grandma, granddaughter kicked out of GA hotel at night by cops after leaving negative hotel review

[Demovictory9]

A grandmother and her granddaughter were kicked out of the Baymont Inn & Suites in Helen, Georgia after leaving a negative hotel review on a third-party website.

When Hotels.com asked Susan Leger, to leave a hotel she had no idea that it would lead to the police being called followed by getting kicked out.

Leger gave the hotel three out of five stars, writing to Hotel.com that the accommodation was rundown, pools were not open, and that the toilet didn’t flush well.

She then got a call at 8:40 p.m. from the hotel manager that she would be kicked out of her hotel room, 11 Alive reports.

“This guy is on my cell phone ranting at me, and he said that he’s kicking me out,” Leger said. “He’s called the police, and I have to leave the room.”

-------------------

Moments after the call from the hotel manager, an officer from Helen Police Department showed up at Leger’s hotel door to escort her out.

“They can truly kick me out in the middle of the night, from a hotel for giving a review of three and five?” Leger asked the police officer. “And he says, ‘yes, ma’am. It’s within the law.’

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/police-called-on-grandmother-and-granddaughter-after-leaving-negative-hotel-review/ar-AAR2Ncf

[denbot]

1. The Republican version of "Freedom of Speech"

It's power over others to some.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. Which was the Republican in this story? And it is breach of contract. Her free speech was not touchd

Her right to free speech was not infringed upon by the government. Or by the website. Or by the hotel.

Her contract was broken by the hotel for no good cause. In other words, her behaviour did not disturb other guests or damage the premises.

[denbot]

26. So her free speech wasn't punished by an organ of the PTB?

She spoke out and was punished using what is essentially the government security force. But I guess my take on things differ from yours.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. The police probably got false claims by the hotel as to the cause. But they should not have been inv

The police should not have been involved, I think. But I'm not going to get that deep into looking into the precise details.

[orleans]

2. "it's within the law?" what fucking law is that?

maybe i should read the article

[unblock]

6. Generally, businesses can refuse any particular customer

Provided it doesn't discriminate based on race, etc.

This may vary from state to state and there may be specific laws regarding lodging.

Of course, businesses usually only do this for really disruptive or violent customers....

My hunch is that the customer complained too often and the manager didn't want to deal with it so they just kicked them out. The bad review probably had nothing directly to do with it. Just makes a better headline, I guess.

[regnaD kciN]

9. Ummm...

My hunch is that the customer complained too often and the manager didn't want to deal with it so they just kicked them out.

If you read the story, you'll find that the manager initially claimed the customer's objectionable behavior consisted in leaving a bad review without first reporting the problems to him so that he could correct them. Two months later, he changed the story to where she supposedly reported the problems too often. Do I smell the aroma of, shall we say, bovine manure about his claims?

[unblock]

37. Exactly, lying one way or another

Hard to know which version is closer to the truth. But to me, the second version is more plausible. Customer is a hassle to deal with, always making me work work work , screw it I'll just kick em out. Then lie, gosh, I just had no idea there was anything wrong I would have gladly fixed the problem but they never called not even once!

Hmm, if they never complained, they wouldn't have been on your radar screen to check for bad reviews. And a bad review probably wouldn't have pissed you off enough to kick them out.

Nah, I think the customer called and complained a few times during the managers favorite tv show or whatever and They wanted to get rid of them but they didn't think the truth looked good so they lied to say gosh, no, I'm not lazy and nothing wrong with this place that can't be fixed

[karynnj]

43. Many hotels, restaurants etc respond to reviews - most often to say Thank you

I have seen polite push back from them on bad reviews as well. I wonder if the "owner" of the place being rated gets an alert when they get a review.

[Renew Deal]

16. It doesn't mean it's written in law.

It means it’s legal to do so.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Businesses can choose to not do business w someone if it is not based on race, religion, etc

But I think she would have a case that an agreement to house her for the night is a contract. And that a bad review does not rise to the level of behaviour breaking the contract.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. I'm with you. I think the hotel broke contract law. . . . nt

[Klaralven]

25. Georgia law

Georgia has a special law requiring sufficient notice to hotel guests before kicking them out, which can be no shorter than the time for which they’ve already paid. However, there is an exception to the law allowing hotels to expel a guest for “cause, such as failure to pay sums due, failure to abide by rules of occupancy, failure to have or maintain reservations, or other action by a guest.”

