My partner and I traveled from out of state to Baltimore and booked Rachael's Inner Harbor Boutique Inn because we were genuinely looking forward to experiencing the city and staying at what appeared to be a welcoming boutique property.
Unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing, and the way our reservation was handled left us feeling unwelcome, dismissed, and discriminated against.
We had a confirmed reservation, Reservation 9803, and traveled specifically for this stay. During our communication with the property's representative, Samuel Bailey, Innkeeper, I was driving on the freeway and explained that I was having difficulty hearing him clearly. I was still attempting to communicate and resolve the situation.
There was also a significant address discrepancy. The address provided to me verbally by the property differed from the address contained in the property's automated communication. Naturally, I was trying to clarify which location I was supposed to go to and obtain assistance with my arrival.
Instead of receiving basic hospitality and assistance, the situation escalated and the property ultimately canceled my reservation.
I did not request that my reservation be canceled.
The property later sent me written confirmation stating that Reservation 9803 had been canceled and identified Samuel Bailey, Innkeeper, in connection with the property. I subsequently contacted Booking.com to dispute the cancellation and request a full refund.
What makes this particularly troubling is that Booking.com later contacted me regarding the disconnected phone call and stated that there had been no sound from my side and that the property attempted to call me back. That explanation does not address the central issue: I was trying to communicate that I could not hear properly, there was conflicting address information, and I was seeking assistance, not cancellation.
As a traveler who had come from out of state, the appropriate response would have been patience, clarification, and hospitality. Instead, I was left without the accommodation I had traveled to Baltimore to use.
I also want to be very clear about the impact this had on us. My partner and I were visiting Baltimore for the first time. Rather than beginning our trip feeling welcomed as guests, we were placed in a situation where we felt that our concerns were dismissed and that we were not afforded the same courtesy or consideration we reasonably expected from a hospitality business.
We felt discriminated against by the way the situation was handled. I am not claiming to know the intentions of the individuals involved, but I can accurately describe how we were treated and how the interaction made us feel. My voice and concerns did not feel heard, and the decision to cancel our reservation felt disproportionate to the issue we were attempting to resolve.
For a hospitality business, this is especially concerning. When someone has traveled from another state, has a confirmed reservation, and contacts you because they are having difficulty locating or communicating about the property, the expectation should be to help the guest get there safely and successfully, not eliminate the reservation.
I am currently requesting a full refund through Booking.com and have asked for the matter to be reviewed and escalated.
I hope the ownership or management of this property takes this complaint seriously. This was not simply an inconvenient phone call or a misunderstanding. It was the handling of a confirmed reservation involving out-of-state travelers who were actively attempting to obtain assistance.
For our first experience visiting Baltimore, this was an incredibly disappointing introduction to the city.
I would strongly encourage prospective guests to make sure they have clear written arrival instructions and to carefully document all communication with the property. read more