Due to a storm, power was out at my parents home in Rockville, Maryland. I came out from DC to help them move into this hotel. Both of them work in fields that have thought about using your hotel and conference center for programs, so we thought we would have dinner there tonight also and review the facility for possible use. Each of my parents co-ordinate conferences and I am an attorney and conduct training programs for clients and their staff.
When we arrived, the parking staff aggressively confronted my mother who is 64 and needed for medical reasons to unload close to the entrance. She has some confidential material in her car and requested to park the car herself after we assisted her to check in. She did not park in front of the entry as we assumed others might need to keep it clear, but did temporarily stop to unload directly across from it. A white male with light brownish hair began demanding her keys and obstructing her entry. She politely explained that she did not want the car disturbed and was checking in and would park it herself. As I was assisting her, he demanded keys from me and explained it was "the rule". I explained that I was self parking my car as well and would even check into my own room later so as to not have my car in the area of the check in, but that I needed to assist her. He refused my entry and demanded my keys. Trying to defuse the situation, I told him I did not want the car disturbed and said he could hold my keys but to not leave the area as I would be right out. He stated he was going nowhere but had to have the keys.
Another slightly older balding white male approached my 65 year old father who was in his own car and more politely asked for his keys. After having seen how confrontational these parking attendants had been to his wife and son, he asked where the self park was and drove there. At that point, which is several blocks away, he had to carry all of his own luggage to check in, so as to avoid the aggressive attendants.
Check in went rather smoothly and I took all of my mother's baggage to her room since movement of her car appeared to be such a matter of urgency for this attendant. Immediately upon stowing my mother's luggage, I returned to find my car had been moved and the attendant who had my keys had given them to the other attendant, who did give me the keys back. I requested to know why the car had been moved without my permission when I had been very clear that I did not want it moved. I was told by the aggressive attendant that it could not be parked where it was, although it was moved only 15 feet. Let me be clear it was not parked in a way that blocked the entrance.
When I explained that I had been clear in asking for him not to move the car or release possession of my keys, he turned to the other attendant and said, "I told you they were a**holes."
As paying customers, we should not be insulted in this way. He had already acted in an aggressive manner toward a 64 year old women and 65 year old man. At this point I did state that it appeared he was the one acting like one himself and got into my car to move it. He then ran to my car as I was getting in, stood aggressively against the door and began demanding that I roll down my window!
So as not to escalate the situation, I did not and simply left the grounds. Although my parents checked in, I did not, and stayed in another hotel. We did not have dinner at the hotel as I feel this individual is an assaultive personality and apparently wanted to provoke an altercation.
As we were treated in such a manner, I now no longer wish to give consideration to this hotel for any events nor will they. If this is the manner in which patrons are treated upon arrival, I suspect this hotel will have future financial problems if others are so treated.
I did not ask for this individual's name and did not wish to place my personal safely at risk to find the manager, but he needs to be aware of this.
Also, after I had driven away about a block, I noted several items in my car had been moved. As an attorney I have an established privileged relationship with my clients, which is why I did not want to give this unknown attendant the keys to my car that has files within it. He entered my car without permission, drove my car without authorization, and apparently was moving items in my car without permission. It is this kind of behavior that validates concern with this hotel's valet parking, but the aggressive and insulting behavior is beyond the pale. While I had considered pressing charges based upon his conduct, I have chosen to simply alert others.
Do not patronize this hotel.