Jessica (0:05)

When I was around 22 years old, I had a scary encounter while staying at a hotel for a job. Around 2010, I was working for a traveling photography group that took church directory photos. Each photographer drove separately from all over the place, so I was in Harlan, Iowa at the time. I was staying at a hotel along with other photographers who joined me. I believe there were four of us, two guys, a girl and myself. One morning I went down to breakfast and was watching TV in the hotel breakfast area. Someone was also down there nearby, a guy. When he looked at me, I said good morning as I do whenever I go, just to be friendly. He said it back and we just had a polite exchange, something you would do with a stranger you never thought you would see again. He mentioned he was staying there with his team for a construction job. I go to leave and I say something very casual like well, have a good one, see you later. And he said something like could we hang later? I didn't think anything of it and just brushed it off like yeah, maybe. I don't remember if it was the same day or not, but as I didn't work until 11am I decided to go take a nap since I didn't sleep well the night before. We tend to work from like 11am to 10pm give or take, depending on the size of the church, etc. While laying in my room, I kept receiving phone calls to my room phone. I wasn't used to getting calls like that ever, so I just picked up. I would say hello but nobody would answer. After a few times, I eventually just took the receiver off and placed it beside the phone so it would stop ringing. When it was time to get up and leave, I left my room and I saw the guy was there in the hole. I waved casually, still not thinking anything of it. He asked where I was going and I said I had to go to work. My friend then showed up one of the female photographers and I went with her to her car. As I was going to ride with her to the church, I told her about getting strange phone calls and she mentioned that she did as well. Later that night there was a thunderstorm. My photographer group and I stood by the hotel lobby door watching the lightning. It was thundering and extremely dark. There were chances for tornadoes so we were keeping tabs with each other. Eventually I go to my room for the night and I hear a knock on my door. I didn't really want to answer it, however I did, cracking the door to see who it was. It was the guy. He talked about how I said we could hang out and I told him I was too tired after working all day long and I needed to sleep. I then shut the door. Now I can't remember if this was the next morning or still night, but I recall him knocking again but I wouldn't answer. I pretended to either be out or sleeping. I called my mom and started talking to her. I told her what was happening and although I was scared, I almost acted like I wasn't when speaking with her. Then suddenly I had a weird feeling. I whispered to my mom, mom, hold on a second, I need to check something. I then tiptoe as quietly over to my room door as possible. I look out the peephole and I see him. I then see him turn his head to my door as if he was listening for something. My heart started to race. I then saw him move to the side. You know how the wall sometimes goes in for the doors so there's like an indentation in the hallway for each room? Well, he goes to the wall away from the room that juts out. I think he thought he was hiding because he tried to lean his head around the corner of the jut out portion as if he was listening for something. I walked to the furthest side of my room quietly and whisper to my mom about how I'm scared. I called the front desk to complain like my mom suggested. I can't remember if I also texted my friend or called her, but she also complained at the front desk about the various phone calls she received. Eventually we were given new rooms and the construction group manager was told by the hotel about one of his guys and that creepy guy was told to stay away from us. I even told some of the church people about that situation and they all said if we needed to stay with them we could. All very nice but still strangers to me and I didn't trust anyone at that point. I'm not sure what happened to him as I didn't see him after that. I was a little jealous of my friend because she ended up with a hot tub in her room and I didn't but it was fine. However, after that I was way more aware and careful with who I talked to and what I said. I'm a 31 year old female states away from home on a business trip. About an hour ago around 8:30pm here I had just gotten back to my room from a work dinner. I heard shuffling in the hallway and peeked out of the peephole. I saw a figure seemingly outside the room to the left of mine looking outward they were knocking the lighting and said twice, quickly, hello, Hello. Then it sounded like the door opened and closed. I was like, hmm, okay. They must have forgotten what room they were in or something, and someone let them in. I walk back to the main part of my room and I hear shuffling again. I look out again and see a figure. Can't really make out what the person looks like, but I see them on the other side of my room this time