MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A tourist who booked a Miami Beach hotel room months ahead of Memorial Day weekend no longer has a place to stay.
Sharonda Robinson told Local 10 News her reservation at the Villa by Barton G was canceled at the last minute -- and she only found out when she tried to book a dinner reservation.
The boutique hotel housed in the Versace Mansion will be closed from Friday until Tuesday, shutting down completely during one of the city's most popular weekends of the year.
Robinson had booked two rooms at the hotel ahead of her trip to Miami Beach from Jacksonville. Now she said she has nowhere else to go this weekend.
"I spent thousands and thousands of dollars to make sure my vacation is successful," she said. "They're not going to accommodate me because of violence or something else that has nothing to do with me. That makes me very irate and upset."
The Villa by Barton G told Local 10 it is closing its doors due to concerns over this weekend's traffic, when thousands of people are expected to arrive for events such as Urban Beach Week. Several other businesses are also opting to close their doors rather than taking advantage of the tourism boom, including nightclubs such as Set and Mokai Lounge.
According to Robinson, the hotel made no effort to notify her of the closure. She happened to call to make a reservation for the restaurant when she was told the entire business would be closed.
"I just think it was very distasteful the way that I was treated," Robinson said Wednesday night. "I will be fighting this to the fullest extent."