CF
Candice Coulson Fitzgibbons
Oct 29, 2025
We were to attend an event at the Oak Ridge Y-12 facility. On Sep 30, 2025, we booked a 2-night stay at the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Oak Ridge, TN, located at 208 S. Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37830, for check-in on Oct 31, 2025 and checkout Nov 2, 2025 for a total cost of $488.92. My husband is a Veteran and disabled. That is a lot of money for us.
We learned on Oct 21, 2025 that the Oak Ridge event was cancelled due to the federal government shutdown. We immediately called Hampton Inn by Hilton in Oak Ridge, TN to cancel our reservation. The hotel manager told us that there was a 21-day cancellation policy and refused to cancel our reservation due to Hilton’s Corporate Policy. We called Hilton customer service, who said it wasn’t their policy and that they had no ability to cancel the reservation, that the ability to cancel and waive any fees lies solely with the hotel property. Hilton customer service called and spoke with the manager at the hotel, who again refused to cancel the reservation because they are “an NFL hotel,” meaning they have an absolute no cancellation within the 21-day window due to NFL games. The closest NFL team is the Titans in Nashville, a 2 hr 42 min (162.3 mi) drive from Oak Ridge to Nissan Stadium.
We’ve already been charged for the room. If we cancel the reservation, they keep the money AND can re-rent the room. Since we are paying either way, we are calling local Oak Ridge Veteran’s groups to find a homeless veteran who can use the room for that time and get out of the cold.
We will never stay at this hotel in the future and urge others, especially Veterans, to do the same.
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UPDATE: I see the GM of the hotel responded and has blatantly lied. That is not someone with whom you want to do business.
GM said, "We do follow the policies set in place by Hilton and are required to uphold." – LIE. It is not a Hilton Corporate policy. Hilton Corporate made it clear that it is the hotel property policy and only the hotel itself can cancel and refund, not Hilton Corporate.
GM said, "I am the GM, and you never spoke to me. I am the only manager on property." – LIE. My husband spoke to a person claiming to be the hotel manager TWICE! Hilton Corporate Customer Service spoke with the manager at the property 3 TIMES trying to get the hotel to refund the money or change the reservation dates. That hotel manager refused every time.
GM said, "We are not an NFL hotel, we are close to The University of Tn and the Vols are home. Being from a local town you would know this as well." – The Hilton Corporate Customer Service representative spoke to the hotel manager, who told her the hotel would not cancel and refund because it was an NFL football hotel, not a college football hotel. Hampton Inn Oak Ridge is 25 miles from the University of Tennessee, not even in the same county. While we are from Tennessee, we do not follow football at all, so no, we don't know when the Vols are home. We would not associate a hotel 25 miles away from UT with UT football games.
GM said, "It is nothing against you or anyone else we are required to meet the requirements. We tell everyone that is outside the same policy. My husband is a veteran as well. We thank him for his service, but it has nothing to do with policy." – LIE. Your hotel cancellation policy (which you have the ability to waive) has everything to do with how you treat and accommodate veterans, especially vets who are disabled and on a limited income. Shame on you.
GM said, "Hilton provided you 30,000 points as they notified me today. That’s a free night somewhere." – Yes, Hilton did give us the points as compensation for Hilton Corporate's opening a ticket and then not getting back to us with an update in the time they promised. It wasn't compensation for your hotel's refusal to cancel and refund. The points will get us one night stay somewhere in the future, but we are out $488.92 NOW, and $488 greatly exceeds the cost of one night stay anywhere we would go.
Live and learn... and warn others.