Category Archives: Guest Issues

by | May 21, 2011 · 7:51 am

Hotel Industry Employee Security Risks: Arrest Of IMF Executive For Sexual Assault On Housekeeper Highlights Potential Dangers As Security Personnel Layoffs Leave Staff Vulnerable

“…Hotel housekeepers say they often feel a twinge of fear when they slide the key card, turn the door handle and step into a room to clean it. What will they find?…”

“…Many more (incidents) are hushed up, labor groups say, because the victims are illegal immigrants or because hotels are wary of scaring off guests. Many hotels laid off security staff during the recession, leaving workers even more vulnerable…”

For Argelia Rico, it was a naked man who touched himself as he ogled her. For Kimberly Phillips, it was a pair of dogs that tore into her leg.

Last week the former head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was charged with chasing a housekeeper around his $3,000-a-night penthouse suite and forcing her to perform oral sex on him at the Sofitel hotel in New York.

Labor groups and hotel housekeepers have reported at least 10 other such incidents in the United States in recent years, from Gaithersburg to remote Grand Island, Neb.

“It’s dangerous work,” said Yazmin Vazquez, who works at a hotel in downtown Chicago. “These customers think they can use us for anything they want, because we don’t have the power that they have or the money that they have.”

For more:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-wake-of-strauss-kahn-arrest-hotel-housekeepers-say-jobs-often-make-them-wary/2011/05/21/AFIe6j8G_story.html

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by | May 18, 2011 · 6:58 pm

Hotel Industry Video Surveillance Issues: San Francisco Hotel Video Tapes Are Central In High Profile Court Case Implicating Police Officers In "Illegal Search And Seizure" Charges (Video)

A San Francisco police officer accused of stealing items from a man’s residential hotel room following a drug arrest has been captured on video in a second incident, appearing to leave a residence at the Julian Hotel with property never booked into evidence.

The video, released Tuesday, May 17, by San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, comes less than a week after Adachi released surveillance footage documenting a similar incident on Dec. 30 at the Jefferson Hotel.

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0pnz670Nj0&feature=player_embedded]

The new footage stems from a Feb. 25, 2011, illegal search and drug arrest by Mission Station officers Ricardo Guerrero, Reynaldo Vargas, Jacob Fegan, Christopher Servat and Adam Kujath. Guerrero, Vargas and Fegan were also involved in the Jefferson Hotel incident.

In the most recent video, officers can be seen walking into the building empty-handed. However, Guerrero is later seen leaving with property that appears to be consistent with a laptop inside a bag, which was confirmed missing from the room later that day along with a camera. Vargas is carrying a second bag containing unknown items. Neither bag was booked into evidence.

Officers arrested resident Jesus “Jessie” Reyes, 64, for possession for sale of methamphetamine. Prosecutors dropped the charges against Reyes May 4 after Guerrero failed to show up to testify despite a subpoena. Reyes had never before been arrested, said his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Cindy Elias.

For more:  http://sfbayview.com/2011/more-videos-reveal-illegal-searches-theft-brutality-by-sfpd/

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by | May 17, 2011 · 3:02 pm

Hospitality Industry Risk Solutions: "P3 Hospitality Risk Report" On "Special Packages" Provides Important Information To Hotel Management (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQJVtyo1i0c&feature=youtu.be&hd=1]

Petra Risk Solutions’ Director of Risk Management, Todd Seiders , offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report – ‘Special Packages’. 

P3 ( Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America ’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.

  For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.

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by | May 16, 2011 · 6:30 pm

Hospitality Industry Pool And Spa Risks: Family Of Man Who Drowned After Being "Sucked Into Hotel Whirlpool Drain" Sues For "Negligence, Emotional Distress And False Imprisonment"

The family of a man who met a bizarre and tragic end by being sucked into a jacuzzi at a Bahamian resort is suing the hotel for negligence, emotional distress and false imprisonment.

There was no emergency shut off button nearby and other guests tried in vain to save him.

‘No Sandals employees were either trained or willing to provide CPR for the 45 minutes or more that transpired before an ambulance arrived.’

John Van Hoy Jr, 33, died on December 28, 2010 after he was sucked into the drain of the hotel’s whirlpool and drowned while workers allegedly ignored his fiancée’s cries for help. His family are suing the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort, its American-based marketing firm, and the companies that built or supplied parts for the whirlpool.

According to Courthouse News Service, Mr Van Hoy was ‘in excellent shape, and could bench press over 300 pounds’, but when he dunked his body underwater he got caught in the whirlpool’s suction drain and could not free himself. His fiancée was said to be relaxing nearby when she noticed he did not come up for air.

