In one of the sketchier things I’ve seen out of hotels in the United States, the owner of 27 hotels in northern lower Michigan takes reservations for their more expensive properties, and walks guests to the cheaper ones. They also own a deceptive website purporting to be the area’s “Chamber of Tourism,” recommending only their own hotels.
The Michigan Attorney General got involved, and the hotel group has settled the case. They have to pay $65,000 which will go to customers and to the state and they’ve agreed to stop taking reservations for hotels that are closed. They also have to “remove the ‘official seal’ from the [tourism] website and include disclaimers” stating that the hotel owners own he site.
This agreement covers 27 hotels including Choice, Wyndham and Best Western brands,
Crown Choice Inn & Suites Lakeview & Waterpark, The Beach House, Bayside Hotel of Mackinac, Waterfront, Bridge Vista Beach Hotel & Convention Center, Bell’s Melody Motel, Bridgeview Motel, Budget Inn Mackinaw, Cabins of Mackinac, Capri Motel, Clarion Hotel Beachfront, Comfort Inn Lakeside, Days Inn Lakeview, Fairview Beachfront Inn, Hamilton Inn Select Beachfront, Mackinaw Beach & Bay, Northwinds Motel, Best Western Plus Dockside, Quality Inn & Suites, Ramada Inn Waterfront, Starlite Budget Inn Mackinaw, Super 8 Beachfront, Super 8 Bridgeview, Sunrise Beach Motel, Thunderbird Inn, Waterfront Inn, and Welcome Inn.
The state’s investigation was easy. An employee made a reservation at the Crown Choice Inn “which offers a waterpark.” On arrival he was walked to the Hamilton Inn. And he had no choice in the matter because he was told “he was past the point where the reservation could be canceled to receive a refund.” They wouldn’t honor his booking, but they were still going to keep the money.
Sketchy hotels are going to do sketchy things. Video went viral last May when this group kicked a “Dumb Democrat” out of the Crown Choice Inn & Suites in Mackinaw City after she complained about flooding in her room. This is the hotel that the state made a reservation at to investigate the scam.
You rented the room, it’s your bathroom now. You’re responsible for the room. Stop being an indiot…Stop being a dumb Democrat. Now go to your room, pack your stuff and leave.
The manager, part of the family that owns these hotels, kicked her out of the hotel, saying he’d charge for the room and for damage.
Hotel owner in Michigan calls a mother a "dumb Democrat" and kicks her out because the bathroom was flooding pic.twitter.com/W5xkOO0R0Z
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) May 26, 2021
If there’s one consolation in all of this – 27 hotels were scamming and deceiving guests and not a single one was a Marriott.
