Tag Archives: Hotels

by | October 30, 2012 · 6:12 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Massachusetts Hotel Roof Detaches During Storm Causing Water Damage

“…about 25 percent of the roof had become separated, and he said it is a possibility that more could become detached as the storm progresses…”

Earlier this evening, high winds damaged the membrane roof of the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Middleton and Danvers. Some of the roof started to separate, and the hotel is experiencing water damage as a result.

The Fire Dept. has notified the Middleton building inspector and electrical inspector, as well as the Danvers electrical inspector of the damage.

A few hotel guests staying on the recently renovated 8th floor were moved because of the water damage.

“The hotel staff is working to mitigate any water problems inside the rooms but as far as the actual roof repair that cannot be undertaken until the storm is over,” said Twiss, who said it would be too dangerous at this time.

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by | October 24, 2012 · 6:12 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Illinois Hotel Guest Files "Negligence Lawsuit" After Stepping In "Drainage Hole" In Parking Lot; Seeks $50,000 In Damages For Medical And Court Costs

“…it (was)…difficult to see a drainage hole in the parking lot. When he stepped in the hole, Wright says he tore his right meniscus and will need to have a full knee replacement in the next few years to repair the injury…”

An O’Fallon hotel is being sued after one if its guests allegedly hurt his knee when he stepped in a hole in the hotel’s parking lot. Samuel Wright filed a lawsuit Oct. 5 against Kingston Hotel Group LLC in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

According to the petition, Wright and his family were staying at the Candlewood Suites in O’Fallon in July 2011. Wright says he left the hotel through the west exit door to go to his car in the parking lot. The surface of the parking lot was exceptionally dark, Wright claims, because of some asphalt sealant the hotel had applied to it.

Wright accuses Kingston Hotel Group, the owner of the hotel, of negligence for allegedly failing to warn guests of the potential hazard in the parking lot. He asks for more than $50,000 in damages for medical expenses and court costs.

For more: http://madisonrecord.com/issues/366-personal-injury/247261-candlewood-suites-in-ofallon-sued-over-customers-trip-in-parking-lot

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by | October 21, 2012 · 6:57 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Mississippi Hotel Fire Causes $4 Million In Damage As Roof And Most Of Third Floor Rooms Destroyed; Heavy Water Damage To Lower Floors

“…Three-quarters of the roof is gone, along with the tower over the elevator shaft, which collapsed… Most of the third floor rooms were damaged or destroyed by fire and the lower floors inundated by water from the fire hoses…”

Federal investigators have joined the investigation into Wednesday’s fire at a Howard Johnson Inn on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The fire burned through the roof of the three-story hotel, doing an estimated $4 million in damage. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will help state and local officials determine the origin and cause of the fire, says Joel Lee, who leads the ATF’s Gulfport field office.

Four Jackson County fire departments responded to the blaze at the hotel Wednesday, which is in the unincorporated St. Martin community north of Ocean Springs. The fire burned for more than three hours.

Officials said the fire spread because the older building lacked the fireproofing required by building codes in newer structures. Another fire damaged the hotel in 2010.

For more:  http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/oct/20/federal-agency-joins-hotel-fire-investigation-ar-4794171/

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by | October 16, 2012 · 6:02 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Texas Hotel Sued For "Negligence" After Man Slips And Falls Down Flight Of Stairs; Failure To Post Warning Of Wet Carpet

“…According to the lawsuit, the hotel had washed, shampooed or cleaned its carpets prior to Steele’s arrival and left them in a wet and slippery condition without any warning to Steele…”

The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to inspect its premises to be sure that they were free of unreasonably dangerous conditions, dry its floors after cleaning, limit access to areas in which the floors were not yet dry, warn its invitees of the existence of the wet floors, select and hire competent contractors in such a way as to ensure that they were not creating an unreasonable risk of harm to invitees.

A Louisiana man has filed a lawsuit against the owners of a Comfort Inn claiming that they failed to warn him that the carpet was wet, which caused him to fall down an entire flight of stairs. Walter Steele filed suit against Laxmi Lodging Inc. on Oct. 12 in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division.

The incident occurred on Sept. 9, 2012 as Steele was attempting to exit a Comfort Inn in Palestine, Texas, owned by the defendant by the way of the staircase when his foot slipped on the wet flooring causing him to fall down an entire flight of stairs and onto the concrete floor.  The fall caused Steele serious and permanent disabling injuries to his back and spine.

The plaintiff is seeking damages for medical expenses, lost earnings, physical impairment, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and lost earning capacity.

