anonymousquestioner

This post is to warn the community about Marriott's apparent lack of concern regarding guest safety, security and privacy.

Marriott's Le Méridien Denver Downtown front desk staff checked a random man into my room, and he filmed me naked. Marriott doesn't seem to think this is a serious problem. I had just finished showering and was totally naked when the door flung open; the man stood in my room for 20-30 seconds interrogating and filming me. I had nothing to cover myself, and didn’t know if I should fight or hide. After multiple panicked requests, he eventually stopped filming and left my room. Front desk staff then laughed at my complaint along with other guests in a busy lobby, and advised me not to call the police. Staff also gave me the intruding guest's full name, and informed me that Mr John Smith* said he had already shared the footage "but only with his girlfriend" (so far). This was meant to be comforting— it was not. I can't know what else has been done or will be done to further distribute it. It took 2 hours to find a new room without a defective deadbolt, and I did not sleep at all.

Several days later, when it was clear that Mr Smith wasn't going to respond to the hotel GM's email requests to confirm that he would not retain or further distribute the intimate footage, I contacted the Denver police department. They are declining to assist on the basis that Marriott provided consent for Mr Smith to enter my room, complicating their assessment of any criminality ("if the footage surfaces on PornHub, you're welcome to make another report").

My impression is that Marriott has not taken this matter seriously, offering me a paltry "free night" worth of Bonvoy points as compensation (declined). I now appear to have exhausted their complaints process (see attached image), so all I can do now is warn others about Marriott's behaviour. I remain stunned that in an era of increased awareness surrounding issues of consent and the evils of non-consensual pornography, Marriott continues to minimise and dismiss my experience as a minor inconvenience.

Marriott's Le Méridien Denver Downtown is otherwise a lovely hotel, however my experience was very disturbing.

—

*Name altered from the name Marriott staff gave me... ironically, because I want to protect the intruding guest's privacy.

Jaimito Cartero

Wasn’t this posted about previously?

anonymousquestioner

Previously I was seeking advice about how to handle/resolve the issue in the immediate aftermath as it was unfolding, and I did not include details of the hotel chain or the location. There have been further developments and I now appear to have exhausted the complaints process, so I am now posting primarily to warn others about Marriott's behaviour.

Jaimito Cartero

Much better to update in your original thread.

anonymousquestioner

Thread closed by mods.

donotblink

This is crazy omg

DELee

Original thread: Filmed naked at hotel by a guest given access card to my room. What should I do now?

David

YYZ1313

While this is an unfortunate incident, what else do you want them to do? It is possible for hotel staff to give an occupied room to a new guest by mistake. Unfortunately, you were naked when they walked in. I can see why they would be confused as to why a naked person would be in their room and they might want to document the incident. You don't have proof that they kept the footage or shared it with anyone. The hotel can't control what that person may or may not do with the footage. Time to move on with your life. Saying this incident was pornography shows you are not acting rationally at this point.

davedeboston

I think there are two choices at this point:
-Get a lawyer
-Attempt to move on

Best wishes either way!

SHLTP

It's a crappy situation all the way around but mistakes do happen. You both got the same room and unluckily you happened to be naked when he came in . Sorry for that.

If I was checking into a room and found a naked person there, I'd also video to give proof that I didn't do anything bad and that there was a naked person in the room. I'd be scared of the naked person
I feel for you. I'd suggest contacting the man or having Marriott do so nicely and asking him to delete. Unfortunately not much more can be done as it doesn't appear he had malicious intentions for filming in first place.

Im not sure what Marriott can do too aside apologize and give you 1-2 nights free.

It's an unfortunate situation. It sucks. I get it. But I'm not sure what else can be done.

Finkface

In the original thread, everyone assumed the OP was female and the OP did not correct that assumption. From the salutations on the Marriott emails, it seems that isn't the case. While it doesn't change anything, it is an interesting revelation.

anonymousquestioner

At this point? I don't expect Marriott to do anything, because they've been clear that they consider the matter closed. So in that sense, this post is mainly an FYI to the community.

​​​​​I would like them to offer some gesture of goodwill that reflects the seriousness of the matter. That is to say the double check-in, the resulting naked footage, the behaviour of their staff both laughing and warning against police involvement, the difficulty and delay in finding me a secure new room, etc. Not the single "free night" worth of Bonvoy points on offer (not really a credible gesture— I've already paid for a night of safe accommodation that I didn't receive). An offer of, say, 10 or 20 nights worth of Bonvoy points might start to feel like the issue is being taken seriously.

As to behaving rationally and the definition pornography: the guy stood there for a good 20-30 seconds interrogating and filming me naked. It was weird behaviour. And just because I wasn't doing anything salacious doesn't make it any less invasive, nor does it render the footage non-pornographic. If you are confused about these definitions, look up "revenge porn". Intimate imagery coupled with lack of consent immediately puts this in a different category. And this weirdo told front desk staff that he had "only shared it with his girlfriend". I was on the 17th floor. He had intimate footage, and he had already shared it with his girlfriend by the time he got to the lobby. Definitionally, that is already distribution of non-consensual pornography. Who knows where else this footage will go? Would you want intimate footage of yourself in the hands of some weirdo with a demonstrated proclivity for distributing it? I dunno, man. It seems like your perspective on this issue might be similar to Marriott's... which is exactly the problem.

hotelboy

This is why you use the deadbolt and secondary locking device on the door. Had one or both been used the OP would not find them in the position they are in.

Eujeanie

I think Erin Andrews got considerably more compensation from Marriott.

anonymousquestioner

I do think this is an interesting point, and I was fascinated to see those assumptions being made. I strongly suspect my gender influenced both Marriott and Denver PD, and I think there's something deeply interesting and probably a bit disturbing about that likelihood.