Recently, I covered how a surprising number of hotels have a policy of not allowing stays for guests who live within a certain radius, seemingly to keep out homeless people. Well, here’s a real life example of this that’s getting a lot of attention, and interestingly, the hotel group has now been forced to apologize.
In this post:
Holiday Inn tells guest “I know you’re from the street”
Two Brews is a charity that tries to help homeless people in the UK. The country recently saw some below freezing temperatures, leading to an amber cold weather health alert across the country, with the UK Health Security Agency warning of the risk of increased deaths.
So the charity booked hotel rooms for some homeless people, so that they could avoid the cold weather. The charity attempted to book two homeless people with substance issues (that’s a detail they share, and I want to be through in covering this) at the Holiday Inn Manchester on a pre-paid rate.
However, upon arriving at the hotel, the front desk agent stated that they wouldn’t be allowed to stay there, despite the room having already been paid for. As the front desk agent explained, based on a recording taken by someone working for the charity:
“Guys, I’m not going to lie to you, I’m not going to be able to check you in. Full truth and transparency, I know that you’re from the street and the hotel doesn’t allow it. It’s not a personal thing. We know people, I’ve been doing the door for a long while. It’s the company’s policy. It’s not mine personally, it’s the company’s.”
The people behind the charity said they were furious about how this was handled, with one person saying “it was so cold, it made me so angry, it’s so frustrating and I had a wave of emotions.” They claim that they then managed to accommodate people at the Travelodge, where they booked nearly 30 people over the course of two nights.
Holiday Inn & homeless man speak out about incident
IHG, the parent company of Holiday Inn, has apologized for this situation, stating that it “aims to make hotel facilities available and accessible to all guests equally.” Here’s what the hotel group stated:
“After speaking with team members, we recognise that this incident is not in keeping with our policy of welcoming all and should have been handled differently. We sincerely apologise to the guests affected and are taking steps internally to strengthen our training.”
One of the two people who was denied check-in explained in an interview how this all made him feel:
- “It made me feel so small, because we’re homeless, it made me feel a bit categorized, gutted.”
- “From there, I thought to myself ‘bloody hell,’ same again. I was used to it, really. Getting knocked back and knocked back… I was upset about it, thinking I’m going to be out there tonight in -6C.”
- “I’m panicking now, majorly panicking, thinking I’m going to be freezing tonight.”
- “There have been times when I woke up in this cold and cried. Your toes get cold, your fingers are cold, bad chest, you know, you become ill, and especially if you’re lying on the floor with no cardboard, the cold comes through your body… you end up with a really bad chest.”
Bottom line
A charity booked a couple of homeless people at the Holiday Inn Manchester during a cold front, with below freezing temperatures. Despite the rooms having been paid for, the guests were denied check-in, with the front desk agent explaining it was due to the hotel’s policy, and it wasn’t his decision.
The charity managed to get the pair booked at a Travelodge, and IHG ultimately apologized, saying that its hotels should be welcoming to all.
What do you make of this Holiday Inn Manchester incident?
I am also shocked by some comments. Homelessness is a shame on our rich societies. I live in Brussels, Belgium, where the estimates indicate the presence of more than 7500 homeless people every day.
The local authorities do something, but very little. Some private organizations (I am supporting one of them) do a little bit more. But all in all, between the two circuits, only a few hundreds sheltered places are made available, even in...
I am also shocked by some comments. Homelessness is a shame on our rich societies. I live in Brussels, Belgium, where the estimates indicate the presence of more than 7500 homeless people every day.
The local authorities do something, but very little. Some private organizations (I am supporting one of them) do a little bit more. But all in all, between the two circuits, only a few hundreds sheltered places are made available, even in the current very cold conditions.
No one can seriously believe that "towns" are taking care of the problem. Such statements are just lies repeated to justify one's own selfishness.
Ah, yes, so it's not fine for hotels to deny hotel rooms to ICE thugs, but fine for them to deny rooms to the homeless?
(Yes, these scenarios are comparable given that they both had prior reservations.)
Meanwhile the UK is housing “refugees” in hotels on taxpayers’ dime. Absolute shame on the UK government.
The image is of the wrong hotel. The incident was at the Holiday Inn Express not the Holiday Inn.
Unfair that he wasn't allowed to check-in but on a lighter note...THAT was the homeless man?! What's his insta? Asking for a friend...
