MINORITY GUEST ARE NOT WELCOME
I am a Border Patrol Agent detailed to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Artesia, NM. Since 02/24/2007 I have been staying in the Holiday Inn Express at Roswell as a government employee as a long-term guest.
On 06/06/07 I received a letter from hotel management stating that government guest rate will be increased on their executive suites starting on 06/25/07 and their long term stay policy for housekeeping will be limited to once a week for deep cleaning, towel exchange and sheet change will be on Mondays and Fridays and parking is limited to one space per occupied room.
On 06/25/07 I noticed that my room was not cleaned. I brought this to issue to the front desk. On 06/26/07 I came into my room and the room was not cleaned either.
On 06/20/07 I called the assistant manager and mentioned that my room was not being cleaned and that I was getting allergies and body rash due to room conditions. She replied that hotel long-term policy had been changed and she could not do anything about it. I asked the assistant manager to speak to the hotel manager. I had a telephone conversation with the hotel manager Jill Cleveland I explained that my room had not been cleaned for several days; there was trash, insects and no clean towels. She said that according to the owner he recently changed the hotel policy and the only way I could get my room serviced everyday was if I paid the full rate of $120.00 per night.
Immediately after our conversation I called Holiday Inn Guest Relations Service and filed a complaint.
On 06/28/07 I had a personal conversation with Patrick Shelley owner of the Holiday Inn Express, Roswell NM. I was wearing my Border Patrol uniform and extended my hand for a handshake and in front of his front desk employee Fabian and customers Mr. Shelley refused to greet or extend his hand for a hand shake and put his hands on his lower back.
I asked Mr. Shelley why my room and the other government employees’ rooms were not being cleaned. Mr. Shelley stated that he was running his hotel as a Holiday Inn Suites and that Holiday Inn Suites only get their room deep clean once per week. At that moment I corrected him and explained that I was not staying at any Holiday Inn Suites and that the hotel neon sign says Holiday Inn Express and that he was not complying with U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) regulations and Holiday Inn Express policies.
Mr. Shelley stated that starting the following day my room was going to be cleaned everyday. I asked him about my co-workers room situation and he told me not to worry about them that they were not my concern and only to worry about myself. Mr. Shelley said that I did not know how to run a hotel business and that he was going to take care of me. He said that I was the only agent complaining about the rooms not being cleaned.
After our conversation Mr. Shelley told me that he instructed his hotel staff not to have any contact with me. Also that I was to refer any personal questions to him personally.
I strongly feel that Mr. Shelley discriminated me and other minority agents because of their skin color and race ethnicity. Anglo agents got their rooms deep cleaned during the same period. Mr. Shelley was charging the federal government the rate increase for services not rendered. In other words, Mr. Shelley was forcing agents to pay full rate and not granting the government rate so the agents could get their room service. Also, management told housekeeping employees not to service federal employees rooms.
As a minimum I request the Holiday Inn Roswell to a full refund to the federal government for services not rendered on such dates. I would appreciate if Intercontinental Hotel Group take immediately actions and investigates these deceptive and discriminatory issues.