That “other action by a guest” is the catch. Because it’s so vague, a guest can be kicked out for any reason, including a negative review.

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/investigations/the-reveal/hotel-calls-police-grandma-bad-review/85-377e243e-f05c-46e9-85f7-8a0748c7b71d

[fescuerescue]

61. It's unethical. But I don't see why it would be illegal

In all 50 states, a hotel can terminate the stay at any time. For almost any reasons. (except things like age, sex, race etc)

And that's just it. There is no law that says the hotel can't do this.

[SheltieLover]

3. Plantation mentality!

[PJMcK]

4. Hope the grandmother and girl got another room for the night

Wait until you you get home before posting any reviews online, I guess.

[regnaD kciN]

10. The story says that the police officer found them another room at a competing hotel...

[PJMcK]

11. Thanks!

I'm skimming headlines fighting my insomnia.

Happy Thanksgiving, regna!

[denbot]

27. That make it all good..

They only had to pay twice for a room. Win win...

[PJMcK]

30. Nah, their online service rebated the cost of the first motel

Apparently, the cop helped them find other lodging. All I meant was that I hoped the grandmother and girl were safe for the night.

Happy Thanksgiving, debot.

[denbot]

32. Cool, at least that went their way.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours PJMcK.

[PJMcK]

40. Hotels.com and Expedia usually come through

This story stinks from top to bottom. I speculate that the grandmother MAY have been a bit Karen-ish with the motel manager but his actions in calling law enforcement were indefensible.

Regardless, the online services almost always come through. We've had several run-ins with hotels and the online service always credited our account (eventually).

I guess the cheap prices we get online have a cost after all.

[iemanja]

57. Maybe the manager was the Karen?

Everything points to his being an ahole. Why does everyone assume the woman is lying?

[MrsCoffee]

59. She was just responding to Hotel.com asking how her fucking room was.

The hotel manager is a piece of shit.

This automatically labeling women as Karen’s for having an opinion is absurd. Women aren’t some collective herd of hysteria.

[PJMcK]

64. There was more to the story

The grandmother is said to have made multiple rude calls to the manager which is probably what (unreasonably) set him off.

Who knows? We weren't there. However, I wasn't implying that the grandmother was immediately at fault, simply that we don't know the totality of the story. I'm sorry if that was unclear.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mrs.Coffee.

[Arkansas Granny]

21. I hope she was able to edit her review or leave a new one

to tell what happened.

[KT2000]

5. If that picture was the hotel

it looks awful. The hotel did not refund the money but Hotels.com did because of the media attention.

[delisen]

7. I will not go to HELEN GA.

Nothing there worth risking a child’s safety.

[ShazzieB]

12. That place sounds more like

Hell in Georgia!

[Hortensis]

48. :) Maybe a wise decision. Although there's nothing in the story

to suggest the room the child was tossed out of wasn't on the ground floor, best to not take chances.

[fescuerescue]

62. It wasn't the town. It was the hotel

[Grokenstein]

8. (In-flight airline passenger reads article) "Uhhhh, maybe I'll wait."

[regnaD kciN]

13. It looks like Hotels.com is no longer listing that establishment...

[markpkessinger]

14. A best practice would probably be . . .

. . . to wait until after you've checked out of a hotel before leaving a negative review.

[Sherman A1]

19. Agreed

Anything before that you bring to the attention of the front desk and give them a chance to fix it. Nevertheless the action by a inn keeper was inappropriate and the franchise should pull their association with this owner immediately.

[hlthe2b]

23. It would never occur to me to do so BEFORE I LEFT...

???

[MrsCoffee]

60. She was prompted by Hotels.com asking how the room was.

Just sayin.

[malaise]

15. I hoe she sues them

She paid for that accommodation

[captain queeg]

22. I don't see how the hotel could do that without refunding her money

Assuming she’d already paid for the night. I’ve seen much worse reviews given on those sites. I don’t always read them and to tell the truth if there are not many one star reviews I tend to ignore them, some people just are never satisfied. A three would make me likely to believe whatever is said. That reminds me, I have to go back and review my last hotel stay. The place was fine, but they charged a $100 safety deposit. A lot of places do. But I don’t think they’ve run my card in advance before, it’s just in case so this place did charge me and when I left the guy went up to check the room came back and said it was fine and I’d see a refund in 2-3 days. Just have never seen that before so I have to check my CC and make sure I got it (he didn’t give me anything in writing). I checked and did get the refund

[maxrandb]

24. Sigh...I feel compelled to inquire as to the grandmother's race. NT

[Hugin]

34. Take it from me...

All you need is a name suggesting that you are anything other than Wonder Bread to get the bum rush.