All three articles today might as well have come from the National Enquirer. Trash like this is the reason why I never read View from the Wing anymore.
But it is OK for those more fortunate to get hammered on $200 plunk from Napa in their first class seat?
It’s plonk, Dan. But I respect the resentment.
It is disheartening to see so many comments, particularly from those across the Atlantic, attempting to justify this incident with cold business logic or political talking points while two human beings in the UK were facing a life-threatening -6°C freeze (do you need me to translate that into Fahrenheit for you?).
In the UK, we believe that providing a warm hotel room to someone in need is a basic humanitarian duty, especially when the alternative...
It is disheartening to see so many comments, particularly from those across the Atlantic, attempting to justify this incident with cold business logic or political talking points while two human beings in the UK were facing a life-threatening -6°C freeze (do you need me to translate that into Fahrenheit for you?).
In the UK, we believe that providing a warm hotel room to someone in need is a basic humanitarian duty, especially when the alternative is literally freezing to death on the street. It is a matter of life and death, not "resale value" or property damage. While some of you are quick to worry about "trashing rooms" or "company policy," we are more concerned with the fact that people are dying in our canals and parks during these cold snaps.
To our American friends who are so vocal about how we should manage our homelessness or immigration issues: perhaps it is time to focus on the deep-rooted crises in your own country - such as the tragic frequency of innocent people being shot - before critiquing the humanitarian efforts of others. We will continue to choose compassion and basic survival over corporate policy every time. Life is always more valuable than a hotel's "brand image".
And fear not, IHG is a UK company, so we'll be dealing with them too.
How many did YOU take in to YOUR home......as a "basic humanitarian duty" of course?
"Chris", I am not taking any homeless persons in my home, but I am Transferring 500 euros a month to an organization that helps homeless people to reinsert themselves in a normal life.
Chris, I am not taking any homeless person in my home. But I am regularly sending 500 euros a month to a Brussels organization - l'Ilôt -that helps homeless people to return to a normal life.
Many more people should be supporting these organizations. I have seen how the Ilôt works and met people helped by them.
So you send 500 Euros monthly to money launderers. Cool. Now bring the homeless and drug addicted to your house. Buying "carbon credits" doesn't absolve you of your humanitarian responsibility.
I have been told that the reason for most hotels refusing to allow reservations for those who live within a certain radius of the hotel is to prevent locals from renting the rooms for parties, at least that’s what I am told in the Memphis area. While I understand this reasoning, it does sometimes affect my plans as I live about 50 miles away by driving but not as the crow flies, so some hotels...
I have been told that the reason for most hotels refusing to allow reservations for those who live within a certain radius of the hotel is to prevent locals from renting the rooms for parties, at least that’s what I am told in the Memphis area. While I understand this reasoning, it does sometimes affect my plans as I live about 50 miles away by driving but not as the crow flies, so some hotels in the downtown area will not allow me to occupy a room after local events. It takes a little planning, but I know that the property is not mine, so I must follow their rules.
Not shocked to see so many MAGAts here think homelessness is a popular lifestyle choice. May you never find yourself down on your luck.
Number one ALL hotels require a security deposit checking in. I use Priceline almost exclusively and must be able to post a security deposit with a major credit (or debit) card. That ranges between $20 to $200 a night depending upon the property. Therefore, it was up to the charity to post a security deposit not just prepay the room.
BTW, most cities make emergency shelter in times of cold but if one violates the...
Number one ALL hotels require a security deposit checking in. I use Priceline almost exclusively and must be able to post a security deposit with a major credit (or debit) card. That ranges between $20 to $200 a night depending upon the property. Therefore, it was up to the charity to post a security deposit not just prepay the room.
BTW, most cities make emergency shelter in times of cold but if one violates the rules (fighting, drugs, booze) out you go.
Don't see anyone here saying they open their home to their homeless if they have no place to sleep.
Thank goodness someone’s finally spoken up for the multi-billion dollar hotel chains!
And you’re right, everybody who doesn’t open their homes to the homeless has no business trying to help the homeless in any other way.
I understand the hotel. How do you want to service and resell a room previously used by homeless drug addicts? Maybe they even refuse to leave or contaminate the room. And how can they check in even for a prepaid reservation without a credit card?
There was someone from the charity with them. It had also been prepaid ! So it’s ok for rich drug addicts to stay in a a hotel ?
"So it’s ok for rich drug addicts to stay in a a hotel ?"