For more:  http://setexasrecord.com/news/275705-hotel-owner-sued-after-patron-falls-down-flight-of-stairs

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by | October 13, 2012 · 6:17 am

Hospitality Industry Fire Safety Risks: South Carolina Hotels Implement "Preventative Maintenance" Program Including Housekeeping Checking Smoke Detectors After Guests Depart

“…the resort says it follows a detailed preventative maintenance program with a 300 item checklist, ensuring that everything from electric outlets to appliances inside guest rooms are safe to use…upon the departure of each guest, housekeeping is instructed to check the smoke detector for safety to make sure it’s still in working condition…”

Studies show that working smoke detectors cut your chance of dying in a fire by half.

When it comes to hotel fire safety, Springmaid Beach Resort on Ocean Blvd learned just how important smoke detectors are, after a small electrical fire broke out in the boiler room this past summer.

“We had to clear all those rooms out of people that were right around it and move them to a different property,” says Donald Hovis, the marketing manager for the establishment.

It’s a safety measure more hotels are starting to do. In Georgetown, the fire department has teamed up with hotels requiring cleaning staff to check smoke detectors after each guest checks out of the room. The staff also leaves a card stating the test has been done for the next occupant to see.

While Myrtle Beach doesn’t require it, the fire department says it’s been working with hotels for years on getting housekeeping to check the devices, and the fire marshal says he’s confident Grand Strand hotels are ensuring guests’ safety.

Several hotels we checked with along Ocean Boulevard say they check them regularly. Hovis says following this summer’s small fire, they learned another valuable lesson.

For more:  http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/19806893/grand-strand-hotels-reveal-fire-safety-plan

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by | September 29, 2012 · 6:51 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Hotel Guests At Risk Of Injury As Shower Door Glass Can Shatter With The "Force Of An Explosion"

“…court records (documented)…a federal lawsuit filed earlier this year against the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. A woman, who stayed at the hotel in 2007, says she opened a shower door and suddenly “the force of an explosion” threw here “violently across the toilet” and caused her “serious injuries.” Pictures are filed with the lawsuit showing tiny particles of glass layered on the hotel bathroom and filling the toilet…”

Hotels need to be really vigilant about this problem…(says) a glass expert who may soon testify in three cases where guests were injured when their shower doors shattered… “The two main types of injuries are where their bodies get cut and the other ones are where they are walking out on glass and cutting their feet.”

Another couple posts video on Vimeo showing what allegedly happened to them during their Hawaiian honeymoon at the Ohana Hotel in Waikiki West. You can hear the water running from the shower, see his wife standing in the water, and feel her pain as she obviously had to find a way out through shattered glass all over the floor. The new groom, Lance Ogren, looks into his own home video camera and says, “I heard her start to open (the shower) and I heard a big crash.” Ogren tells CBS 11 news the hotel gave them an apology and a new room.

Meshulam says most shower doors have tempered glass which is heated and then cooled creating tension for durability. He demonstrated how hard it is to break slamming a hammer into a tempered glass shower door several times before it finally shatters. He says the door are considered safe because under stress they shatter into tiny pieces; however, he says there are several reasons why a shower door might explode.

One is a small crack, like the one in your windshield, that just slowly grows out like a spider web. “When it hits a certain part of the glass where all those internal tensions are residing then everything blows up.” He also says towel bars might not be installed properly. Or, doors may not slide on the tracks correctly. These can cause pressure over time. Finally, there could be a problem during the manufacturing process if a microscopic grain of nickel sulfide gets trapped inside the glass. This manufacturing defect is a “ticking time bomb.”

For more:  http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/09/28/cbs-11-investigates-shattering-shower-doors/

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by | September 28, 2012 · 6:16 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: California Hotel Sued By Family Of Woman Killed Crossing Street To Parking Lot; "Duty To Ensure Safety Of Guests"

“…The civil complaint alleges The Cliffs Resort has a duty to ensure the safety of its customers but failed to do so…the location is dangerous because resort patrons who do not use valet service must park on the east side of Shell Beach Road…they must cross the busy street without the benefit of a crosswalk, traffic controls, warning signs, or proper lighting…the lawsuit claims.”

The family of a woman struck and killed by an SUV while crossing Shell Beach Road in Pismo Beach nearly a year ago has filed a lawsuit seeking to improve safety at the site. The lawsuit was filed April 11 against The Cliffs Resort and the city of Pismo Beach by San Luis Obispo personal injury lawyer  Ryan Harris on behalf of the family of Tricia Rittger.

The Los Osos resident was 39 when she was struck Nov. 19, 2011, in front of the hotel and subsequently died, leaving behind husband Aaron and a 4-year-old daughter.

Harris said the lawsuit seeks to force The Cliffs and the city to improve safety for customers walking from the parking lot across Shell Beach Road to the hotel and restaurant.