and again hear light knocking and hello, Hello. Now I'm starting to get a weird spidery sense of like, what the hell is going on here? I see the figure leave and think, okay, that was really weird. Then I again start hearing shuffling. I start walking toward the hotel room door and hear a line knock on what sounds to be my room door yet again. And I hear, hello, hello. And immediately after someone attempts to open my door. Thank God I had the cross latch pulled over. Not the deadbolt though. My heart stopped as I stood there and watched the door hit the latch and fall back shut. I called the front desk and informed them that someone had just tried entering my room and I'm not staying with anyone. The front desk attendant just replied back with that's really strange. I don't have any housekeeping up there. To which I replied, okay, well that's very concerning. Can you please send someone up to check around? The attendant then replied, well, there's no manager on duty. To which I asked if I should call the police instead because I was very worried as I then started to cry a bit. She then replied that I should definitely do what I thought I needed to do. I hung up and cried for a bit, not really sure what to do. I didn't want to ask for another room because I'm too scared to leave now. Ten minutes later, the hotel phone starts ringing. I was honestly feeling really scared to answer, but I did. It was the front desk attendant and she said the police were going to be coming to my room and she didn't want me to panic when I heard someone knock on my door. I said, okay, and hung up. I just sat there and thought, how do I know if this is legit? Whoever tried to access my room had a key, otherwise how else would the door have actually opened? A few minutes later, as expected, I heard a knock. I looked out of the peephole and saw two male officers. I didn't ask to see their IDs, which in hindsight probably would have been the smart thing to do. But I was so shaken up and not really thinking. I opened the door and they asked what was going on. I told them all that I explained above. They said it was good that I had the cross latch pulled over because the door would open if not. I then responded it's a hotel. What do you mean? What's the point of the access card then? And wiggled the handle while we're in the hallway talking with my door open just for context. Then they took a pause and were like oh, it automatically locks again. I'm like uh yeah, it's a hotel. So then they had me shut the door and open it with the key to test it. Sure enough it didn't open without the access card. They then said that it was probably housekeeping. I then responded that the front desk attendant told me there was no housekeeping up there when I called. Plus it was 8:30pm why would housekeeping be coming by at that time unless I had requested someone to come by? Plus I noticed housekeeping had already been done during the day because my trash was emptied and the dirty towel was gone. They immediately told me that they thought it was housekeeping and not to worry, but if anything else happened or I felt unsafe to call them. They also said that if I wanted to change rooms they were sure the hotel would accommodate this. I said okay while crying and they left. Now I'm sitting in my room crying, laying under the covers of my clothes. I'm sure I won't sleep tonight. I'm also too afraid to change rooms because I don't want to leave this room. I have the cross latch pulled over and the deadbolt locked. I mean, I think I'm safe. Am I being paranoid? Was it probably really just housekeeping? Should I be doing something different? I'm home safe and promptly came down with a nasty bug slowly crawling out of it. I'm really glad that I followed my gut and reacted the way I did to do what I could to stay safe. I was able to speak with the manager the next day when she came in at 11am unfortunately the response from her was really disappointing. Just like the night shift front desk clerk and the morning shift front desk clerks when I checked out. Needless to say I will never stay in this hotel again and I will be avoiding this large chain as a whole. So this happened about seven months ago. I was visiting San Diego for job interviews and staying in my favorite hotel in Sorrento Mesa for a background. I'm a 40 year old man and a pretty big guy. I'm six one and a former strip club bouncer. Now onto the weirdness on my Third night I was up pretty late after hanging out with some old friends. After my interviews, I got back to the hotel around 2am with some Sonny's Donuts. After eating a few, drinking a few more and watching South Park Post Covid, I decided to have a smoke before going to bed. This made it now around 3am So I go downstairs, walk out front to the smoking area by the fountain. But there's another couple who are also staying at the hotel already there. I didn't want to impose, so I decided to just walk around the outside parts of the hotel. While I smoked, I walked around the pool, the barbeque area, the basketball courts, and then started back for the side door. As I did, a blank sedan drove up alongside me and stopped. The window rolled down and a tiny Asian woman asked if I knew how