Dirty hotel rooms reflect badly on Queen City

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With all eyes on the Queen City for the Democratic National Convention some say its hospitality business is giving it a bad look.

Eyewitness News heard reports there are dirty rooms, unsafe conditions and drug dealing happening in some Charlotte hotels.

Channel 9 spoke to several news agencies and learned The Hill, a Congressional newspaper, removed their entire editorial staff from the Quality Inn in Rock Hill after seeing the rooms.

A reporter with the National Review said he wouldn't recommend the place to his worst enemy. Another person said he found someone else's clothing in the room.

People are describing the rooms booked in advance by the DNC host committee as "unsafe" and "unsanitary."
"That was very bad," said Fred Swann, who stayed at the Knights Inn.

People were complaining rooms smelled like pets and smoke.

"When I was looking for a hotel, all hotels in a 50-mile radius were all booked up," said Maurice Bown, a Knights Inn guest.

A guest from Georgia, told Channel 9 he stayed at Knights Inn and was so appalled he moved to another hotel. He said he blamed hotel management.

Others blamed the DNC host committee for booking rooms without checking them.

With places like the Knights Inn charging $140 a night, which is supposed to be a deal, for many that's too much to pay for sub-par quality.

Managers with Knights Inn told Eyewitness News that if you're used to staying at a five-star hotel, then this isn't the hotel for you. When Channel 9 asked if people checked out because of the facilities, they said yes but they're still managing to stay at full capacity because of the need for rooms during the DNC.

WSOC