Stefan would say "yes," as long as they're white. Well, he wouldn't *say* it, he would just *think* it.
Interesting story. Ben, I think you mean "and I want to be thorough in covering this," not "and I want to be through..."
Mean:
poor people are villains
people who want to help are dupes
no point doing a small thing that won't permanently solve the macro problem
doing nothing is the option I've chosen; choosing differently is suspect/stupid
"just following orders" is blameless but homelessness isn't
giving him a fish isn't a solution, you must teach him to fish, but I won't help
if we do it for this one, we'll "have to" do it for all of them, which is impossible
Mean people suck.
You know what usually leads to less crime, less homelessness, and a better society? Good jobs, more affordable housing, education, healthcare, and a better social safety net. A lot of that is policy-driven, not merely on the individual ('lifting themselves up by their bootstraps.')
Or, we can just give tax-cuts to billionaires, and subsidize their corporations with handouts, while individuals like these are used as scapegoats and pawns.
It seems like a choice. I judge the society on how the least-fortunate are doing. We could do a lot better in most places. I'm not mad at IHG; they seem to want to make this right. I'm not upset with the charity, even though, this does seem like a stunt to get more attention for their cause, which is a noble one. Perhaps, it is good we're all talking about this.
Supporters of this charity have homes, I’m sure, so why not open their doors to those in need?
Nah, they don't have to literally do that in order to try to help. Nice strawman, though.
It's not strawman, it's hypocrisy.
NIMBY snowflakes trying to make themselves look good using charity as a cover. Now that's the real strawman.
The people who don't trash rooms are likely able to stay with relatives and friends. The worse bunch who destroy rooms are the homeless that the hotel does not want.
Anyone can 'trash' a room; no one should. Kids with crayons could be a problem. Where do you draw the line? Perhaps, it's really about mitigating risks, properly insuring against liability; in this case, maybe the charity would be liable for any damages, or not. It's really case-by-case. Who's to say this warm clean room wouldn't have been the thing to turn that guy's life around. We don't know. Nice judging though. Hope it makes you feel better at least.
Yet you read about rich people taking drugs and trashing rooms. Being homeless doesn’t mean you aren’t intelligent and have no dignity.
Soooo the hotel didn’t allow the person to stay because the hotel knows the person is from “the street”. And not because they have a local address. Does the hotel have a policy against providing rooms to people “from the street”? That seems to be the issue.
Also, did the charity do their due diligence making sure they contract with hotels that won’t turn away their beneficiaries. I have a feeling they often or at least sometimes don’t.
Hard to blame the hotel.
It's like in this country when "charities" (taxpayer money launderers) pull up with a bus full of illegal aliens who will ABSOLUTELY destroy your property costing you thousands in repairs before you can put those rooms back in service not the mention all of the other PAYING guests who will probably never stay with you again.
I've unknowingly stayed at Holiday Inn Express' etc. in NYC that were...
Hard to blame the hotel.
It's like in this country when "charities" (taxpayer money launderers) pull up with a bus full of illegal aliens who will ABSOLUTELY destroy your property costing you thousands in repairs before you can put those rooms back in service not the mention all of the other PAYING guests who will probably never stay with you again.
I've unknowingly stayed at Holiday Inn Express' etc. in NYC that were also accepting that sweet sweet cash from the city to be "in the program" and I can tell you as a guest that I will never stay at that those properties again.
There are shelters everywhere. They can go there. They "don't like" the shelters? Then they can check back into polite society, get a job and get along the way the rest of us do.
We each of individual, subjective biases and preferences, however, acting upon those could be prejudicial and discriminatory, which, whether in the UK or the US or anywhere, ain't 'great.' Instead of punching down all those who don't have homes, or who have other issues, maybe, take a more empathetic approach that you, too, someday, could be where they are, regardless of who you are, what you look or sound like, and what job or lack...
We each of individual, subjective biases and preferences, however, acting upon those could be prejudicial and discriminatory, which, whether in the UK or the US or anywhere, ain't 'great.' Instead of punching down all those who don't have homes, or who have other issues, maybe, take a more empathetic approach that you, too, someday, could be where they are, regardless of who you are, what you look or sound like, and what job or lack of job you have.
Or ignore all that noise... and bbbburn the witch!
Someone is drunk on the censervatove koolaid…
"They "don't like" the shelters? Then they can check back into polite society, get a job and get along the way the rest of us do."