to get out of the parking lot and back to the street. Now from there. When she asked me, this was literally in a straight line about 150ft in front of her, so I thought she was either drunk or just blind, so I just politely said yes, just keep going straight and then turn left of the tree. She then asked me if I could get in the car and show her. Now again, I'm a former strip club bouncer and this woman looked very much like the Walmart Ali wonk. There was absolutely no intimidation factor whatsoever, but for some reason I instantly felt uneasy. Again, it was literally right in front of her. She could see the road. Also, the windows were all tinted far more than they should have been and I honestly couldn't tell if anyone else was in the car. I used the smoking as an excuse to not get in the car, but she said she didn't mind and gave me a very creepy smile. I politely declined and again pointed out that the road was literally right there so I'd just be walking back in five seconds. Anyway, she again asked me if I would get in and show her. This was feeling like a weird kid ice cream truck situation. I mean guys really. How often do decently good looking women just drive up and ask you to get in their car at 3am in a hotel parking lot? I mean, how often does anyone ask a big bearded guy to just hop on in the car under these circumstances? Nothing about this was right. Again, I politely declined as I finished my smoke and was luckily already standing right at the hotel side door when all of this started. So, so I just went in. The woman just drove off as she rolled up the window right exactly to the exit she asked me to show her to. So I told the front desk about it and they said they'd keep an eye out, but I'm quite sure nothing was ever done or came of it. Just one of those things that really makes me wonder what the hell did she want me in the car for so badly? A pretty man I'm not. So it had to just be some kind of scam. I just wonder exactly how much danger I was really in. So I'm a 22 year old male and decided to stay in a Motel 6 for one night in the southern New Hampshire area. I had back to back hospital shifts so it really wasn't worth it to drive 45 minutes back home just to do it again. 6 hours later. I checked in around 11:15pm and went to my room. Of course the door refused to open and the key ended up snapping in half, probably because it was like 10 degrees out. So I had to go back to the office to change rooms and then get a new key card. My new room actually opened. It was pretty clean overall. I didn't see any major issues with it. I tried to get some sleep but wake up at about 4am to people arguing somewhere in the hotel. I genuinely didn't think it was possible to be so unbelievably loud between two people. This argument went on for what seemed like forever until finally they shut the hell up. However, about 15 minutes later I hear someone trying to force their way right into my room. I had both locked and latched the door, yet the door somehow was cracked open and the latch was definitely about to give out. It would have opened fully if I didn't say get the hell out. Between the cracks I just saw a dark figure in maybe a hoodie or jacket. The instant I said that, the door closed and the person seemingly left. Now I would have opened the door and confronted them, but I didn't have my gun on my person at the time. I genuinely have no idea what could have happened if I was fully asleep and didn't hear them open the door. That's the first and last time of me ever staying at a Motel 6. For the love of God, no matter how much money you're saving by staying at a Motel 6. Please, please, please just stay at a regular hotel. I promise you it's worth it. My best friend is a veterinary technician and every year we go on a trip together in the city where a conference for work is. In September 2023 it was in Aurora, Colorado, just outside of Denver. Instead of flying, I decided to rent an electric vehicle and road trip from St. Louis to Aurora. I got an electric vehicle partially because they were cheaper to rent and I also just wanted to try one. I got to Colorado just fine. But on the second night, while waiting for my friend to get out of her seminar, I decided to charge the car in a busy hotel parking lot. I lived in Aurora for the first eight years of my life and again after college, so I was familiar and pretty comfortable with the area. The charging station was toward the back of the lot, and even though it was dark, it was pretty well lit. I had been charging for about 15 minutes when a vinyl wrapped silver and purple Tesla pulled in two spaces away from me and started charging. But I didn't think much of it. As I'm sitting there for a few minutes, I noticed he was on the phone and kept glancing my way. Whatever, guys are weird sometimes. And he wasn't doing anything inappropriate. About 5 minutes later, a non electric black SUV pulls in and parks sort of diagonally to me, so he's facing me, maybe about 50ft away. The man charging his Tesla next to me went over to chat with the people in the black suv and they kept looking at me as well. I assumed this was who he was on the phone with earlier. At this point, I'm getting uneasy enough