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geardaddy

(24,924 posts)
Thu Jan 8, 2015, 05:39 PM Jan 2015

Good samaritan books hotel rooms for homeless on Christmas day, hotel cancels rooms

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/01/08/1356410/-Good-samaritan-books-hotel-rooms-for-homeless-on-Christmas-day-hotel-cancels-rooms?detail=facebook#

Matt Senge wanted to help Wilmington, Delaware homeless people living under a bridge. He booked a hotel suite for Christmas day to get them out of the cold:

Senge wrapped the confirmation e-mail in a red bow and delivered it to the two men, a woman, and her three children underneath the Amtrak bridge to let them know they would have a warm place to sleep on Christmas night.


A thoughtful gesture made in the spirit of the holiday. Unfortunately, the management at the Hotel du Pont had second thoughts:

But three hours before check-in time on Christmas Day, Matt's phone rang. It was a staffer at the Hotel du Pont calling to cancel the reservation.

"He said verbatim, 'What if one of those people rapes or robs one of my guests?' So I guess you have to be homeless to rape or rob somebody. I was devastated," said Senge.


The hotel defended their decision saying the homeless guests did not have proper photo ID, something Senge refutes.
As the story gained attention in the Wilmington area and nationwide, Hilton's Christiana Hotel management in Wilmington is stepping in:

In response to WDEL's exclusive story about the Hotel du Pont canceling a reservation for the homeless on Christmas, the Christiana Hilton is offering 10 rooms to the homeless tonight to beat the freezing cold temperatures.

"I would provide dinner and breakfast for them, I would give them a hospitality room where they could relax and now feel like they have to stay in the room all night, make them as comfortable as possible," said hotel manager Brad Wenger.

Wenger said the Hotel du Pont's decision not to honor a reservation for the homeless casts a black mark on the hospitality industry that they must rise above.


Bravo to Brad Wenger and the Christiana Hotel! With frigid temperatures across the country, wouldn't it be nice if other hotels followed their lead?
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mythology

(9,527 posts)
1. Especially given the deep freeze so much of the country is in
Thu Jan 8, 2015, 05:52 PM
Jan 2015

Thanks for sharing the good news that the second hotel stepped up to honor the gift.

I couldn't imagine being outside on a day like today here where the temperature got all the way up to 7 degrees after starting out at -9 degrees this morning when I got up.

monmouth4

(9,664 posts)
3. And a woman with three children. I would never stay in that hotel and dog bless the Hilton's
Thu Jan 8, 2015, 06:51 PM
Jan 2015

Christiana for stepping in . I'll remember that name... We should e-mail congratulations to them so they know they are being recognized for their good works...

frylock

(34,825 posts)
4. there are some poor reviews of this place posted on yelp that reference this story..
Thu Jan 8, 2015, 06:58 PM
Jan 2015

i encourage everyone to go there and mark those reviews as 'useful'.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/hotel-dupont-wilmington

woodsprite

(11,854 posts)
5. I have lived in DE all my life so I'm very familiar with both hotels, the area, etc.
Fri Jan 9, 2015, 11:49 AM
Jan 2015

When I first read the article, my first thought was "Why the Hotel DuPont?". It's ostentatious and way overpriced. I would classify myself at the higher end of the middle income families around here, I wouldn't feel comfortable there -- too many people looking down or putting on airs. I commend Mr. Senge for wanting to make a difference, but I do wonder how it made sense to spend over $650/night towards the hotel room when so much more could have been done with the money for the family. He could have still gifted a hotel suite at one of the other hotels, paying less for the accommodations, but putting the extra money towards their other needs.

So glad that the Christiana Hilton stepped in. Maybe it will get the ball rolling for other hotels in the area to do the same. Wonder if the Marriott Courtyard could work with the some of the local churches providing 'code purple' relief in the same manner.

Whatever became of the Capano debacle that sits between I-95 and the Basin Road off ramp? It was a horrible place for a hotel (flood prone, rather remote - everyone the build at the time), then Capano got dinged by the County because he built it bigger and taller than what he had a permit for and they didn't let him get away with it. Because of that, *HE* was never able to get certificate of occupancy. I thought someone had worked a deal with the county and bought it with plans to use it for short term shelter of some kind.

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