Tell us you're a fake Xtian without telling us you're a fake Xtian.
so unprofessional from this charity organization. Almost as if staged in order to be able to blame the hotel industry and attract attention. And this poor fellow at the check in desk. What is he supposed to do? And he was even honest. And it also put the homeless people in a bad situation. The charity guys could have contacted hotel management beforehand and arranged a deal, or organize transportation to a homeless shelter etc.
That's EXACTLY what this stunt was.
What happened to 'all attention is good attention'... I'd never heard of this HIE in Manchester. Now, it's on the map, baybeee!
Enabling these “people” will not help the problem. There are plenty of homeless shelters this guy could have gone to.
100% agree. All of them just want handouts and free stuff. None of them even bother to ask for work or odd jobs. They reap what they sow.
Time for the outraged left to eat its words. Remember when they said private businesses can refuse entry to anyone? Particularly the unmasked and unvaxxed? Time for it to be for whoever they want.
No, they don’t just want handouts and free stuff.
"All of them just want handouts and free stuff."
AMEN! And free cellphones are like crack* to all of those people.
Keep them down, keep them out, and for God's sake, KEEP THEM INVISIBLE BECAUSE THEY MAKE OTHERS UNCOMFORTABLE!
*They get free crack from the libtards, too, I saw it on the internet.
What if all those shelters are full?
Whatever amount was paid for the room is not enough to cover the likelihood that homeless addict locks and barricades themself in, does enormous damage to the room, and possibly sets the hotel on fire. They need to avoid risk, glad to see them doing it.
Agreed!
Homeless people should all freeze to death, or find another way to die, and quickly, so they can't do enormous damage to the room, and possibly set the hotel on fire.
Here in the US, we had a Fox "News" host suggest that homeless people should just be executed by lethal injection. That would take care of the problem. (There was enormous blowback but he still has his job.)
While there should be no reason why homeless people can't be purchased a hotel room by charity, the bigger issue is that care for homeless should involve addressing and treating the reasons for homelessness on a year round basis.
There likely always will be a certain amount of homelessness which means there should be more homeless shelters
Well, Tim, since you're in the US, would you like to properly fund healthcare, including mental health services, and also ensure there's adequate, affordable housing, education, jobs, and other social safety nets in our society? Reminds me of the post-mass-shooting 'but, but mental health' quip, yet, you lot never wanna actually fund such programs. Sure, the UK has NHS, which isn't perfect, but it's better than nothing, and does provide some of those services (clearly...
Well, Tim, since you're in the US, would you like to properly fund healthcare, including mental health services, and also ensure there's adequate, affordable housing, education, jobs, and other social safety nets in our society? Reminds me of the post-mass-shooting 'but, but mental health' quip, yet, you lot never wanna actually fund such programs. Sure, the UK has NHS, which isn't perfect, but it's better than nothing, and does provide some of those services (clearly that wasn't enough for these guys). Or, should we just stick 'em all in for-profit prisons and 'camps'? That seems to be the US 'solution' per shadow president S. Miller. Doesn't seem like a good solution either. Who's making money off the status quo? Maybe we should start there.
Why should we pay more in taxes to support homeless hotels and such when 99% of the current funding is stolen by democrats and their aligned grifters. $9+ billion in Minnesota alone. And the California, New York, Illinois and California fraudsters make the Somali's in Minnesota look like amateurs. That would pay for a lot or rooms and nights and meals at the shelters.
One would think the bleeding hearts would be at the...
Why should we pay more in taxes to support homeless hotels and such when 99% of the current funding is stolen by democrats and their aligned grifters. $9+ billion in Minnesota alone. And the California, New York, Illinois and California fraudsters make the Somali's in Minnesota look like amateurs. That would pay for a lot or rooms and nights and meals at the shelters.
One would think the bleeding hearts would be at the forefront of eliminating the rampant fraud so the money can go to those in need, but the opposite is actually true, and their only solution is to throw even more $ to the grifters.
jcil gets it.
1990 lives in a world of make believe that even max can see.
It is a shame that charity - supported by everyday people - have to do what the government won't or can't because it so mismanages so many things.
it is actually non-profits that recognize better than the government that there are real reasons for homelessness including drug use and mental illness that need more than money thrown at...
jcil gets it.
1990 lives in a world of make believe that even max can see.
