Hi All,
This is a follow up to my trip in June 2022, were we drove from Florida to NJ with a two night stay in hotels. I am a quad and we travel with a hoyer lift. We did our do diligence and called all the hotels directly to insure that the bed in the accessible room was on a frame and not a platform. The trip up was not a problem, returning was a nightmare. On the road the first day, to be sure we call the hotel to double check that the bed is on a frame, they insure us that it is. After driving nearly six hours we arrive only to find out that all beds are on platforms. We had to drive another hour to find a hotel that I could stay in, and that was because they had a sofa bed that the hoyer could roll under. A sofa bed is the worst thing to sleep on, but had no other choice. The next day on our drive south we are booked at a Marriott in Savannah. Now we already called them when we booked the night and they told us the bed was on a frame. Just to be safe we call them again, this time they tell us that all beds are on platforms. We ask them if they would go check the room to be sure, bed is on a platform. So we drove strait through to our next stop in Orlando, a Hyatt. Our original room, the bed was on a platform but they did have another accessible room with a regular frame.
When we got home a few days later I was so aggravated that I called the Justice Department to file an ADA Complaint. They told me I could do it on line but I could not just file it against Marriott, I would have to file against the hotel were the incident occurred, which I did in August of 2022. In December I got an email from the Justice Department saying that they have reviewed my case, and was I willing to agree to mediation to settle the matter. I agreed and in January 2023 met via Zoom with the manager of that Marriott Hotel, the Regional Director of Operations and the Mediator. They agreed to take all the beds in the accessible rooms off the platforms and back onto bed frames. They showed me photos of the rooms as proof that they complied after they had finished.
In February I wrote a letter to the CEO of Marriott International making them aware of the problem, and showing them the Justice Departments settlement agreement with the one Marriott property. I said this is only a drop in the bucket, this is only one hotel. The problem is with the vast majority of Marriott Properties. I also told them that I was planning the same trip again this June and I will be filing a complaint with the Justice Department against every hotel I have a problem at.
On March 25th I received a phone call from Marriott International to say that they received my letter, they assured me that they are aware of the problem and are working to make changes to the accessible rooms in all their properties, but it will take a little time. She told me that she would personally make the reservations for me on my trip in June. I thanked her. We will see, at least people are aware, and hopefully changes are coming soon. I will update again after my next trip.
This is a follow up to my trip in June 2022, were we drove from Florida to NJ with a two night stay in hotels. I am a quad and we travel with a hoyer lift. We did our do diligence and called all the hotels directly to insure that the bed in the accessible room was on a frame and not a platform. The trip up was not a problem, returning was a nightmare. On the road the first day, to be sure we call the hotel to double check that the bed is on a frame, they insure us that it is. After driving nearly six hours we arrive only to find out that all beds are on platforms. We had to drive another hour to find a hotel that I could stay in, and that was because they had a sofa bed that the hoyer could roll under. A sofa bed is the worst thing to sleep on, but had no other choice. The next day on our drive south we are booked at a Marriott in Savannah. Now we already called them when we booked the night and they told us the bed was on a frame. Just to be safe we call them again, this time they tell us that all beds are on platforms. We ask them if they would go check the room to be sure, bed is on a platform. So we drove strait through to our next stop in Orlando, a Hyatt. Our original room, the bed was on a platform but they did have another accessible room with a regular frame.
When we got home a few days later I was so aggravated that I called the Justice Department to file an ADA Complaint. They told me I could do it on line but I could not just file it against Marriott, I would have to file against the hotel were the incident occurred, which I did in August of 2022. In December I got an email from the Justice Department saying that they have reviewed my case, and was I willing to agree to mediation to settle the matter. I agreed and in January 2023 met via Zoom with the manager of that Marriott Hotel, the Regional Director of Operations and the Mediator. They agreed to take all the beds in the accessible rooms off the platforms and back onto bed frames. They showed me photos of the rooms as proof that they complied after they had finished.
In February I wrote a letter to the CEO of Marriott International making them aware of the problem, and showing them the Justice Departments settlement agreement with the one Marriott property. I said this is only a drop in the bucket, this is only one hotel. The problem is with the vast majority of Marriott Properties. I also told them that I was planning the same trip again this June and I will be filing a complaint with the Justice Department against every hotel I have a problem at.
On March 25th I received a phone call from Marriott International to say that they received my letter, they assured me that they are aware of the problem and are working to make changes to the accessible rooms in all their properties, but it will take a little time. She told me that she would personally make the reservations for me on my trip in June. I thanked her. We will see, at least people are aware, and hopefully changes are coming soon. I will update again after my next trip.
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