Hotel Operations — Evictions
By R. Britton Colbert, CHA, CHIA
Hotel managers operate a private business enterprise that is open to the public 24/7. Consequently, there can be extreme cases of inappropriate/threatening behavior by guests or their invitees who jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of all persons on the premises.
Hotel managers have a duty to control the hotel premises and those on the property in order to operate the hotel in a safe and secure manner for all. During those instances when hotel guests or their invitees become rowdy, threatening, misbehave or otherwise cause extreme disorder, the individuals will be requested to vacate the premises by hotel management and hotel security. While two warnings to immediately modify the behavior are preferable, they may not always be practical or warranted. Should the individuals refuse to cooperate, the police department will be requested for immediate assistance in order to assist hotel management in maintaining safe property control.
Without exception, hotel management at all times controls the activities and persons on hotel premises in order to provide a safe environment for all its guests and employees. This safety and control aspect is a universally accepted hotel operating practice in the lodging industry.
R. Britton Colbert has 35+ years of hotel industry experience, including direct operating responsibility for nine hotels in California, Washington, Illinois and Texas. He has consulted or testified in federal, state, municipal courts and for the Baltimore Police Commission. Frequent matters include franchise issues, wrongful death from fire, drowning, shooting incidents, and assaults, as well as accounting/financial and condemnation matters for the hotel industry. Mr. Colbert currently holds a real estate license from California, and the CHA and CHIA certifications from the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.