For more: http://www.timespressrecorder.com/articles/2012/09/28/news/news54.txt

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by | September 27, 2012 · 6:08 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: "Wrongful Death" Lawsuit Filed Against Illinois Hotel For Legionnaire's Disease Outbreak Tied To Fountain In Lobby

“…Health officials tied the outbreak to the main fountain in  the hotel lobby. The plaintiff …alleges the  hotel didn’t properly maintain the fountain and said the company neglected to  prevent visitors from walking near the fountain when the hotel should have known  about the bacteria…”

The family of a Florida man who died after catching  Legionnaire’s disease at a Loop hotel has filed a wrongful death suit against  Marriott International. Luis Enrique Acevedo Muro was one of three people who died  after being exposed to Legionella bacteria at the JW Marriott Chicago Hotel, at  151 W. Adams St., according to the lawsuit and public health officials.

Acevedo Muro, of Key Biscayne, Fla., contracted Legionnaire’s  disease after  staying at the hotel from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3, the suit claims. He  died Aug. 14.

The eight-count suit, filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit  Court,  claims wrongful death and survival action against Marriott and   Chicago-based developer The Prime Group, Inc.  It seeks an unspecified  amount in  damages. Neither company could be reached for comment Wednesday evening.

Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in mist or  vapors from water contaminated with the Legionella bacteria and usually develops  two to 14 days after exposure. It frequently begins with headache, high fever  and chills, and progresses by the second or third day to include a cough, chest  pain and shortness of breath.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/legionnaires-disease-outbreak-chicago-hotel-marriot-171439911.html#ixzz27g7k8GHy

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by | September 19, 2012 · 6:18 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Massachusetts Hotel Evacuated After "Generator Room Fire" Causes Hotel To Lose Power

“…The fire caused to hotel to lose power and prompted the chief to order an  evacuation of the hotel…with the loss of the generator and the power out in the hotel, no elevators  or any electrical systems were working at all. without power, smoke alarms and other life safety  systems were not working, necessitating the evacuation…firefighters used  master keys to go room by room, floor by floor…”

The Boston Fire Department responded to a fire Wednesday morning at the  Doubletree Hotel on Soldiers Field Road in Allston for a fire in the generator  room. The generator was on the second floor in the adjacent parking garage. The  fire was contained to the electric panels and diesel fuel. With the help of the building’s staff the Boston Fire Department shut off  the fuel supply.

Firefighters were shifted over to help with evacuation once the fire was  knocked down. One extra engine and ladder were ordered to the scene. The Doubletree Hotel is a 15-story building.

The Boston Fire Department worked with the hotel to relocate the guests. The Boston Fire Chief ordered a building and an electrical inspector to the  scene to check out the generator room where the fire was. The Doubletree Hotel  had an electrical contractor and their building engineer on scene looking at  damage and rerouting power to the hotel.

Read more: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12008575511876/allston-hotel-evacuated-after-fire-in-generator-room/#ixzz26vOilXwX

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by | September 12, 2012 · 6:09 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Kansas Hotel Owners Indicted For Hiring "Undocumented Workers And Paying Them In Cash"; Government Seeks "Forfeiture Of Properties"

“…the (hotel owners) are charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor  undocumented workers for personal gain, five counts of harboring  undocumented workers for personal gain and four counts of wire fraud…The government is seeking to forfeit the proceeds of the crimes, including the two hotels the couple own. The government would seize the properties and then sell them, gaining money for taxpayers. The couple failed to pay the government the payroll taxes that they should have…”

The owners of two Kansas City-area Clarion hotels have been indicted on charges of knowingly hiring undocumented workers who were paid less than other employees. Munir Ahmad Chaudary, 51, and his wife, Rhonda R. Bridge, 40, both of Overland Park, own the Clarion Hotel at 7000 W. 108th St. in Overland Park and the Clarion Hotel at 11828 NW Plaza Circle near the Kansas City International Airport.

Both pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said the grand jury’s indictment alleges Chaudary and Bridge knew they were hiring undocumented workers to serve as housekeepers. This gave them a competitive advantage over law-abiding hotel owners, Grissom said.

“They paid the undocumented workers less and they paid them in cash. Their economic motive was to cut their costs and to get an advantage on other hotels that abided by the law,” Grissom said.

“This prosecution is aimed at unscrupulous employers who are a driving force behind illegal immigration,” Grissom said. “We’re going to go after people who are hiring them.”

The indictment alleges that in December 2011 investigators from DHS Homeland Security Investigations and the Kansas Department of Revenue received information that the two hotels were employing undocumented workers.

Investigators interviewed hotel employees and found out that most of them were illegally in the United States.

In June 2012, an undercover agent took a job as a housekeeper at the Clarion hotel in Overland Park, Grissom said.

The agent made it clear to Chaudary and Bridge when he was hired that he was unlawfully in the United States and had no documents allowing him to be employed, according to the indictment.

For more: http://www.kctv5.com/story/19512719/us-attorney-barry-grissom-holds-news-conference

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