SARASOTA, Fla.-- An Atlanta family visiting Sarasota for a relaxing vacation says they discovered a racially insensitive note in their hotel room.
- Family finds note with racial slur in hotel room
- Were staying in Sarasota for vacation
- Still waiting to hear from Art Ovation Hotel
Frank Davis says his son noticed the note placed inside of a beside lamp at the new Art Ovation Hotel after they returned from a day of shopping earlier this week.
"He thought it was kind of interesting that the hotel was leaving us a nice note probably welcoming us to the area," Davis said.
He decided to take a closer look, and discovered the piece of paper was scribbled with a racial slur. Davis snapped a few photos before calling the hotel desk and Sarasota Police.
"To be honest with you, I did not feel safe knowing that there was somebody in that hotel, either a guest or staff member, who had those emotions," he said.
Davis relocated his family to Clearwater for the remainder of their vacation.
He tells Spectrum Bay News 9 he's hoping this can be a teaching moment for the hotel staff.
"This is about a teaching moment and delivering a message, and really trying to tell everybody it's time to embrace sensibility and common sense," Davis said.
Spectrum News reached out to Art Ovation Hotel, who released the following statement:
"We understand and share the concerns of our Sarasota community and our guests regarding recent events. We sincerely apologize for the family’s experience and have shared our apologies directly with them. Due to the concerning nature of the situation, we immediately launched a thorough internal investigation – including checking the electronic memory of the guest room locks. Our investigation has found no evidence that any associate of the hotel was involved in this incident. Additional findings have indicated that the offensive note appears to have already been in the room, likely left by a previous occupant, when the guests checked in and was not directed at the guests in any way.
We will continue to work closely with the Sarasota Police Department as they pursue this matter.
The safety and security of our guests is of paramount importance to us and we remain committed to providing an environment where all feel welcome. Again, we apologize to all those impacted by this experience and regardless of the source of this note, we deeply regret that any guest of ours had to endure this situation."