She screamed for help, then jumped into the pool to try and save him herself after she claims that staff ignored her, but she was unsuccessful. The suit says: ‘Nicole Cleaveland then sought the help of a Royal Bahamian employee who ignored her pleas for help and walked away.’

When he was finally freed, the suit says that it took an ambulance 45 minutes to arrive and there was no one on site to administer CPR on Mr Van Hoy.

He was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital. According to Miami New Times, the complaint also alleges that after the death, the phone was removed from Miss Cleaveland’s room, and that she was interrogated by hotel staffers who tried to get her to admit that either she or Mr Van Hoy was responsible for his death.

The complaint says: ‘In the final moments of his life, John Van Hoy Jr experienced unimaginable conscious terror and utter foreboding doom – all of which was exacerbated by him knowing that his [fiancée’s] efforts to save him had failed.’

The family are seeking damages for negligence, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment and product liability.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1387854/Family-man-fatally-sucked-hotel-jacuzzi-sues-resort.html#ixzz1McV9LT36

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by | May 13, 2011 · 8:11 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Kentucky Hotels "Annual Inspection Reports" Are Now Posted "Online" With Scores And Violations Easily Accessed

Scores from annual inspections of more than 70 Northern Kentucky hotels and motels can now be found online.

Information on the inspection process, along with the scores, can be viewed on the Northern Kentucky Health Department’s website.

CLICK ON "INSPECTIONS" TO VIEW ONLINE INSPECTION REPORTS

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by | May 9, 2011 · 10:31 am

Hospitality Industry Pool Illness Risks: Budget Deficits Risk Shutdown Of State-Run "Public Pool And Spa Inspection Programs" Putting Guests At Risk And Raising Insurance Premiums

“…it’s important that pool operators and owners of public pools in this state know that there is someone looking over their shoulder, however benign that eye may be…”

The lone state inspector, Tim Wilson, also reviews construction plans and educating operators, builders and others in the industry on the federal law, intended to prevent injury and death from improperly installed drains.

“…South Carolina considered shutting down its program several years ago because of budget problems, but the hotel and motel industry pushed to keep it to avoid increased insurance costs…The state implemented fees to support the program..”

Resort owner Peter Spanos doesn’t support big government regulations but fears a proposal to eliminate New Hampshire’s public pool and spa inspection program will mean more pool-related illnesses in a state that receives 34 million visits annually. Spanos, owner of the Shalimar Resort on Lake Winnisquam in Tilton, said that wouldn’t be good for New Hampshire’s image or his business.

The House budget cut would save $139,000. Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas Burack said without the program, people would be at greater risk of gastric illnesses and lung, skin and eye infections. New Hampshire appears to be unique in using this budget-cutting measure, and some question whether it would tarnish the state’s reputation and hurt its $4 billion tourism industry.

New Hampshire inspects nearly 1,400 public pools and spas. In the last five years, the state reported 2,211 water quality violations; 313 bacterial and 725 safety, with 224 immediate closures. Manchester, Nashua, Bedford and Merrimack do their own inspections.

For more:  http://www2.wjtv.com/lifestyles/2011/may/08/cut-would-eliminate-nhs-pool-inspection-program-ar-1817932/

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by | May 8, 2011 · 6:51 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Privacy: Hotel Management Must Standardize Privacy Procedures For Entering, Cleaning And Inspecting Guest Rooms

“If someone has a couple of articles of clothes on the bed we will move them to make the bed…if they have expensive things on the bed – purses, electronics, cameras – we will not touch that bed.”

“…if there is something sensitive, like a closed wallet or laptop, a supervisor or manager will stand at the door for the employee’s safety…”

“…keep a log on what keys have been used on the room’s electronic doors…”

“…hotels’ insurance providers require police statements for incidents…have everyone write a written statement and sign and date it…”

While every chain hotel has a set corporate policy, each individual hotel may be less stringent and abiding for the guest’s benefit.

“According to Iowa law, we can enter a room anytime we want,” Jepsen said. Generally, hotel staff won’t enter a room if they don’t suspect something may be wrong in the room, Jepsen said. With extended-stay guests, who are staying 30-40 days, they are required to enter the room a minimum of twice a week. They mainly change the sheets and make sure garbage isn’t piling up, but also they make sure their equipment isn’t damaged. By the end of 30 days, a mattress could be ruined or the guest could be smoking in the room, Jepsen said.

There are other reasons for entering a guest’s room. “There have been instances where guests put their ‘do not disturb’ sign up but they may have a medical issue,” said King. “It could go unnoticed for long periods of time.”

“In the back of our mind, we always know what our rights are and what the rights of our guests are,” she said. “You can’t always have rules written in stone.”

