If this is true, it’s pretty nasty.
Rodney Morgan, and his family (visitors from the U.K.), recently stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Floriduh. According to the Naples News, “they made it clear they didn’t want to be served by a black waiter or one with a foreign accent.” (source)
Okay, there’s WTF #1.
I’ve asked for strange things at hotels. Late checkout, change my sheets at 3 AM because I puked on them in my sleep, two bottles of tequila, and I don’t care how far you need to drive to get them, nor what it costs, because God Damn It, it’s an emergency.
I can not, however, ever recall checking in to a hotel and even thinking about who might be serving my food.
So ready for WTF #2?
The Ritz-Carlton supposedly entered the request into the hotel’s computers and honored it by informing Wadner Tranchant, a Haitian immigrant and waiter at the hotel, that he could not serve the Morgans.
WTF?
Tranchant is suing the Ritz in Federal Court. His lawyers claim that they have a copy of the computer entry, witnesses who will support his story, and that will testify that this is not the first time that the Ritz honored a request of this type. (source)
The Ritz issued an apology to Mr. Tranchant:
“We at the Ritz-Carlton deeply regret the manner in which the recent incident was handled while the guests were on property and the effect on Mr. Tranchant, a valued and long-term employee,” said the apology published Wednesday in USA Today. “…The Ritz-Carlton does not tolerate racially offensive comments or discriminatory treatment of our employees, and our data systems are not to be used to allow discriminatory requests by guests.” (source)
Apparently, the Ritz-Carlton has now also banned Rodney Morgan from ever staying at another Ritz-Carlton. (source)