that I decide it's time to go and I jump out quickly and unplug the car. Just as I get back in and they notice me trying to leave, the Tesla guy sprints my way and the SUV is racing toward me as well, trying to block me into my spot. Thankfully, with Teslas, they don't have an ignition, so you don't have to take time starting the car as long as the key fob is in it, you just get in and go. Which is what I did because I knew that I didn't have time to panic. I was about an inch from hitting the SUV and trying to squeeze out of my spot. Thankfully, I got out with no damage, and when I looked in my rearview mirror, three or four men got out of the SUV and watched me drive away. I know that gas stations have plenty of opportunity for danger, but I really felt like a sitting duck at charging stations for the rest of the trip. I'm not sure my adrenaline has ever been so high as it was in that moment. Stay safe out there, y' all. When I first moved to New York City, I thought the hardest part would be finding an apartment. Turns out that was the easy part. The hard part was learning how to survive here, how to blend in, move fast, speak up, and not let people take Advantage of you. And especially as a young woman. I'm 23 years old and I had started working at the Madison Hotel three months ago. It's a medium sized place tucked in between office buildings and coffee shops in midtown. Not fancy, but not cheap either. It gets a lot of business, travelers, tourists, and sometimes people who look like they have money but don't act like it. My job is at the front desk. I work the morning shift, which means I'm usually up by 5:30am and on my feet before the sun rises. I wear a navy blazer with a name tag, pull my curly hair into a bun, and try to smile even when I don't feel like it's the job's alright, it's steady, and I like meeting people from all over. Most of the guests are nice, some are rude, A few are weird. I learned to handle all of them the same way, politely, professionally and with just enough distance to protect myself. But I really wasn't ready for William. He walked in on a Tuesday morning. I remember the exact day because it was raining and he shook water off his umbrella right into the carpet. He wore a long gray coat, black gloves, and carried a brown leather briefcase that looked expensive. He was tall, maybe 6ft, with silver streaked hair and sharp features. Mid-50s, I guessed. Checking in, he said, setting the briefcase on the counter. My name's William. I found his reservation. Three nights, king bed, breakfast included. Welcome to the Madison, Mr. William. You're in room 914, I said. Elevators are to your right. He didn't leave right away. You're new here, he said. I blinked. I am. I just started recently. You're doing great, he said, smiling. It's nice to see a friendly face in the city. I thanked him and went back to typing. He finally took his keycard and walked away. That should have been it, but he came back down later that day asking for recommendations. Restaurants, museums, places to escape the noise. I gave him a few suggestions again. He lingered. The next morning he brought me a coffee. I thought you might need this, he said. I was surprised. Guests didn't usually do that. I thanked him, though something about him made me uncomfortable. Still, I didn't want to be rude. Each day after that I found a reason to come to the desk. Sometimes he asked about the weather, sometimes he just made small talk. He always tried to turn it personal. You from here? Got a boyfriend? What do you do when you're not behind the desk? I kept my answer short. He didn't take the hint. By the third day he was waiting in the lobby, in the mornings before his meetings, he would be reading a paper, watching people and watching me. I really like watching people, he once told me. You can learn so much about them just by observing. I smiled, tight lipped. Is that so? Sure, he said, sipping his coffee. I've already learned a lot about you, Jessica. That made my stomach twist, I told my co worker, Maria. She wrinkled her nose. That's not normal, she said. Please be careful. When William checked out the fourth day, I breathed easier. He came to the desk, suitcase rolling behind him. I'll be back soon, he said. I hoped he was just being polite. I was wrong. Two days later, he returned. He wasn't a guest this time. Just walked in and stood at the counter. Hi again, he said. Miss me? I blinked. Can I help you with something? I just wanted to say hello, he said, grinning. I was nearby. Thought I'd stop in. I forced a smile. Sir, I'm working right now. He then leaned in slightly. You don't seem happy to see me, he said. I'm just busy, I told him. He left but came back the next day, then two days after that. Sometimes to just sit in the lobby. Other times he brought gifts. Tea, a notebook, a scarf. I never accepted them, but he'd leave them on the desk and walk away. I stopped being polite. I started avoiding eye contact. He noticed. One afternoon I caught him waiting outside. I left through the side door, heart pounding. That night I couldn't sleep. I kept checking the hallway through the peephole in my apartment. It got worse. One Saturday, I saw him on the platform