AVOID THIS HOTEL -- A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE FROM START TO FINISH
Our family stayed at the Dorr Hotel this past Friday through Sunday, with four rooms booked for our family. We were traveling together after the devastating loss of my mother just one month earlier. This trip was supposed to give our family a chance to grieve together, relax, and unwind. Instead, our stay became an incredibly stressful and upsetting experience.
We also traveled with our dog, who is an approved service animal. The hotel itself was extremely noisy, with doors constantly slamming and walls so thin that every noise seemed to carry directly into the room. Our dog became anxious and started barking. We were actively working with her and trying to calm her down.
That is when things took an unbelievable turn.
I received a call from James, the General Manager, who accused me of leaving the dog unattended simply because I didn't answer the room phone. In reality, I was outside with the dog trying to calm her down. When I explained this, rather than showing any understanding, he told me that I "should know the rules" and said that "something doesn't seem right." He warned that if there were more complaints, "that would be it."
From that point on, we felt like we were being watched and treated as though we were doing something wrong. Instead of being able to enjoy a family trip during an already incredibly difficult time, we were in straight panic mode, worried about what would happen next.
Then came Sunday morning.
As I was checking out, while the rest of my family was waiting in the lobby, I was greeted by a police officer who told me I supposedly refused to leave. I had never been asked to leave. I was simply getting coffee and a muffin. We provided our identification and explained what had happened. We were not arrested, ticketed, or charged with anything.
What was particularly telling was that the officer went back inside the hotel afterward and appeared visibly frustrated with the hotel staff. Whatever prompted the hotel to involve the police, it was an absolutely unnecessary and intimidating way to treat paying guests.
I left my name and number for the owner to contact me. When I didn't hear back, I called the hotel myself. I asked to speak with the owner. The manager repeatedly asked, "How can I help you?" I again explained that I wanted to speak with the owner. Then there was an uncomfortable silence. I finally had to point out that this would normally be the part where someone takes my name and number and passes along the message.
The entire experience was bizarre.
The hotel itself
Location: Good.
Cleanliness: The room was clean overall, although my brother discovered a large black hair on the bed immediately after check-in.
Sleep: Terrible. The constant door slamming and extremely thin walls made it difficult to relax and contributed to our dog's anxiety.
Breakfast: Think gas-station muffins, yogurt, and coffee. Nothing particularly impressive.
Dining: No meaningful dining option in the hotel that I recall.
The worst part, however, wasn't the breakfast, the hair, or even the paper-thin walls. It was the way we were treated by management.
James was aggressive and rude, and the entire situation made our grieving family feel completely unwelcome. We came here hoping for a peaceful family weekend during an incredibly difficult period in our lives. Instead, we left feeling stressed, scrutinized, and eager to get out.
A hotel should make its guests feel welcome and safe--not make them feel like they are a problem for being there.
Based on our experience, we would not stay here again and would strongly encourage others to consider other options. read more