Student turned away from Holiday Inn Express because they 'thought she was a prostitute'

 

Shocked: Alecsandra Puflea outside the Holiday Inn hotel where she was refused accommodation, allegedly because she is Romanian

A hotel has apologised for refusing a Romanian woman a room because staff wrongly branded her a prostitute.

Alecsandra Puflea had tried to check into a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Ferensway with her boyfriend on July 6, but says she was turned away when the receptionist found out she was from Romania.
It is understood the hotel introduced a policy of screening guests they believed to be engaging in illegal activity after other Romanian women were found to be using the rooms for prostitution.
Alecsandra, a 22 year old criminology and forensic science graduate, booked the room online, but when she arrived, she claims the receptionist said: "I'm sorry but we don't accept Romanians."
She said: "It was an awful experience and quite shocking. He took one look at my ID and said that I could not stay in the hotel. I tried to show him my British driving licence but he said I cannot stay in the hotel because I was from Romania.
"I was really confused and I didn't understand why they would do this. There were other customers standing around so I was very embarrassed.
"I was in such disbelief and shock that I left the hotel."

 

Visit: Miss Puflea had booked the room online for her and her boyfriend

Alecsandra complained to police, and it was only then she discovered the reason they turned her away.
She said: "I was very upset when I found out the reason they asked me to leave. Not all Romanians are prostitutes.
"It did make more sense when I found out the problems they had in the past, but it is still discriminating and wrong."
Debra Hutchins, manager at the Holiday Inn Express, declined to comment on the reasons why Miss Puflea was refused a room but denied she was turned away because of her race.
She said: "This is definitely not a case of racial discrimination and the hotel declines to comment any further."
The hotel have apologised to Alecsandra, and the hotel are reviewing their local policy to prevent potential discrimination occurring in the future.