I booked a room months in advance for a concert and called the hotel a day before to ask about early check-in. The day before one staff member said to check back at 1 p.m tomorrow, while another insisted on day-of early check-in cost a fee or else it wasn’t possible.
I arrived early day-of and as directed on the Hilton app, I confirmed my ID and credit card, and then waited patiently in the lobby until after the guaranteed 3 p.m. check-in time. Despite seeing other guests receive rooms, I was not notified. At 3:10 p.m., when inquiring again, the front desk staff seemed confused and without explaining anything, asked for a supervisor, later identified as Gabe. He asks for my ID and card again, and let him know I checked-in on the app and just needed my digital key, and he says: “Buddy, do you want me to help you or what?”
Despite the tension, got my keys and went to my room. Shortly after, Gabe called my room to inform me that management had decided to cancel the reservation and evict us for allegedly making staff feel “threatened,” despite no raised voices or inappropriate behavior from us. My wife went downstairs to plead our case and was only able to resolve it after stressing that I was a Type 1 diabetic and needed to refrigerate insulin, and that we wouldn't file a complaint.
What a way to ruin a night and weekend. Gabe gave conflicting stories about his position (claiming to be both “new” and the “operations manager”), and I fear he did this so we wouldn't complain.