Anyone Else See This On FB?

[Dory1988]

ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-826217

I doubt we'll ever stay at a Best Western again.

[MrsAggie]

That is horrendous! I want to cry just reading it.

[Dory1988]

It irks me most that they haven't AT LEAST given him his money back. I mean, that surely cannot make up for what they did or failed to do thus far but it's better than some lame apology that means squat.

[Dory1988]

End result is he wasn't given the help he needed. Even if he was a jerk about it I'd be mad but, I'm in a field where I have to be nice to everyone even if they're being a dick (and technically that's what you're taught in customer service) so, I would be mad if all I had read was "a disabled man was made to crawl down the stairs at a Best Western." That's just not how you treat people in my world.

[Dumbledork]

I'm with Stan. When I read the phone exchange my first thought was the Anchorman line, "Well that escalated quickly." It just jumped to cussing rather quickly. Maybe she chuckled at the extreme turn in the conversation? Or out of nerves?

It doesn't excuse it and she should have tried to find a way to help him, but I'd like to see a more rounded article on it.

[bettydraper]

Article/phone convo wording aside, he was on the 3rd floor with no way to get down. There isn't just one person working at a hotel during the day. There are housekeeping, maintenace and probably obliging guests that would have been willing to help. The fact that no one was willing to assist him is what gets me.

[kcd0531]

I'm not trained in this type of thing but:

I thought it was standard practice to place people with wheelchairs or similar physical limitations in ground level rooms for accessibility?

The whole point where the power was out seems to have gone over the heads of the general reader. I, too, would love to know the tone of how the whole conversation went down. Plus, it did mention that they reached out to the guy - I don't really think that they owe the public in general full disclosure of how it was resolved. Perhaps it would be good PR to show that they went above and beyond to rectify the situation but that's their call.

[JakJak]

That's disgusting. I really hope that there's more to this story

[brandienee]

Aug 9, 2012 14:55:21 GMT -5 kcd0531 said:

I'm not trained in this type of thing but:

I thought it was standard practice to place people with wheelchairs or similar physical limitations in ground level rooms for accessibility?

Right?

This was how it worked when I worked as a housekeeper.

[amaristella]

Aug 9, 2012 14:55:21 GMT -5 kcd0531 said:

I'm not trained in this type of thing but:

I thought it was standard practice to place people with wheelchairs or similar physical limitations in ground level rooms for accessibility?

That's a great point and makes me wonder what happened there. I mean, I've even seen hotels that mostly put people with pets on the ground floor as well. I don't think I've ever not been on the ground floor when my pets were staying with me.

[audette]

Aug 10, 2012 20:04:32 GMT -5 amaristella said:

Aug 9, 2012 14:55:21 GMT -5 kcd0531 said:

I'm not trained in this type of thing but:

I thought it was standard practice to place people with wheelchairs or similar physical limitations in ground level rooms for accessibility?

That's a great point and makes me wonder what happened there. I mean, I've even seen hotels that mostly put people with pets on the ground floor as well. I don't think I've ever not been on the ground floor when my pets were staying with me.

Pure anecdote, but there is an obnoxiously loud dog in the room just down the hall from me. I'm on the 2nd floor.

Thankfully, there is enough separation between the dog's room and mine that he's not bothering me, but I feel bad for the folks in the rooms next to that dog.


Most of the hotels I book have a room option called "Accessible". It's an option along with getting a room with two queens , one king, or a suite, there will be mention of a king w/accessible. I think the rooms themselves have more elements to assist those with mobility issues. At least, the one time I ended up in one because it was the last open room at the hotel, it had a low-entry shower, and the room itself was laid out with space for a wheelchair to get around.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

I also ended up on a handicap accessible room when I stayed at the Navy Lodge a few years ago. One bed centered, sofa, wheelchair accessible shower, first floor. I was given the room because it was the last available but if someone is in a wheelchair they should know to ask for a HA room when they ar booking. OTOH, if someone shows up in a wheelchair, it should be automatic that they be given a room with accessibility without it having to be asked, whether one was booked or not. Fail on the hotel's part for putting him where he would not have ease of access on several levels.

Also, I find it hard to believe that she "chuckled" during this exchange. That is nonsensical. I remember being in the cab of a truck when I was in high school. We were the first vehicle after the last float of the homecoming parade so everyone in the school was near when the door of the cab opened, I fell out, somersaulted and broke my leg and ankle. I tried to get up but promptly fell again as I stepped on my broken ankle. All I could hear was the laughter in the background of what seemed to be everyone in school (remember, homecoming parade) and only one person came to help me. Just laughter in the background. It turns out that one girl did come out to help, there was one or two people laughing (probably because it was funny, they didn't realize I was hurt and they were probably rather shocked to have seen it and it was a reaction to shock as well as amusement) and there were about a hundred people standing in "holyshitwhatjusthappeneddidshefalloutofatruck?" shock. My impression of what happened was completely incorrect and out of proportion because of what I personally was feeling and going through, not what actually happened. And having been through that several times with a disabled spouse as well ("holyshitdidhejusthaveaseizure?" resulting in "I can never go to that school/store/whatever again because they'll remember." He dropped out of two colleges because of having seizures in class and not wanting to face classmates; we've not gone into stores because he'd had an aura and seizures, etc. Out-of-proportion remembrances and reactions based on emotions at the time resulting in fragmented or faulty memories, self-consciousness and misplaced anger and frustration.) I also assume that this person suffers from PTSD, anger issues and frustration at his disabilities when he was a "whole" person before (ex's words - he was "not whole" and "part of a person" based on his seizure disorder) Although if there is ANY truth to the story (and I assume there is) then BW should be reprimanded and this particular hotel sanctioned and the staff retrained.