RatherNot Disclose

Review of The Watergate Hotel

I was asked by staff to leave the pool because ano...

I was asked by staff to leave the pool because another guest wanted us to. Allegedly she complained about what I chose to wear. I had a plain white tee and a pair of my husband s swimming shorts over my bikini because I didnt want to be exposed in a high traffic area.

There was one other woman in the pool. The woman stared at us from the time we got in, to the time she finally left. Shortly after she left, a member of staff came and asked if we were guests. We told him of course we were. He started to walk away then came back. This time he said we had to get out of the pool and hurriedly walked away. I hopped out and followed behind him. When I finally caught up to him, I asked why he was telling us to leave. He said I had to have on a swimsuit. I told him I prefer to not be exposed and asked what was wrong with my t shirt. He repeated that it is policy and that I have to wear a swimsuit. I asked him to show me the policy. He said he didn t have it but reiterated that it was policy. I asked again to see the policy. He finally said it wasnt policy but their guests will complain if I have on a t shirt. I asked explicitly if the guest that had just left the pool complained. He said yes. He said that I did not look hygienic, whatever that is supposed to mean. I told him I was going to speak to a manager.

When I got to the front desk, I asked for a manager. The front desk attendant asked why and I told her what had just happened. She was apologetic and stated that what the man said was in fact not policy. She asked me to wait while she got her manager. The manager came and I told her the same story. She was also apologetic and stated that the director would reach out to the employee. They offered to upgrade my room in the event that I stay again. Thats it. Humiliation caused by unlawful discrimination is now fixed with an upgraded room. Thanks, Watergate.

I m a paying customer. I m paying for the amenities. I m paying for the experience. Unfortunately my experience was one of bias. The only difference between myself and the guest who complained about my husband and I being in a pool was our demographic. We are a young minority couple. She was an older caucasian woman. I m not making it about race. This is about utter disrespect. We were not loud, we were not engaging in PDA, we were not being a nuisance... nothing. I rinsed in the shower before I stepped foot in the pool, we did not dive, we did not run, etc., like the ACTUAL policy on the wall stated. My husband had on a t shirt and swimming shorts as well but somehow I have to have on a swimsuit?

My husband and I were floating on one end of the pool, minding our business. For whatever reason that made sense in his mind, this employee decided to appease an erroneous request and ask paying guests to leave a public area for the benefit of one woman whose comfortability should not have been placed above ours.