Hotel Chain Asks Katrina Evacuees to Leave

At least one hotel chain has asked some Hurricane Katrina evacuees to check out so it can honor the reservations of incoming guests.

Hilton Hotels, the parent company of Hampton Inn and other brands, is trying to find other rooms for the evacuees but said they were warned when they checked in that their stays would be limited by room availability, said Hilton spokeswoman Kathy Shepard.
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Had Perry found shelter in Louisiana, she would have been protected by a Sept. 1 executive order issued by Gov. Kathleen Blanco that bars hotels from displacing a refugee who guarantees payment.

In Mississippi, no such protection exists. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has asked hotel managers to let evacuees stay longer, but they are not required to do so. Gov. Haley Barbour "has decided to let the private sector handle those issues without government intervention," said his spokesman, Pete Smith.
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Most hotel chains are still giving evacuees priority over guests with reservations, Hanson said. At a Comfort Inn across the street from the Hampton Inn in Brookhaven, assistant manager Amanda Smith said no one was being asked to leave.

"What would you do? They're homeless. You can't turn them away. It's morally wrong. I'd rather inconvenience our people with reservations," Smith said.

Holiday Inn and Choice Hotels International, which markets brands such as Clarion, Comfort Suites, Quality and Sleep Inns, are also encouraging their franchises to give priority to evacuees and emergency workers.