We were unhappy with the possibly illegal treatment received from this motel. Luckily, life is about choices and karma. Hawthorne is such a small place and being an Army depot to boot, I would have expected something different.
I am a traveling companion for a disabled, 3X Vietnam Vet and his certified service dog, Sunshine. Sam, the owner/manager of the place had quoted us a price the week before we traveled for the three of us to stay one night, two rooms. Of the four hotels we checked, he gave the cheapest price for the quick, overnight stop-over we needed between Las Vegas and Reno. On the fly, we decided to take Sam up on his offer to stay at Holiday Lodge. July 13, 2017, I called just south of Hawthorne to check availability and he again, gave us the same rate but added a $5 charge for the service dog. Anyone familiar with Service Dog rules knows this is illegal. Sam invited us to stay somewhere else if we didn't like the rate. "No Problem, just stay somewhere else!"
Choice and Karma come in to play here: Hassel over $5 vs. a cheap bed, late in the day with an early-out in the AM. Obviously, we opted for the cheap bed. (The next place on the list already was a rate hike of $10, and if they pulled this same thing for a service dog it would be a rate hike of $15.) I hoped I could live with a SMALL bur under my saddle for one night. My companion blew Sam's treatment off knowing Karma can bite like a scorpion in the bottom of one's bag. Sunshine, was completely unfazed, like most Golden Doodles!
After a great night's sleep and a quick shower, we were all ready to go. Except, I still had that small bur...... what to do???
I carry Sunshine's official ID card with me which has these guidelines printed on the back:
A service animal is any animal individually trained to perform tasks for a person(s) with a disability. Tasks include but are not limited to guiding the blind, assisting the deaf, pulling a wheelchair, picking up items, alerting to seizures, providing balance, bringing medication and carrying emergency information. A service animal is not a pet. A person with a disability may not be asked for special certification, ID cards for the animal or asked about his/her disability. A person with a disability may not be charged additional fees to be accompanied by a service animal. A person acquainted by a service animal must be admitted & may not be isolated, segregated, or treated less favorably than other patrons.
With the approval of Sunshine's owner, I decide to politely return the keys with Sunshine in tow wearing her service gear. I thank him for the decent room and present her ID and offer the back of the card for him to read the guidelines. I explained that he is opening himself up for a possible lawsuit in the future by charging extra for a service dog. Sam takes the keys but insists that he has done nothing illegal because he didn't refuse us a room. He retreats from me and refuses to read the guidelines on the ID card. He also stated that he would charge anyone with an extra person, a baby, or a pet the additional $5 because he has "to clean more". Each of our rooms had two queen beds and towels for two. Does that mean that if my spouse was on this trip, I would be charged $5 for him to stay in my room? What could possibly be the "extra cleaning" needed for a baby? Infants don't even touch the carpet. How can dog feet incur MORE cleaning? Sunshine does her business outside, doesn't shower, makes zero trash, and doesn't use the coffee pot, microwave, or refrigerator!
Shame on the proprietor of this Holiday Lodge in Hawthorne, NV. Too bad too, the hotel was clean, comfortable, easy to get in and out, ample parking, nice little bags of ice in the lobby ready for the taking, and a very nice wife and young woman at the counter!
Not only was he disrespectful to this disabled, retired Army serviceman, but how will other disabled people with and without service animals, travelers with additional occupants in their rooms, travelers with pets or children be treated?
Life is about making choices.
Karma...well, we all know what she can be. read more