at my train station. He didn't say anything, just stood there at the other end, watching me. I rode three extra stops and walked home on a different day. The next day I had told my manager, David. He was concerned but unsure of what to do. He's not a guest here anymore, he said. We could ask him to leave if he shows up again, but unless he threatens you. He paused. I felt helpless. So I started documenting everything. Dates, times, what, what he said. Where I saw him. I kept the gifts as evidence. The final stroll came on a Wednesday afternoon. I was working the desk and William walked in like he owned the place. Jessica, we need to talk, he said. I stood up. No, we don't. You need to leave. He stepped closer. I care about you. I think you feel the same. My hands were shaking. I picked up the phone and dialed nypd. I then told him, you need to leave now. He stared at me, stunned. Then he laughed. You're overreacting. No, I said. Loud and clear. I'm not. Two officers arrived within 10 minutes. William, of course, tried to play it cool, acting like it was all a misunderstanding. But I showed them the log, the notes, the gifts. One officer asked if I wanted to file a report. Yes, I said. They escorted him out. It wasn't dramatic, but it was final. William hasn't come back since. Some nights I still feel nervous walking home. I still glance over my shoulder. But each day I feel a little stronger working at the front desk. I've learned how to smile when I don't want to, how to be polite when someone doesn't deserve it, and how to say no when someone crosses the line. Most of all, I've learned that keeping quiet doesn't keep you safe. Next time, I'll speak up sooner. It's been about a year since I called the police on William. Sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago. Other times, it feels just like last week. I still remember his face. The way he looked at me. Like I was something he owned. That look still shows up in my dreams. But life is better now. A lot better. After everything that happened, I decided I needed a change. I quit my job at the hotel three months after the incident. I couldn't sit behind that front desk anymore. Every time the doors opened, I felt a jolt of fear. I'd scanned the lobby for him for weeks. I kept expecting him to come back. He never did. But the fear stayed with me. Quiet, heavy. Sitting in my chest like a stone. I moved apartments, too. Nothing fancy, just a small studio in Queens. I like it there. It's quieter and my neighbors are friendly. There's a little grocery store around the corner and a park where I walk in the evenings. It's really peaceful, in a way Manhattan never was. I started seeing a therapist after I moved. At first I didn't really want to go. I didn't think I needed it. But talking to someone really helped. I realized I was still carrying so much fear, anger, and shame. She told me that none of it was my fault, and I think, finally, I believe her. I now work at a bookstore. It's a small place, locally owned, with warm lights and shelves that go up to the ceiling. The owner, Dana, is kind and funny, and she treats me like a person, not just an employee. I get to help people find stories they'll love. I get to talk about books, drink tea behind the counter, and feel safe. And I never have to wear a name tag again. Sometimes I think about who I was back then. The girl behind the front desk trying to stay polite. Trying to not cause trouble. I really wish I could go back and tell her that it's really okay to speak up, it's okay to protect yourself. That being nice to someone doesn't mean you owe them anything. I still check over my shoulder when I walk home. I keep my phone in my hand. I double lock my door every night. That part of me might never go away. I've accepted that. But I'm not scared all the time now. I'm stronger. I'm more careful, yes, But I'm also more sure of myself. I know what I will and won't allow. I know how to set boundaries and I know that if anyone ever tries to cross them again, I'll be ready. William took something from me. A sense of ease, maybe a bit of trust in the world. But he didn't take me. I'm still here, I'm still living. And finally I feel like I'm in control of my own life again. So this just happened a few days ago and it took me some time to process before I really felt ready to talk about it. I was hired for a short trip to Ukraine as a keynote speaker and decided to book myself an extra night at a Soviet style four star Hotel Ukraine in the Central Square of Kyiv. The Hotel Ukraine was certainly not up to date, but I thought it could be charming to stay in a classic Soviet era luxury building and I honestly didn't mind the old school furniture that much. I stay in upscale places often enough and thought why not try something historic and different this time. I checked in at around 4pm and I thought the room was an absolute steal for its size. I was on the sixth floor with a beautiful view so I happily left my things and decided to go enjoy my night in Kyiv. Here's what happened. I arrived at Hotel Ukraine at around 11:20pm and I was filming through the window of the cab as I pulled up to the hotel. I had been filming most of my trip as I really