My friend and I, both young women traveling alone, arrived around 3am after a 10-hour drive. We were exhausted and vulnerable, and specifically chose this hotel for its dog-friendly policy and the promise of a safe place to rest.
Instead, we were met by a man in an unmarked Malibu, who we later found out was a security guard. His presence alone felt intimidating, and his immediate hostility only heightened our fear. Rather than calmly assisting us as we tried to gather our anxious dogs, he followed me, berating me about how I should “control my animals” and how he takes better care of his dogs.
Inside the lobby, he continued to escalate the situation—going behind the front desk and arguing with me as I tried to explain how uncomfortable and unsafe I felt. The front desk staff dismissed our concerns and sided with the guard, despite me clearly expressing how threatened we felt as two young women alone at 3am. Knowing both men were aware of our room number made it extremely difficult to feel safe.
We paid for a secure, welcoming environment and instead received judgment, hostility, and fear. When I went to the front desk seeking customer support the morning after my stay the woman, Angelina, defended “Don” and the security guard, “Charlie.” Rather than offering help, she stated something along the lines that she heard a different story and that she can’t imagine either of them to treating a guest like that although. Again I was met with invalidation and a lack of customer care.