2/10 Rating
My wife & I booked a room at The Bell Athens for UGA's parents weekend in early November to visit our daughter. Since then, one of our dearest friends unexpectedly lost both of his parents, 11 days apart. Their memorial service is that same weekend.
When we went to cancel, we realized we'd booked a non-refundable rate. Our mistake, sure. So we asked The Bell to make an exception. No. We asked for a credit toward a future visit instead. Also no. The only option offered was moving our stay to other dates within seven days of the original. We asked for the following weekend and were told no. We asked to rebook for a weekend in March. Also no.
All of this happened over text, because The Bell says to contact them via text, email, or WhatsApp. Never once did anyone offer to call, and I still can't tell whether we were dealing with an AI bot or a person following a script to the letter. Either way, it was painfully impersonal. We explained a family tragedy to a text thread and got "that's the policy" back.
The Bell's website promises hospitality that "pays homage to the traditions of small town life." In a small town, when someone's grieving, people show up. Nobody texts them a policy.
Meanwhile, a room on UGA's parents weekend will almost certainly sell again. There is no world where this is money lost.
Policies exist for a reason. So does judgment. The Bell, a credit toward a future stay is a small ask for a room you'll likely resell. It's not too late to make this right. Until you do, other UGA families should know how you treat guests who need a little grace.