises is that if the event (convention or otherwise) will impact the ability to use advertised hotel facilities (e.g. closed pool, closed lounge, blocked off public spaces), /that/ needs to be announced. Whether "the...
So, the difference is that the AirBnB host isn't also booking the bachelor party (for the most part), so it's not really on them. The hotel, on the other hand, generally is booking the event.
I think the one point that arises is that if the event (convention or otherwise) will impact the ability to use advertised hotel facilities (e.g. closed pool, closed lounge, blocked off public spaces), /that/ needs to be announced. Whether "the hotel restaurant will likely be swamped" counts is another matter entirely.
Any conference - no matter the content - makes the stay of other guests unpleasant. I wish there was a requirement for all hotels to announce the dates on their website during booking.
So, I disagree, but for two specific reasons:
(1) A small-ish event (say, a 200-person meeting only taking up a few meeting rooms) might not impact things at a larger hotel. In some corner cases, you might even get an improvement if some facilities have extended hours - the convention I was at a week ago got the hotel to expand kitchen hours and the lounge was open for breakfast all weekend (it isn't...
So, I disagree, but for two specific reasons:
(1) A small-ish event (say, a 200-person meeting only taking up a few meeting rooms) might not impact things at a larger hotel. In some corner cases, you might even get an improvement if some facilities have extended hours - the convention I was at a week ago got the hotel to expand kitchen hours and the lounge was open for breakfast all weekend (it isn't usually).
(2) If you stumble into an event that is of interest to you, that can be a jackpot.
With that being said, I think there's probably a threshold that should trigger an alert - nobody wants to be trying to attend a business meeting and blunder into the first night of DragonCon.