The writer shares two separate experiences of staying in hotels that left them with a lasting sense of fear and unease.
In the first story, the writer recounts a childhood experience where they stayed in a hotel with their mom and younger brother. A strange man appeared in the lobby, pool area, and later at their hotel room door, claiming to be from housekeeping. The writer's mom intervened and they switched rooms, but the incident left a lasting impact.
In the second story, the writer shares an experience from when they were 21 years old. After a fight with their dad, they checked into a nearby Quality Inn and Suites. While staying in the hotel, they encountered a series of strange and unsettling events, including a mysterious woman who entered their room and attacked them. The writer later discovered that an employee had lost a master key, allowing the woman to access their room. The writer was shaken by the experience and has since avoided staying in hotels alone.
Both stories highlight the writer's ongoing fear of staying in hotels, which stems from these two traumatic experiences.
Here are the extracted key facts from the text:
1. The narrator was 12 years old when the incident occurred.
2. The narrator was staying in a hotel with their mom and younger brother.
3. The family was visiting extended family but chose not to stay in their house.
4. The narrator was told to keep an eye on their brother while their mom checked into the hotel.
5. A man in his mid-40s entered the hotel lobby and sat down on the couch opposite the narrator and their brother.
6. The man did not approach the front desk and made the narrator feel uncomfortable.
7. The narrator's mom called them over, and they left the lobby and went to their room.
8. The family left the hotel to meet family and forgot about the man.
9. They returned to the hotel at around 7:00 pm and went swimming in the hotel pool.
10. The same man from before appeared at the pool and sat down, making the narrator's mom visibly worried.
11. The man did not leave after five minutes, so the family got their things and left the pool area.
12. The narrator's mom was on edge and called the front desk to report the man.
13. The family switched hotel rooms and did not see the man again during their stay.
14. The narrator was 24 years old and living on their own when they took a business trip to North Carolina.
15. The narrator stayed at a Comfort Inn in North Carolina.
16. The narrator heard strange noises coming from the closet in their hotel room.
17. The narrator took sleeping pills and eventually fell asleep.
18. The narrator woke up to the sound of cloth being rustled and saw a person dressed in all black rummaging through their bag.
19. The narrator screamed, and the person fled the room, stealing their wallet and watch.
20. The incident occurred when the narrator was 17 years old and was staying at a Quality Inn and Suites.
21. The narrator had a fight with their dad and checked into the hotel to get away.
22. The narrator hung out by the outdoor pool and then went to their room, where they heard a light tapping on the door.
23. Despite having a "Do Not Disturb" sign, the door opened, and a woman entered the room.
24. The narrator confronted the woman, who slammed the door shut.
25. The narrator went to the front desk to complain and was told that one of the employees had lost a master key with access to all the rooms.
26. The narrator was furious and got a refund, gave some info to the cops, and then went home.