Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a letter from the Daytona Beach Hilton Inn in today's mail stating that...

"The hotel prohibits any guest from entering the hotel with animals of any kind."

It goes on to ask you to store your animals at the Ocean Center or keep them in a climate controlled trailer at the hotel loading dock.

It goes on to state...

"Please do not plan on storing your reptiles in your hotel guest room as the hotel will strictly enforce this policy this year. We appreciate your compliance"

I am curious if anyone else has received this correspondence from the Hilton and what they plan to do about it. I have attended the NRBE for the past 4 years and the hotel has turned a blind eye to the animals purchased by hotel guests. I am not sure that I am comfortable leaving an expensive animal in the hands of a security guard in a climate controlled trailer....whatever that may be?!?

Any thoughts or ideas?

Denny

I posted this in the boa forum, because that is where i usually am, but I know alot of you will beat Daytona as well and thought I would post here also.

I am a vendor and will not be leaving over a 100,000 in reptiles for someone to watch in their climate controlled trailer. I have geckos which have to have temps under 80 and ball pythons which like around 90.....So which climate will they cater to? I personally think them doing this right before the show does show a lack of concern, because they havent given us enough time to rebook...We reserved these rooms last year when we were leaving the show. Maybe due to their high and mighty other guests, We arent the kind they want in their place anyway????

I feel EVERYONE needs to contact Wayne Hill and get him working on this matter asap. Here is his email.

whill1@gate.net

Brent
BRB Reptiles

I think the Hotel should be contacted as well. It is the equivalent of them not allowing motorcycles to be parked in the parking garage during bike week.(Well, we have this nice lot a mile or so from the hotel for your bikes) Yea right! Are they prepared for the liability of housing millions of dollars worth of reptiles in a trailer?
The # on the letter for Questions or Concerns is for a Liz McMunn 386-947-8033

Kathy & Denny Rimes

**Remember to be nice, until it is time to not be nice.**

Just a comment.
That hotel counts on the show and the attendees for $$$. Considering the current state of the economy no business can afford to turn away a big pile of cash. They should have notified everyone about the policy when they accepted reservations that were obviously tied to the reptile event. If you cancel now, they will try to keep your deposit. If you used a CC you have up to 1 year to contest the charge. It will not be impossible, just inconvenient, but as many people as possible need to take their business elsewhere. Hit the hotel in their wallet.
I can't imagine that the biggest breeders with large inventories are going to leave their snakes unattended in the Ocean Center. As far as the suggestion about a climate controlled trailer. Are they going to provide these? Are they going to guarantee that the temps will be proper and maintained over night? What about security to prevent theft from the trailers?

Contact the event coordinator. They should make a quick phone call and let the hotel know how important herpers and this event are to the pocket book. Especially when travel is down.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

Wayne Hill knew about this problem last year and I personally think he droped the ball by not resolving this issue like 11 months ago. Just a real lack of care for the hand that feeds you by both partys in my opinion.

Her rat of a dog?
And anyone see that simple life episode? (yea, my wife likes it)
She turned a hilton hotel room in to a petting zoo.....
I know what I would do, and once in my room, it's my privacy.
The great thing about reptiles:
They are quiet!

MTV had some special on her album (she can't sing) and I watched the part where she shows her animals and she went over to a couple tanks and started to talk about the snakes then she realized that she couldn't find them! What a genius she is.
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In Loving Memory of the best Brother God gave me
Sgt. Arnold DuPlantier II
(Army National Guard, Charlie Rock Co.)
06/03/1979-06/22/2005
Support Our Troops

While we don't plan to have a table at the show this year, it does concern me that the Hilton is sending out this letter so late. I also agree with the post that asked the question about the "trailor"; beyond the problems of security, how are they going to ensure that the proper temps are maintained for all the different types of reptiles that are shown at this show? Seems impossible to me.

If the Hilton is going to stand firm on this, I'll put my plug in to move the show back to Orlando. The FIRE show is at the Orlando Convention Center on International drive and there are hundreds of hotels (with rooms way less expensive than the Hilton) within a very short distance. Plus the trolly runs frequently up and down International drive and doesn't cost a thing.

Parking at the convention center costs if you drive in for the day, but so does Daytona and this year it may be more since they've torn up the back parking lot. In addition, there are more family friendly venues in Orlando for the kids(raunchy stuff is still in the vicinity but you have to know where to look - it's not right down the block from your hotel). And finally, the cost to fly into Orlando is usually much less expensive than flying directly into Daytona.

At least it something to think about. My 2 cents worth.
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Alice Cobb

I seriously doubt with the many entrances/exits that the hotel has that they could possibly police this matter. I think they are just trying to keep the flagrant show of animals as people go through the lobbies and such. Its always been "no animals"....but i think things were becoming too lax and so they decided to remind people. I doubt it will be as strictly enforced as people are thinging....just hide your stuff.....
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Luke Martin
Bronze Serpent Reptiles

It's a little hard to "hide your stuff" when you have broken down your table and have racks or displays with animals going into the hotel because you are leaving on Monday. This is the first time they have had a "climate controlled" trailer, which sort of lends to how strictly they intend to enforce this. Many folks have had bellhops help them with carts in the past. I imagine the bellhops have been given strict orders against this this year. If you have animals that require special climate conditions, even if you "hide" your animals in boxes or bags, they will wonder why you are bringing caging/displays in.

We received our letter on the 11th, dated on the 1st and post marked on the 9th. My biggest problem with this is that the hotel waited till the last minute and left us with very little alternative choices. They are sorely going to be hurting in the pocket as most folks tend to use their bars and restaurants because of the convenience. The bars are the "hub" of most vendor socializing. We conservatively spent $400.00 to $500.00 on top of our lodging last year. They will not be seeing it this year!

Craig

I bet they wouldn't have this problem if it was a dog show.
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-Man fears the beast in the Wolf because he does not understand the beast within himself.

The letter was carefully witheld and mailed at the last minute in order to limit people's options should they take real offense at it. I know vendors who have yet to receive it and I got mine today..
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With the 5-day cancellation policy if you call them now the Hilton can surely keep your money for Thursday if you were a dope (like me) and planned to come early and relax, Friday night too. That's a win for them. And we know that we can't get our money back from the show. It's a cinch that any vendor who pulls out harms only himself.. there won't be a sign outside the Auditorium "FYI.. a lot of the people and animals you came to see are not in there".. So the gate will be mostly unchanged.
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You can be certain that Wayne Hill knew all about it. How much of a fight he put up over it is anybody's guess. What are his reasons for not personally getting involved and advising the vendors? Ask him when you see him.
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If there was a storm in the Antilles moving north the Hilton would be setting up a phone bank to handle the 'normal people' cancellations. The place would be empty this weekend except for the loyal herpers. That letter would never have been mailed if the hurricane center in Miami was putting out advisories for the coming week..
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See you there (I suppose).
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Gus
A. Rentfro
RioBravoReptiles.com
www.riobravoreptiles.com

"Quality is not an accident. Perfectly healthy animals are a minimum requirement.. everything else is just salesmanship" gus