Hotel tells Romanian graduate: No room for you, you might be a prostitute
A ROMANIAN woman was refused a room because staff thought she was a prostitute.
Alecsandra Puflea, 22, tried to check in at the Holiday Inn Express with her boyfriend but says she was turned away after the receptionist discovered her nationality.
The Hull University criminology and forensic science graduate had booked the room online.
But when she arrived she claims the receptionist said: ‘I’m sorry, but we don’t accept Romanians.’
The hotel introduced a policy of screening guests they believed could be engaging in illegal activity after other Romanian women were found to be using the rooms for prostitution.
Humberside Police, who investigated a complaint from Miss Puflea, said the hotel has now apologised to her and is reviewing its policy.
‘Tar everyone with the same brush’
Miss Puflea said: ‘It was an awful experience and quite shocking.
‘He took one look at my ID and said that I could not stay in the hotel. I tried to show him my British driver’s licence but he said I could not stay in the hotel because I was from Romania.
‘I was really confused and I didn’t understand why they would do this. There were other customers standing around so I was very embarrassed and I don’t want to be embarrassed by my country.
‘I was in such disbelief and shock that I left the hotel.’
It was only when Miss Puflea complained to police about what happened that she discovered the reason they had turned her away on July 6. ‘I was very upset when I found out the reason they had told me to leave,’ she said. ‘Not all Romanians are prostitutes, it is a very small percentage. Even though it made more sense when I found out about the problems they have had in the past, it is still discriminatory and it is still wrong. You can’t tar everyone with the same brush because of their nationality.’
Debra Hutchins, manager at the Holiday Inn Express in Hull, declined to comment on the reasons why Miss Puflea was refused a room but denied she was turned away because of her race.
‘This is definitely not a case of racial discrimination and the hotel declines to comment any further,’ she said.
Miss Puflea said she believes the receptionist assumed she was a prostitute based solely on her nationality. As a volunteer with the support network Together Women and the Hull Youth Justice Service, Miss Puflea believes no one should be judged on first appearances.
‘ The hotel should change its policy,’ she said. ‘I would like them to change their attitude towards Romanians.
‘This form of discrimination is very, very wrong, particularly from a large company like this.’ Humberside Police confirmed that officers had investigated a complaint from Miss Puflea.
In a statement, the force said: ‘Police have been dealing with a hate incident whereby a lady was refused a room at a Hull city hotel allegedly due to a policy they had in place. The victim believed the reason she was turned away from the hotel, despite booking her room online, was due to her race.
‘Officers have spoken to the general manager of the hotel and their policy is to be reviewed.’