[onenote]

54. Her name is Susan Leger

Seems pretty white bread to me

And the manager’s name is Danny Vyas. Pictures at post 44

[Hugin]

58. I was speaking from personal experience.

Not about this specific case.

I've run into the name ism my entire life. The only amusing part about it is when the perps see I'm not what they thought I was based on a name. A gift from my parents.

Okay, so this case was sexism. Just another ism.

[onenote]

52. See post 44

[Baitball Blogger]

29. Three stars seems too high.

[Irish_Dem]

42. Yep. Way too high.

Zero stars quite appropriate.

[Hugin]

31. Pro tip: Yelp them from space.

Especially, the proud patriot veteran owned small town variety.

I don't let the rating services off the hook. If they were sincere about improving things. They would all have a division dedicated to following up poor reviews. (I'm not sure I consider a 3 out of 5 as a poor review as it is above average.)

After the issues in the review are either confirmed or corrected. The review should be left as is or updated. But, that would involve some expense and effort on the part of the rating companies. Who survive on all of the free content and no effort. So, it will never happen.

[TheBlackAdder]

33. Yes, Yelp them from Space. . . and include photos, if you can so it reinforces the claim.

.

We one stayed at a GA chain motor lodge that had a 5-star AAA rating.

The place was a freakin' roach motel with sticky bedspreads, moldy bathrooms, and wasn't properly cleaned.

Then, they advertised a 'Continental Breakfast.' Ir was a 2' square table with a Mr. Coffee coffee maker with burnt coffee and a box of generic doughnuts.


We called AAA and that 5-star was pulled.

.

[Hugin]

35. AAA is good to have in your corner

Maybe that's why they've been around for so long.

[Hugin]

36. Photos are a terrific suggestion.

It allows the establishment to post a rebuttal on these unmoderated rating sites. Which accomplishes many things, including that they listen and respond to critics.

Because, sometimes you've just got to say something!

Haha! Continental Breakfast! That's a good one.

My worst experience involved a stay after recent flooding (the high water mark recorded on the walls) and having to rest my feet on my shoes until I swung my legs up onto the mattress.

Moving was not an option as it was a contract gig.

I forgave them because the fried catfish dinner was a nice touch.

[PJMcK]

41. Yelp them from orbit

It's the only way to be sure.

(wink)

[ecstatic]

39. Oh hell no. But it looks like the motel sealed their own fate with this one

Their thin skinned management and shitty service is now a national story. In a small country town like Helen, you definitely can't afford that type of attention.

[dalton99a]

44. Kick

[ProfessorGAC]

45. Is That 2nd Pic The Room?

If so, the place looks like a dump.
I've stayed in Red Roof Inns that look like the Waldorf, compared to that.

[Hugin]

46. I believe all of them except that view.

Second pillow? Upgrade! That'll cost you.

[ProfessorGAC]

47. Leaning Your Way

Looks like no sheets or blankets either.
The outside shot doesn't match up with the 1972 Soviet hotel look in that picture.

[Demovictory9]

49. lol.. "master of the house... extra for looking in mirror twice".

[LeftInTX]

51. I call BS

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35004-d79732-Reviews-Baymont_by_Wyndham_Helen-Helen_Georgia.html#/media/79732/341743145:p/?albumid=101&type=0&category=101

Interior looks a bit dated etc, but nothing like that awful pic

I stay in cheap places myself, cuz I'm cheap.

[ProfessorGAC]

65. I'm In!

As in my reply to another, the exterior shot doesn't match the interior shot.
That picture looks like a hotel in Moscow in 1972.

[LeftInTX]

50. I would have simply left.

You couldn't PAY me to stay at a place like that!

[onenote]

53. They had prepaid for the room

[LeftInTX]

55. I still would have left!

Last edited Thu Nov 25, 2021, 01:09 AM - Edit history (1)

IF the room looked like that.

However I found actual images at Trip Advisor.

They did not look like that

[LeftInTX]

56. Video

[Demovictory9]

63. wow... Danny Vyas can't keep his lies straight. thanks for posting this