Woman Goes To Double Tree In Washington. Then She Tries To Lock Her Door: ‘More Like Hilton Horrors’

After a host of bad stories about Airbnb and other short-term rentals, many travelers are finding themselves going back to hotels.

In contrast to short-term rentals, those promoting hotels say they offer a better experience, including clean rooms and improved safety given the presence of security cameras and a front desk.

But this isn’t a guarantee. It turns out, your hotel experience can range from great to pitiful depending on where you book. While some may counter that you can increase your odds of a positive experience by booking at a chain hotel, a recent TikTok video from user Dominique Breyana (@dominiquebreyana) shows why that’s not the case.

What’s Wrong With This Hotel?

In a video with over 11,000 views, Breyana issues a warning about the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Largo/Washington D.C.

“What world is it safe for a woman to be staying at a hotel by herself where the door can just open when you open it?” she asks.

To demonstrate her point, she closes her hotel door. After a bit of jiggling, the door opens—no keycard needed.

“Yes, you can double-lock it from the inside—but what happens when I leave the hotel tomorrow and I’m going about my business?” she asks.

This isn’t her only complaint about the hotel. According to Breyana, the “whole hallway smells like mold,” and the “sheets smell old and dingy.”

Given this, she tried to seek a refund from the hotel and find another place to sleep for the evening. However, the hotel informed her that, as she arrived at 4pm and it was now 8pm, she would be charged for a full night. This is despite the fact that, as Breyana shows in the video, the room is largely untouched.

Even though Breyana says she recently joined the Hilton Honors program, she claims that this experience has dissuaded her from booking with the chain again.

“I just feel like this is crazy,” she states. “I don’t recommend Hilton Hotels.”

It’s A Common Complaint

Unfortunately, complaints of this nature are common for this particular DoubleTree location.

Several Expedia reviews of this location mention mold or a musky, mildew smell present in both the rooms and the hallways. A review on Trip.com alleges that they saw evidence of mold that had simply been painted over. There are also multiple TripAdvisor reviews that mention an apparent smell.

Breyana wasn’t alone about her thoughts on the sheets, either. Reviewers on Kayak alleged that they, too, experienced dirty rooms with unclean sheets, with one claiming they simply went and bought their own sheets after the hotel repeatedly failed to provide clean ones.

Is She Entitled To A Refund?

If the hotel did not offer her another room after her first room proved defective (owing to the broken door), she could have a case that she deserves a refund.

However, the hotel did offer her another room. In the caption, she writes, “I was offered to move to another room but why would I want to stay here at all?”

While this feeling is understandable, it does make the refund a little more complicated. Generally speaking, her refund would be at the discretion of the hotel. Hilton’s website notes that its cancellation fees vary by hotel.

From here, her best course of action is likely attempting to solve the situation with the involved parties. For example, she can file a complaint through Chase Sapphire, through which she booked the hotel. After that, they can argue on her behalf and potentially secure a refund.

She can also attempt to escalate the issue with Hilton. This involves not only speaking to management at this location but filing a formal complaint with the hotel chain. While a refund isn’t guaranteed, going all-out can improve her chances of something being done to resolve the situation.

In a comment, she revealed that she was eventually able to get “half back,” which she feels is unsatisfactory.

Other Stories

In the comments section, many users voiced their support for Breyana, with some sharing their own stories.

“I stopped using Hilton for this reason. I stayed at a hotel in Philly & it was so old & dingy. When I complained all they could do is refund me parking,” recalled a user. “I haven’t stayed with them since.”

“I vowed to never stay at Hilton again,” stated another. “Their hotels do be smelling moldy [and] don’t get me started on their stained sheets.”

Others simply offered advice.

“Go above the managers head and actually email Hilton and I’d send them the link to the TikTok so they know that the PUBLIC is also WAITING for them to rectify this issue!!” exclaimed a user.

BroBible reached out to Hilton via email and Breyana via email and Instagram direct message.