The Days Inn, 3710 Gulf Freeway in Dickinson, is filled with Hurricane Katrina refugees. More could be on the way.
But it, like many other hotels around the county, was booked for Labor Day weekend weeks before the disaster struck.
So what are the hotels supposed to do?
“We’re not going to throw them out — that’s for sure,” said manager Sandy Patel.
Patel and other hotel managers in the county are hoping understanding tourists would give up their rooms so the refugees could stay put.
Hotel staff members are calling people who have reservations to let them know that the refugees’ plight takes precedence, Patel said.
Not everyone has been happy, she said.
La Quinta Inn, 1121 state Highway 146 N. in Texas City, also was booked before the area was inundated by refugees, said manager Helen McKinney.
The hotel’s corporate offices have been contacting people with reservations to inform them that the evacuees will be allowed to stay at the hotel.
Some people have called to offer their reserved rooms to the evacuees, she said.
McKinney said the company would help tourists find new hotel rooms or offer them discounts on future stays at La Quinta.
“If you have a heart, you can’t be upset,” she said.
Sam Gandhi, manager of EconoLodge, 3924 Ave. U in Galveston, said he hopes that some of the people who have made reservations at his hotel will cancel or not show up so he can open up rooms for the evacuees.
However, he said many of the people he has spoken with planned on leaving the hotel to stay with family or friends or move to Houston.
James Marx, manager of the Best Western Beachfront Inn, 5914 Seawall Blvd. in Galveston, said many of the evacuees he had spoken with also planned to leave.
The hotel would try to accommodate people who want to stay this weekend and would offer discounted rates for people affected by the hurricane as well, Marx said.
Room rates could go down to $49 after the holiday weekend.
Marx said he is working with the hotel’s corporate offices to offer the lowest rates to the refugees as possible.
