Sheraton Metairie New Orleans

Worst experience in 50 years

My reservation was made and confirmed a week in advance. I arrived sometime after midnight on a Wednesday. As I approached the counter, I noticed SEVERAL outraged individuals. As I moved closer, I could hear that they were trying to explain to the customers that the "system" have malfunctioned and had kept receiving reservations. I actually heard one of the clerks, in a lower voice, explain that they always overbook to allow for no-shows, but it should have never been allowed to go this far (indicating some sort of human backup system to turn it off). As I was asked to approach the counter, more like herded like cattle, I was asked my name and I was handed a form letter, with my name nicely printed in the middle. The paper expressed in apologies, but explained that, due to "No fault of their own, one of the floors had "unexpectedly" had to be shut down for reconstruction. (How do you overbook a WHOLE FLOOR, isn't there anyone that is TRAINED to see "we don't have anywhere near this many rooms"? Now either the other clerk was lying or this form letter was supposed to disguise the truth. It went on to explain that they had paid for me to stay in another hotel of equal quality. Now 1:30 am..... I don't care. It's a good thing I had decided, at the last minute to get a rental car at the airport, or this would have lead to more delays, taxi expenses and excuses. After driving around for an hour, to find the other hotel, I finally flagged down a policeman. He told me that the hotel they were sending me to, was New Orleans Drug Capital and he wouldn't go there if they paid him $100 per hour! He sent me down toward the Canal, where after 3 stops and phone calls I found a room at 2:45 am. I received 3 calls from the managers the next day stating that they are holding a room for me. Huh.... seems like I have heard that one before. I told them that "Never again will I stay at a Sheraton Hotel" and definitely not at the Sheraton Metairie.

Unique Quality: Staff could care less.