MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A TikTok that went viral is giving a hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina unwanted attention.
A video of a room at the Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort showing mold has more than 6 million pageviews and 360,000 comments, according to ABC 15, Channel 9′s sister station in Myrtle Beach.
Kelly Bruce, who was on vacation with her two friends, shot the video. She told ABC 15 she was put in a new room after originally being put in the wrong one, which then had mold. The full video of the mold can be seen in ABC 15′s coverage.
“We were devastated, we were sick, we thought things were crawling on us,” Bruce said.
Bruce and her friends first reaction to discovering the mold was to share with the world what they were experiencing. She said she didn’t think the video would go viral, but just didn’t want anyone else to have a similar experience.
“We didn’t want anyone to see what we saw. No matter what you pay or your accommodations, your health -- you should not be exposed to those types of conditions,” she said.
Bruce said the manager of Sea Mist called her and said corporate requested she take down the video, according to ABC 15.
In a statement posted on social media by Sea Mist, the resort said “the guest [Bruce] was offered compensation that she declined,” ABC 15 reported.
The package that the resort was willing to offer was not enough for Brown, she said.
“They would give me back my money,” Bruce said. “They would give me a three-night stay in their penthouse --in their three-bedroom penthouse-- as if I would want to come back. No.”
Bruce said she told the manager she would decline the offer until she could speak with corporate. The manager then told her corporate was rescinding the offer, according to Bruce.
“She told me that they were declining the offer as well. I said ‘the offer you gave me yesterday?’ She said ‘yes.’ So, she was saying they were rescinding the offer that they gave me. So I said ‘so you’re not giving me a refund?’ and she said ‘no, they’re not going to give you a refund,’” Bruce recalled.
Bruce said all she wants is her $700 back from the resort as she used the trip to treat her friends who helped her through recent health issues.
In an email to ABC 15, the Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort sent the following statement:
On July 29, 2022, due to a human error made by the management company, a guest was assigned to a unit that was on block and in the process of renovations. It was not meant to host guests. Upon the guest notifying the management company of this error, we extended our sincerest apology to the guest and provided an upgrade to a newly renovated Jacuzzi suite.
Sincerely, Management Company for Sea Mist Resort
In the company’s statement on social media, Sea Mist also said the room was “to be treated for mold which is a regular issue in every resort in a humid climate. The unit was released in error and the guest was moved to a newly renovated unit.”
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