Hurricane Ian evacuee upset about Jupiter hotel cost hike

JUPITER, Fla.  — A Hurricane Ian evacuee termed WPTV about a cost hike at a Jupiter lodge.

“I heard it was heading towards Fort Myers. We made the decision the only area we could go was out this way,” Lisa Howard instructed WPTV.

So, Howard packed up her truck and headed for Palm Seaside County.

She explained to WPTV she found a good charge at the Hampton Inn in Jupiter.

WPTV

Lisa Howard evacuated from Fort Myers to Jupiter to escape the wrath of Hurricane Ian.

“We have been here considering that Monday. We have been paying out a honest price, about $100 a evening, but all of a unexpected we discovered out it’s been hiked up to $200 a night time,” Howard said.

Howard reported that has been including far more disappointment to an previously stress filled problem. She’s been looking at WPTV, seeing the photos from her hometown.

“I do not know what is going on. My landlord is out of city. She discovered out by means of somebody that my household roof flew off. It truly is history now,” Howard said. “I cannot get to my father. I are unable to reach my son.”

Howard needed to know if the value hike in Jupiter was a scenario of cost gouging.

Damaged homes and debris are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers Beach, Fla.

(AP Photograph/Wilfredo Lee)

Weakened households and debris are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers Beach front, Fla.

WPTV named the Hampton Inn on Thursday. Administration explained to WPTV there was no value hike similar to the hurricane. They stated $214 is the regular weekend amount.

WPTV did a look for for long run weekend fees at the Hampton Inn, confirming that.

WPTV also named Hilton to see if there was just about anything they could do, but they said the Jupiter Hampton Inn is independently owned and operated.

Nonetheless, Howard mentioned it is way too a lot for them and she was hoping the lodge would function with evacuees for the reason that every single penny counts ideal now.

Damaged ships and debris is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Destroyed ships and debris is witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla.

So, now Howard is searching for yet another spot to continue to be until it is protected to go home.

“I’m so afraid of looters, you have no thought,” Howard reported. “It’s surreal. It really is just not even true. I suggest the Sanibel bridge, I signify all the things it can be just outrageous. We are gonna hope we can occur back again at the very least Sunday or Monday. We’re gonna hope and that is all we can do is just go from working day to day.”

Whilst there was no value gouging in this circumstance, if you do come across a scenario exactly where you think you witnessed cost gouging at a lodge, fuel station or grocery retail store, you can contact Florida’s price tag gouging hotline at 866-9NO-Fraud.

A Hilton spokesperson sent the pursuing statement pertaining to the subject:

“Hilton generally seeks to offer guests good rates based on remaining inventory and complies with neighborhood legislation relevant to pricing. Whilst we do not own and run all our inns and simply cannot straight control their pricing strategies, we consider these matters critically and all our accommodations are necessary to comply with local regulation.”