The Remington Suite Hotel and Spa

Janine Conway2 years ago

1/5

The rooms at The Remington are gorgeous and spacious. I've stayed in the VIP Suite (green, with brick walls) and standard double suite ("men wearing bowlers" wallpaper). My low rating is because of the racist treatment I received. While driving to town, reception called to say my room was ready. I booked a spa service and confirmed that the pool was open (some hotels hadn't re-opened their pools due to covid). I arrived an hour later and was told it was not possible that I had a reservation. The receptionist refused to look up my confirmation number, insisted she knew each client staying there and there was no way I could have a reservation. She walked away. While I was trying to figure out what to do next, another receptionist came out and said I could take my 5yo son up to the rooftop until our room was ready. We played on the rooftop (which was still set up from a previous party) and the room still wasn't ready. This was "early post-COVID," so I didn't take it personally. Receptionist #2 said it would be ok to swim while we wait for my room and spa appointment. She gave us 2 ways to get to the pool (main door and through a locker room). I'm glad she did because another employee refused to let us into the pool through the main door. She said we would disturb her other guests who were getting massages. She didn't care what Receptionist #2 said, she would NOT allow us to disturb her spa guests. She said to come back when they were done. I didn't want to swim after a manicure, so we went through the lockers and discovered there were no clients there getting massages. We had the pool and massage area all to ourselves until time for my manicure. Which I never received. I watched the manicurist play on her phone, then start serving newly arrived clients. An hour past my appointment time, I asked the spa cashier if I should reschedule or if I would be served soon. She went to the nail station and both ladies got into a heated argument (in front of the nail client). I couldn't hear why, and thought maybe they'd overbooked her. Regardless, I didn't want my nails done by someone who was so angry. I walked over to cancel and overheard her say that she would not touch that black woman. The spa cashier saw my reaction to hearing that and was embarrassed as she canceled my appointment and gave me a coupon to come back (as if). That's when I realized the other inconsistencies were also probably due to racism. I have a global phone voice, so they may not have realized my race from the initial call that my room was ready. By now we get the room. It's nice. Unfortunately, at breakfast, we were harassed by other guests about "not belonging there" and when I asked a staff member to confirm the breakfast was for all guests, they, too, didn't believe we were guests (where else would this key come from?) I wasn't going to complain: I've learned from 3 military assignments in the South that just 1 person complaining rarely changes the racist behavior, only reinforces the "angry black woman stereotype." I just wanted to get my food, pack up my kid, and never return. But as we were leaving, the manager came out and *asked* how we enjoyed our stay. I was once stationed at Barksdale AFB, and still maintain a Shreveport-based business which qualified me to remain on the Shreveport Mayor's Commission for Race and Diversity after I moved. So now that he asked, and because I was considering including this experience in my report to the Commission, I felt duty-bound to tell him what happened. He was apologetic, said Receptionist #1 was struggling w/a personal matter, and showed me other rooms. He asked me to give the hotel another try. I did, and was treated the exact same way: The phone call "your room is ready." Arrive. You don't have a reservation ("that happened last time please check this confirmation #"). Can't find you. Wait for hours. Yes pool. No pool. They know who they want on their property, and it isn't women who look like me.