Black Guest at Oregon Hotel Sues Over ‘No Party’ Promise

An African American woman who says she was required to sign a “no party policy” when she checked into her Portland, Ore. hotel filed a $300,000 lawsuit against the Marriott chain, claiming it singled her out because of her race.

Felicia Gonzales claims the front desk clerk at the Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Convention Center told her that all guests had to sign the policy. But Gonzales says she watched white guests check in after her who weren’t required to sign it.

The company doesn’t comment on pending lawsuits.

The no party policy, provided by Gonzales’ attorneys, says it’s to inform all guests of noise limits and “not to insinuate any distrust in the ‘average’ guest.”

The suit seeks $300,000 for embarrassment, frustration, humiliation and “feelings of racial stigmatization,” and says it could later be amended to add $1 million in punitive damages. The suit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.