Update: Hilton is now facing a lawsuit over another incident that occurred at a Hampton Inn property in North Carolina, where a black family had the cops called on them over a billing dispute.
Hampton Inn is apologizing after a family staying at a hotel had the cops called on them for using the pool. The incident occurred over the weekend at the Hampton Inn in Williamston, North Carolina, and the employee involved in this is “no longer employed at the hotel.”
In the nearly 10 minute video posted online, you can see a Hampton Inn employee and two police officers approaching a woman who was staying at the hotel with her two kids.
Based on the guest’s version of what happened:
- A hotel employee came to the pool and asked the mother if they were staying at the hotel; she didn’t ask the two other people at the pool (who were white) to prove they were staying there
- The guest showed the employee a room key; the employee then wanted the room number, but the guest refused to provide it
- The employee allegedly said “it’s always people like you using the pool unauthorized”
- The employee called the cops on the family
- The cops then requested the guest’s name and identification; she refused, so they said they’d run her plate, since her car was parked outside
- The hotel employee told the cops “my boss said she’s not allowed to not tell us her name and room number, and she’s having the general manager come over”
- Eventually the family just walked back to their room
Here’s the video that was uploaded to YouTube:
Here’s what Shruti Gandhi Buckley, the Global Head of Hampton by Hilton, had to say:
“Hampton by Hilton has zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind. On Saturday, we were alerted to an online video of a guest incident at one of our franchise properties. We moved quickly to identify the hotel and the guest, so that we could make contact and review the matter.
Even as we communicated our expectations to the ownership and management of the Williamston property on Sunday, we learned that the team member is no longer employed at the hotel. We have apologized directly to the guest and her family for their experience, and will work with them and the hotel to make this right. We remain in contact with the hotel’s ownership about follow up actions, and to ensure that in the future, their employees reflect the best values of our brand and are welcoming of all.”
Unfortunately this is just another case of racism in our country. Fortunately these kinds of incidents are starting to get more attention, and we’re seeing swifter punishment for this kind of behavior, as it should be.
I’m sure some people will be along shortly to say “well if she didn’t want any trouble she should have given them her name and room number.”
I’d ask those people when the last time was that they were singled out at a hotel pool and asked to prove they were staying there, while other guests weren’t. Not only that, but she presented a key, and rather than backing down, the employee decided to double down and then request her room number.
Good on Hampton Inn for taking quick action here to address the situation, and also that the employee is no longer working at the hotel.
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