It is a shame that charity - supported by everyday people - have to do what the government won't or can't because it so mismanages so many things.
it is actually non-profits that recognize better than the government that there are real reasons for homelessness including drug use and mental illness that need more than money thrown at people to solve the problem - which is why non-profits including religious non-profits do a better job of helping people turn their lives around than government money.
and, no, the NHS isn't better than the health care system in the US which is extraordinarily expensive but provides top tier care for those that can afford it; there are lengthy waits for services in socialized health care including in the UK and Canada.
and, yes, governments waste too much money and have too little accountability compared to non-profits.
"Why should we pay more in taxes to support homeless hotels and such when 99% of the current funding is stolen by democrats and their aligned grifters. $9+ billion in Minnesota alone. And the California, New York, Illinois and California fraudsters make the Somali's in Minnesota look like amateurs."
LOL!
I love the smell of bullshit in the morning!
Wow, jcil you are a certified a$$hole who must watch the Holy Trinity of bullshit from Fox/OAN/Newsmax to spew that load of shit lies. Really, it’s only a Democratic problem and the MAGA Republicans are at the foot of the fiscally conservative cross? Look what you have going on with the uber rich getting tax breaks (example, Warren Buffet’s assistant pays more taxes on a percentage basis than he does) seem fair? The Orange Antichrist...
Wow, jcil you are a certified a$$hole who must watch the Holy Trinity of bullshit from Fox/OAN/Newsmax to spew that load of shit lies. Really, it’s only a Democratic problem and the MAGA Republicans are at the foot of the fiscally conservative cross? Look what you have going on with the uber rich getting tax breaks (example, Warren Buffet’s assistant pays more taxes on a percentage basis than he does) seem fair? The Orange Antichrist wants to increase the Defense Budget (oh wait, THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR) from $901B to $1.5 TRILLION, yes TRILLION. The Orange Antichrist wants to divert millions of tax dollars into Venezuela so he and his oil buddies can line their pockets. Do I need to go on with this MAGA administration mismanagement of taxpayer dollars? Where is his plan to come up with “the best” healthcare plan than the ACA? Many a two weeks have come and gone many times.
I am so FUCKING SICK AND TIRED of you MAGA assholes thinking everything that ails this country is the fault of the Democrats, immigrants, the homeless and any other human being that you just want to hate because you are told to or isn’t fucking white. So, let me borrow one of your lines IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT HERE, THEN FUCKING MOVE TO RUSSIA OR HUNGARY. AND I’LL BE READY TO HEAR THE NONSENSE REPLIES FROM ALL YOU MAGA FUCKS.
Now, let’s hope the censors don’t block this.
What’s more ridiculous and causing fury is that illegal immigrants coming over on small boats into Dover are welcomed with hotel rooms, meals, mobile phones and last seasons designer clothing and much more yet poor homeless individuals are treated like this.
Oh, lordy, this trope again.
Creditcrunch forgot to include 'eating the cats.. eating the dogs..' /s
Vivek is right; it's a tired old trope. Blaming brown folks for all our problems can only go so far. Gotta actually make things better for folks, otherwise, you're just a lying demagogue.
Say her name!!!!
Last season?? Oh my god, well at least all of us up-to-date with our LVMH purchases will identify immediately those scoundrels and scallywags in the equivalent of prison uniform: last season's colours!! "oh look at Mr bellbottoms over there he's clearly an immigrant no one would wear pantalones without a cinched waist"...what a to do!
Heavens above, before you know it, they will be begging on the street, but hiding their Rolls-Royce's around the corner...
...Last season?? Oh my god, well at least all of us up-to-date with our LVMH purchases will identify immediately those scoundrels and scallywags in the equivalent of prison uniform: last season's colours!! "oh look at Mr bellbottoms over there he's clearly an immigrant no one would wear pantalones without a cinched waist"...what a to do!
Heavens above, before you know it, they will be begging on the street, but hiding their Rolls-Royce's around the corner...
It's always peculiar when you have friends that do have a brain but come up with this sort of rage bait stuff... FYI when you get over 50 you have to start culling these people a bit like baby seals...
Now they've taken the fluoride out of the water because it was government mind control, I think they should pop in a little valium personally....
On a side note, I must commend the charity for going above and beyond to help these homeless people during this cold spurt around Europe (it’s happening everywhere). Makes me see that humanity still exist in this day when being homeless is a crime in many western countries