Protection exists for both the hotel and the guests. Country Inn & Suites and AmericInn, like most hotels, have video surveillance systems. Both also keep a log on what keys have been used on the room’s electronic doors.

With any serious crime, such as theft, the police are immediately contacted, Jepsen said. “If a guest reports a theft, it’s investigated to its fullest extent,” she said. This is also done because the hotels’ insurance providers require police statements for incidents.

“What I always do is I have everyone write a written statement and sign and date it,” Jepsen said.

For more:  http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/538926/Hotel-rules-protect-both-operator-and-guest.html?nav=5010

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by | May 7, 2011 · 7:21 am

Hospitality Industry Computer Data Risks: New Orleans Hotels Investigation Finds "Pubic Business Center" Computers Retain "Sensitive Information" In Temporary And Recycle Bin Folders

“…the Louisiana Technology Council says …many hotels make little or no attempt to protect your private information on their public PCs…in business centers…”

“That information will live on that computer until such time that it’s deleted,” said Lewis. “You and I both know that it’s really never deleted. It can be recovered and if someone comes in with software, they may be able to get that data off the PC.”

Eyewitness News sent an intern into about a dozen New Orleans area hotels to search for documents and other information left on public computers after the user logged off. Among the things we found: invoices; insurance papers; tickets to a show at the Lakefront Arena; a certificate from the Texas Department of Insurance and even someone’s monthly pay statement.

Most of the documents contained people’s names, addresses and other sensitive information about the user. “I was amazed that you were able to print out some very confidential and private information from a business center location,” said Lewis.

“If somebody wants to open up a new credit card and in this day and age of identity theft, having that kind of information out there is real frightening,” said attorney Daren Sarphie.

He says in March, the client got a disturbing phone call from a guest at the International House Hotel in downtown New Orleans. The guest told him all of the his private information, including Social Security number, birth date, home address and phone number was contained on a document stored on the hotel computer for all to see.

“The person that accessed, that found this file had just gone to hotel to book plane reservations to go back home to Dallas and in the process, he’s just playing around on the computer and he accessed this directory and is able to pull up all kinds of stuff, said Sarphie.

“You’d think that the hotels at least would have a system in place that they would erase the hard drive on a weekly basis or a daily basis to make sure there are no temporary files saved on that computer,” said Sarphie.

The information we found was easy to access on the computers. Most of it was stored in the PC’s temporary Internet files, saved in the documents folder or waiting to be deleted in the computer’s recycle bin.

The owner of the International House Hotel says it is his hotel policy to purge the public computer’s desk top of any documents and public files every 24-hours. But, he says it is a public computer and people need to be mindful to log out of personal accounts and delete personal documents before leaving the computer.

For more:  http://www.wwltv.com/news/Keeping-It-Safe-On-Hotel-Computers-121350324.html

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by | May 4, 2011 · 6:58 pm

Hospitality Industry Guest Payment Risks: Hotel Management Must Confirm Credit Card Payments At Check-In

“…A man is accused of staying at a Midtown hotel for a week and not paying his bill….and has been charged with theft of service…”

“…The owner of La Maison told investigators that Aragon gave her a credit card that was declined…”

 According to court documents, Aragon stayed at the La Maison in Midtown bed and breakfast from March 14 through March 21 and did not pay for his hotel room. The owner of La Maison told investigators that Aragon gave her a credit card that was declined. When the owner questioned Aragon, he told her that he was having a house built and that the builder would be taking care of the bill. The owner alleges Aragon left the hotel without paying the $1,675 bill.

Investigators say Aragon told them the builder was supposed to pay the bill and that there was some misunderstanding about the bill. Aragon said he had placed a money order in the mail and that the owner should have received it in the mail. The owner told investigators that she never received payment.

For more:  http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8111479

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by | May 1, 2011 · 8:38 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Maryland Hotel Guests Evacuated After Dangerous Levels Of Carbon Monoxide Are Generated By An "Improperly Functioning Pool Heater"

“…An improperly functioning pool heater was found to be generating the gas, and it was shut down…”

“…Monitoring equipment detected high levels of poisonous carbon monoxide gas in the air, prompting authorities to evacuate 30 motel occupants and take 11 of them to hospitals in Laurel and Columbia. All were released after evaluation…”

A Howard County motel was temporarily evacuated Saturday night after rescue personnel discovered high levels of potentially lethal carbon monoxide there, a county fire and rescue spokesman said.

Responders were called to the Sleep Inn on Second Street in North Laurel about 8:32 p.m. to check a report of a possible chemical leak, and found five children complaining of headaches and nausea, according to Battalion Chief Eric D. Proctor.

All the motel’s occupants were allowed to return to their rooms after the building was ventilated.

For more:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/bs-md-ho-motel-carbon-0501,0,3364397.story

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