Family Inns of America Consumer Reviews

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- When we arrived they did not have a first floor room available as I requested with BookIt.com, as I am handicapped. He showed us a room, 4 rooms behind the office with two doubles and told us hopefully, he would have a room with a king sized bed the next day or we could keep that one.

We were looking around outside and noticed a motorcycle parked on the sidewalk in front of the rooms, so I took a picture of it and as I turned around to go back in front of our room, a man was hollering "Hey, hey, hey", so as quickly as I could, I walked back to my new husband. He approached us and wanted to know what we were taking pictures of and I replied the motorcycle. He became friendly then and told us he was the maintenance guy at the motel.

This was only one example of the activities going on...and I doubt any of them were legal, i.e. girls going to different rooms, cars pulling up and after someone would approach it or they went upstairs, they drove off, and of course, an arrest was made one night... still not sure if the girl was an employee, but the assistant manager was involved!

The room was in appalling shape, dirty walls, holes and paint splatters everywhere, but otherwise, it was clean. There is no housekeeping until you check out, which means if you want clean towels, you have to ask for them and if you run out of toilet paper, the clerk runs upstairs and brings you a roll that looks like Angel Soft, which means there is no paper wrapped roll! Two of the clerks were very nice, the assistant was very polite, but was loud and abrasive with his employees.

Oh, and less I forget, it is advertised online and on their sign, "Free Continental Breakfast". There isn't anything, not even coffee... false advertising! This was my first visit to N'Awlins and that wasn't what I wanted to remember. Needless to say, we won't be staying there again!!!

MOBILE, ALABAMA -- The man with short blond hair at the counter last evening on June 2nd could not find my reservation so he told me to leave immediately as he does not tolerate people saying things about people from India. I never said anything at all. He kept talking to me in that manner, and I asked him why he was saying that. I was hurt and confused and was crying.

The owner came out and apologized, but the guy would sneer behind his back and he saluted me as I left. I had never had an experience like that. It was confusing and hurtful. I was canceling my reservation on my phone and sobbing, and the owner, who happened to be Indian, seemed to feel bad about the situation. And his father spoke no English so he didn't know why I was upset, but I was telling him anyway. This was a bizarre, traumatic, experience.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- I recently stayed at the Family Inns of America in New Orleans, LA., my hometown. I was there to see my grandmother who'd recently had a stroke. I must say that I was thoroughly disgusted with this "hotel", if you can call it that. I first had to have the key made to my room at least 6 times, which never worked, so I ended up changing rooms. Then we were moved to another room, which smelled mouldy. The carpet had a dampness to it, so needless to say, I never took my shoes off.

I'd bought some food to take with my on the road the next day, since I was only there overnight. I had the food securely wrapped in plastic and Styrofoam sitting on a nearby table. Well about 5 am I heard rustling, I figured it could be the air conditioning since the unit was old. Well I was WRONG!!!! Oh so WRONG!!! Well when I woke up the next morning to get my things ready to leave, I discovered a mouse/rat decided I wouldn't be taking my food on the road, because they were going to have a late night snack. I was absolutely livid!!!!

When I went to check out, I brought the remnants of my food to the desk and asked to speak with the manager, whose name is John **. Well, he was the rudest greasy man I'd ever met in my life. He abruptly told me, they don't give refunds once you've stayed in the room, and that I should have reported the mice/rats eating my food when it happened. HELLLLOOOO!!! I was asleep you idiot. Well, I eventually called the police, and that was just a big waste of time. So, this is what I would like to happen:

I would like a total refund for the room - $58.83. I would like a total refund for the food - $39.76 And last but not least, I would like this rat infested, nasty, dive you call a hotel, SHUT DOWN!!!

PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE -- I stayed at Family Inns of America – West in Pigeon Forge for 5 nights 11/16/05 to 11/20/05. I made a reservation at their reservation number 800-251-9752 for 3 rooms. Two rooms for 5 nights and one room for 3 nights. I used my debit card (big mistake) to hold the rooms and when I arrived on 11/16, I paid with a combination of cash and credit card (not the debit card). Family Inns of America has charged my debit card $79.07 once and $57.09 three times for not showing up for a reservation. They claim I made a reservation for three rooms at Family Inn – Gatlinburg Suites for 11/22 and 11/23 in addition to the reservations at Family Inns West.

The only reservations I made were for Family Inns of America – West and NOT the facility in Gatlinburg. The manager of Family Inns West (Wanda) immediately refunded the $79.07 but the three charges of $57.09 have not been refunded (total 171.27). I have spoken to Crystal ** at the corporate office in Pigeon Forge. I have asked her to research this issue and follow up with me by calling me back. As an example, I asked Ms. ** to call me on Friday even if she had no resolution to the issue. She stated that she would call me. Ms. ** has never called me back on this issue. When asked why she has not called me as promised, she said, “I get busy”.

Today, (12/12/05) Ms. ** said she does not have the authority to refund the charges. I have asked to speak to a manager or someone who can correct this issue and Ms.** refuses to allow me to speak to anyone else. Ms. ** will not give me the name of her manager or any other person in authority at the Family Inns corporate office. This behavior is completely unacceptable and it appears Ms. ** has no desire to resolve my problem.

All I am getting from her is the run around. In my opinion, Ms. ** has acted unprofessionally by never providing a follow up call as promised and by not providing the name of a person in authority at her location. This has been going on for a total of 21 days.