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Residence Inn Accused of Enforcing 'No Party Policy' Against Black Guests in $300,000 Lawsuit

If youโ€™re black and looking for a hotel in Portland, Ore., you might want to stay away from the Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Convention Center. Unless, of course, youโ€™re willing to agree to their โ€œno party policy,โ€ which a new $300,000 lawsuit claims is only required for black guests. Suggested Reading Three Friends Were…

If youโ€™re black and looking for a hotel in Portland, Ore., you might want to stay away from the Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Convention Center. Unless, of course, youโ€™re willing to agree to their โ€œno party policy,โ€ which a new $300,000 lawsuit claims is only required for black guests.

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From the Oregonian:

Felicia Gonzales, 51, claims the front desk clerk at the Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Convention Center told her that all guests had to sign the policy. But Gonzales soon learned that didnโ€™t hold true as she watched white guests check in after her who werenโ€™t required to sign the policy, according to the lawsuit.

The two-page no party policy, provided by Gonzalesโ€™ attorneys, says it was established to inform all guests of noise limits and โ€œnot to insinuate any distrust in the โ€˜averageโ€™ guest.โ€

โ€œNo hotels want to have parties in them and we donโ€™t want that type of business,โ€ the policy read.

โ€œHaving to sign a โ€˜NO PARTYโ€™ policy form did not feel right to Ms. Gonzales, so she went back to the front desk,โ€ the lawsuit states. โ€œMs. Gonzales observed as multiple Caucasian guests checked in. None of them were asked to sign a โ€˜NO PARTYโ€™ policy.โ€

Her lawsuit notes that prior to the incident, Gonzales held a Marriott Rewards membership and โ€œnever had a problem or noise complaint at any other Marriott hotel she had ever stayed at,โ€ but agreed to sign the policy in order to check into her room.

Gonzales is seeking $300,000 for embarrassment, frustration, humiliation and โ€œfeelings of racial stigmatization.โ€ The lawsuit, which was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, can also be amended to include $1 million in punitive damages.

Jeff Flahert, a spokesperson for Marriott, stated that the hotel chain doesnโ€™t provide public comment on pending lawsuits, but I suppose weโ€™ll soon be finding out if they cut checks instead.

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