On 6/29 I arrived at The Avid in Ocala Florida at 10:20 p.m. Upon arriving after a 7-hour drive with my dog, I was met with hostility and disrespect by both the front desk staff and the manager during check-in. I remained calm throughout the entire interaction, yet I was repeatedly talked over, dismissed, and ultimately told I had to leave. When I explained how the treatment made me feel as a Black womanādehumanized and unwelcomeāthe staff became defensive and invalidating, with the manager making dismissive remarks about her children being Black as a way to deflect any responsibility.
Following the instructions of an Expedia representative, I returned to the hotel to request a refund and resolution. Instead of helping, the manager escalated the situation, falsely accused me of refusing to pay, and banned me from the property altogether. I was given no opportunity to resolve the situation. As a result, I was left without a room, a refund, or a safe place to stay.
This experience was not only humiliating and discriminatoryāit was also retaliatory and deeply unethical. I am requesting the following:
ā¢ A full refund for the room I was denied.
ā¢ A formal investigation into the conduct of the manager and staff involved.
ā¢ A written acknowledgment of the situation and steps being taken to prevent this from happening to other travelers.
No one should have to endure this kind of treatment, especially when they are simply trying to access a service they have paid for.