enjoy making videos for memories so it was not unusual that I was recording the arrival. As I got out of the cab I looked around at the people coming into the hotel and got my first red flag. People were ridiculously intoxicated and one man was literally collapsing out of a car being helped by two others. It gave me the creeps so I took a moment at the top of the staircase and filmed the scene. The air felt weird so I thought it best I get into my room as quickly as possible and try to avoid any people. I walk across the large lobby to where the Elevators are and press the button. I panned the camera over to the hall where you could see that I was completely alone in front of the elevator. Good, I thought. Wouldn't want to be stuck with one of those drunks. As the elevator is about to pull up and the doors open, a man in a Napa Piri coat appears from somewhere and indicates with his hand for me to enter the elevator. My phone gets a good shot of his maskless face. I walked in with him after me and then two more other people entered. Another man in a gray sweater and a woman. I get both of their faces on camera. I press my floor, the woman pressed the floor, the Napapiri man pressed the floor and the gray sweater man did not. We ride in silence for a couple of moments when Napapiri guy raises his hand and starts stroking my head. He was patting me like I was a kitten. What the hell? I instantly pulled back and said out loud don't touch me. He just responds with ok. I looked at the other two people in the elevator expecting them to be shocked or at least somehow responsive. Instead, they gave me the most creepy ass sinister smiles, grinning in a way that looks like they're pleased. On top of that, the unanimity of those smiles made it seem like they were together. I guess they also don't appear drunk nor are they standing funny. In fact, they seem totally sober. At that point all of my senses started kicking in. Every scenario was playing through my head. I think back to a lot of stories that I read on let's Not Meet and watched on Netflix and I started coming up with all kinds of messed up scenarios for what could happen next. I am alone in Kyiv. This hotel is ancient and has no cameras nor guards on top floors. I tried to not panic and I could only think about how I had to get to my room asap. The elevator door is opened and I rushed out. Gray sweaterman follows. I start speed walking down the hallway towards my room. There's a left and right hall and he follows as I begin to approach the corner of the hallway where my room is. I make a sharp U turn. There's no way in hell I'll let him know what room I'm in. I'm walking back down the hallway and he does this kind of zigzag as I walk past him that I caught on camera. I get back to the elevators and I wait, listening and praying for him to go into a room. Instead I hear footsteps again. He was coming back towards me. I pretended to get on the phone so it wouldn't seem like I'm totally alone. As he walks up to where I'm standing at the elevators, he lingers for a moment looking at me and I start speeding down the hallway again towards my room. I hear his footsteps following me, so I start running. He starts running too. I dashed around the corner and I managed to get into my room before he turned the corner to see which door was mine. I bolted shut and just stand there for a second. I hear footsteps walking from door to door as if somebody is listening for noise. Behind each door there is no peephole. I thought about what to do next and then I went to the living room where the phone is to call security. I told him what happened and his first reaction is. And who are you? He says in slightly aggressive Russian. I'm a guest in this hotel. I'm here alone and the man is following me. He cuts me off. I understand, I'm on the way, he told me. I stood there for a couple of moments. I could hear noises still coming from outside the door, but I was a bit paralyzed. I called back the security, I took care of it. He says, great, thanks. I replied and then hung up. Actually not freaking great. This is insane. What the hell is going on? What was that even? Why was that dude petting me? Why the hell were they smiling? So creepy. Were they together? Where did they even all come from? If I'm standing alone in the hole, what if they come back after midnight? He knows the corridor I'm in. It's only four rooms. What if this is some kind of ploy? What if the guard is in on it? What did he take care of exactly? I had a million questions just racing through my head. Aside from the logic, my entire body was tingling in spidey senses that I had to get out of that hotel immediately. I thought maybe if I fill the tub and soak my legs a bit, I can stop shaking. I went to the sink to wash my hands. It was totally clogged. It. It wouldn't drain the water at all. I went to the bed to lay down for a moment, pulled back the sheets hair, pulled them back. More crumbs. A sesame seed. More hair and crumbs. I zoomed in on all of this with my phone, which still hasn't stopped filming. I called one of my best friends, M.J. and Totally Unnerved, told her what's happening. She instantly went into action plan mode and told me to call my employer