Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa Faces Backlash for False Information During Hurricane Evacuation Order
As Hurricane Idalia made landfall north of Tampa Bay, most hotels on Clearwater Beach were empty. Pinellas County had issued an evacuation order two days earlier for Zone A, which directed all guests and residents to leave the barrier islands. However, the 286-room Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa went against the directive and remained open.
The resort sent emails and slid notices under their guests’ doors stating that there was no evacuation order for Clearwater Beach. The messages also assured guests that the resort and restaurants would remain open. These false statements were delivered to guests around 5 p.m. on Monday, four hours after Pinellas County had announced the evacuation order. Several guests were unaware of the order until a Tampa Bay Times reporter informed them.
Nadine Barsoum, a guest visiting from New York, expressed her frustration, stating, “They should have told us about the evacuation and have given us the choice” to stay or go. The Hyatt declined to answer why they provided false information to their guests, instead deferring questions to “local authorities.”
Clearwater Fire and Rescue’s division chief of emergency management, Jevon Graham, criticized the Hyatt’s actions, calling it negligence and stating that they put people’s lives in danger. He emphasized that evacuation orders are meant to protect human life from dangerous storm surges.
It is worth noting that the Hyatt and 12 other hotels on Clearwater Beach were also supposed to require guests to leave a day earlier due to a longstanding rule. This rule, which applies to hotels built with additional density, requires them to evacuate guests whenever the National Weather Service issues a hurricane watch for Pinellas County. However, it is unclear if any of these hotels followed this rule during Hurricane Idalia.
The Hyatt’s decision to remain open despite the evacuation order raises concerns about public safety and the enforcement of hotel regulations during natural disasters. The Clearwater planning director, Gina Clayton, explained the rationale behind the rule, stating that evacuating tourists early would help reduce road congestion if a storm worsened and multiple zones had to be evacuated.
Going forward, it is clear that greater regulation, enforcement, and accountability are needed to ensure the safety of both residents and visitors during hurricane events. Hotels should prioritize the well-being of their guests and adhere to evacuation orders and guidelines set by local authorities. The consequences of disregarding such orders can be severe, as demonstrated by the storm surges experienced in Clearwater Beach during Hurricane Idalia.
As the cleanup and recovery process begins, it is crucial for all stakeholders, including hotel management, local authorities, and emergency management teams, to reflect on this incident and make the necessary changes to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Public safety should always be the top priority during natural disasters, and all parties involved must work together to ensure the protection and well-being of their communities.