Doubletree Hotel Downtown Wilmington

Review: I reserved a room, at the Double Tree [redacted], for this upcoming weekend. I had scheduled a Friday, June 27 2014, arrival. I purchased in advance, as it was cheaper to do so. I called this morning, June 26, at 0706 and spoke with the hotel. The hotel forward me to [redacted], in reservations, who told me that I could not have my money back. I was told that due to it being purchased in advance, I received a discounted rate and could not cancel my room. I explained that I did not know I was not going to be able to make it, and that I called as soon as I knew. This being 24hrs. in advance, I didn't understand why I could not get my money back. He stated the room was paid for in advance, so I couldn't get the money back. I was given a number to call: 1[redacted] I spoke with [redacted] who also told me that I cannot get my money back. I was told I had 24hrs within the time of purchase to get a refund, but now I cannot get my money back.

I don't understand why a hotel can't refund your money when they have plenty of time to rebook the room. I don't understand how they can hold my money without providing a service.Desired Settlement: I would like my card refunded.

Review: I booked a room at this hotel through [redacted] on 5/5/14. It was supposed to be a "non-refundable" reservation. I booked it for my daughter's tenth birthday. She wanted to go swimming with three of her friends at the hotel. The friends were to go home after they went swimming. I was planning on staying in the room with my three children (the other two were 13 and 12 y/o). I got there at the advertised check in time which was 3:00 PM. The room was not available until almost 5:00 PM. I asked for compensation for the late check in but this request was denied. My daughter's friends were to arrive at 4:00 PM. When the room was available, I was checked in. I was given a photocopy of hotel information. The person who checked me in quickly and vaguely went over the form emphasizing breakfast costs and times as well as when and how to use amenities. Since we were already late getting things started for my daughter, shoved the paper into my purse and went to the room so the girls could get ready to go swimming. I didn't pay too much attention to the form because I have stayed at many hotels and I have never had an issue with visitors or anything else. I never even tried to disguise the fact that we had visitors. Later, I learned that the paper stated the hotel policy on hotel visitors and parties. Just as the girls and I were leaving the room to go to the pool, I got a call from the front desk stating that my mother-in-law was there to see me and that I needed to stop by the front desk. I went to the front desk and they informed me that they do not allow "parties" in the hotel and my daughter's visitors had to leave or I would have to pay for another hotel room. I explained that the three other 10 year olds would not be staying the night, that we would not be over crowded in the room and that I didn't need another room. They said it didn't matter and that I had to ask my daughter's friends to leave, purchase another room or they would have me escorted out. They then offered to give me a refund even though the reservation was "non-refundable". We had been checked in so late that my daughter and her friends only had about two hours left until they would have to get ready for their parents to pick them up. So, I could tell my daughter's friends and their parents that they had to leave and ruin my daughter's birthday or I would have to pay for another room. Had I been checked in on time I would have the option of getting my refund (had the hotel staff even offered it to me) and relocating to another hotel that would allow guests. However, due to the late check in, this was not a possibility because the girls would be picked up in only 2 hours. This was not enough time to find another hotel, transport everyone there, and give them a few hours of swimming before their parents picked them up. It would pose another issue if I couldn't get a hold of the parents to inform them of such a change. I purchased the second room because I was in a position where my only options where to ruin my daughter's birthday or pay for another room that I had no use for. I do not see how me purchasing another room remedied their issue with my daughter's "party" as the planned activities did not change after I purchased the room; nor do I see how it solved the problem of having too many people in the room. When the girls were done swimming, they all went back to the same room where they were to begin with. They didn't go to the other room. All their clothes were in the first room. Then they went home. Furthermore, there were two additional parties going on with a stack of about ten pizzas, cake, and an abundant supply of alcohol in the pool area. There were so many people that there was no place to sit unless we were right next to the pool where it was wet. We were not swimming. I informed the front desk who did nothing. The supervisor was condescending and rude from the moment my mother-in-law stated that she was there for my daughter's birthday. This made the rest of the stay quite uncomfortable. I feel this is an unfair business practice because I was not informed of these policies before I made the reservation. There is nothing on the website about these policies that they used as an excuse to kick us out or force me buy another room, despite the fact that they have dedicated a page on their website to policies. In fact, the hotel website for this location has a review titled "Great Girls Nite Out" apparently written by a mother named [redacted] about bringing her daughters to the hotel for a "nite out". I had no forewarning that this would be an issue and as many hotels as I have been to, I have never had an issue with visitors before. Given enough time, I would have moved to another hotel. Given the information up front, I would have booked a room at a hotel that would not have a problem with my visitors. They did not enforce the "no party" policy with any of the other guests in the hotel and I wonder what kind of parties are the issue in the first place- a ten year old going swimming with her three friends, or a group of adults getting drunk together while their kids run around being loud and unsupervised.Desired Settlement: More than anything, I would like a refund for the second room. It was $130 that I didn't plan on spending because the hotel failed in inform me of the policy in a timely manner. In addition to that, the website is misleading as it has a review that states that another woman goes to the hotel for the same reasons. The website says nothing about not allowing visitors in any area of the hotel.

I would also like the hotel to clearly inform people before they make reservations that this is the policy so that people such as myself do not end up in this situation without being well informed.

I would like to see the policy changed because it gives the hotel the right to target certain people/populations at their discretion. They clearly picked and chose who they wanted to enforce the policy with given the various "parties" that were going on. This also has to do with their subjective definition of "party".