immediately and tell them to get me the hell out of that hotel. I did so and the plan was to call the reception to get security to escort me downstairs so I can get the hell out of this hotel. This is where it gets more weird. I called reception and began telling her everything that happened. She was very nice and polite and she first tried to calm me down by saying, well, maybe they were drunk. I told her regardless if they are or aren't being chased and petted is not okay, and that I need to leave because that whole vibe is really off and something just doesn't feel right. Her demeanor then changed. Don't worry, we're going to get you out of this hotel. I've texted the guard and he's on his way to get to you. You'll be safe waiting with me. Just like a 911 operator. She proceeded to walk me through a protocol. The security will be there in around five minutes. He will knock X amount of times. Do not open the door unless you hear this knock. Okay, I replied. Let me check with the security and call you right back. She says. A couple of minutes of anxiety attacks go by and the phone rings again. Security is on his way. He told me that you called him before and told him what happened. He told me that he checked your floor and found the men that you're talking about, she said. I paused. Men as in plural? You're telling me the guard found multiple men on my floor? I asked. Yes, he found them. They were just confused about what floor was theirs. He personally escorted them back into their rooms. She replied. I'm really sorry, I said. Button, I have a hard time believing that they were confused about their floor. Confused people don't chase somebody through a hallway. At that point, I didn't even have the energy to unwrap with her. Then only one of them followed me off the elevator. How and when did that turn into a damn group? I called security not even two minutes after entering my room. As I'm on the phone with her, I hear the code knock that the security is there. I ran to open the door. His entire attitude at first is to play everything down and tell me they were just drunk and confused and that I really shouldn't take it personally. I asked him about the petting in the elevator and the chasing. I told him I recorded everything on camera. He falls quiet the rest of the way to the reception he spends, telling me not to worry and that I'm almost out of the hotel. I arrive at reception. Masha. I exclaimed to the woman. Yes? Don't worry. You're safe with me now are her first words as her eyes darted at the security guard. That was super weird. I thought we're going to call your taxi and get you out of this hotel right now. She continues. At this point it's really dawning on me that this is not her first rodeo. I thought back to the phone call in the room and how quickly she snapped into protocol and how flawless it all went. It hit me that there is no possible way that I am the first woman to be in this situation given how quickly she had started to take me seriously. While the guard continued to downplay the whole thing, I called my Uber and Masha and just continued to stand there for some time. You know you should have never booked this hotel, she says to me. People kept saying this to me all day, that it's old school and Soviet style, but I thought it could have a charm as it's on the main square and has an amazing view. I reply, yes, I can understand that. But this hotel, Hotel Ukraine, it is not a place for a girl like you. She says. Well, what do you mean? I ask. It's just. Her eyes fall to the floor and she looks at her feet nervously. This hotel has strange people and I'm so sorry that you experienced this. Sadly, I can't control them. She continues, eyes shifting weird towards the guard again. Well damn, I don't even want to start analyzing what that means. She then offers me a bottle of water. She brings out a full glass and places the bottle on the desk and once I take two big sips of the lukewarm water, I realize that the bottle is still sealed. Well, double hell. Last thing I needed now is to be drugged. I swear when I tell you that in moments like this, every sense of security and safety is out the door. My car finally arrives and I ran out of that hotel not looking back for even a split second. I already arranged the new hotel while in the room earlier, so I had a safe place to head. It has been a few days now since everything happened and I decided to proceed with filing a police report. I also requested a refund for that night via my travel agency who knows about the whole situation. They received a reply today from the Hotel Ukraine denying that any of this happened. On top of that, they say they have no receptionist by the name of Masha. They refuse the entire story. Unfortunately for them, I have everything filmed on my iPhone, including Masha's name tag. I'm still pretty shaken up, but I'm sure as hell not letting them gaslight me, especially given that I filmed everything today. I sent them an email detailing the whole thing and my next steps, asking them kindly to not make it more complicated and issue my refund. I think that shady things go on in this hotel and I just got lucky. Solo female travelers do not book Hotel Ukraine.