Fleet Week is not a new tradition to the Big Apple, but one high end Manhattan hotel seems to have missed the memo.
The Standard Hotel has recently issued an apology after a Navy officer, who was wearing the well known white uniform, was refused entry because she was not following dress code.
The sailor, who wishes to remain anonymous, was trying to take the elevator to the Top, the Standard lounge, Saturday evening when the doorman stopped them. The three others she was with were wearing cocktail outfits but the sailor was wearing her uniform, a sight not too uncommon during Fleet Week.
Ryan O’ Connor, the sailor’s cousin, was a member of the group and asked if they were being rejected because of the sailor being in uniform, but was not given any tangible response. When the group sought intervention from the front desk, they were only told that the decision was up to the lounge.
“We were all shocked and upset,” O’Connor said. “This was Memorial Day weekend and walking distance from Ground Zero. This should have been a no-brainer.”
The sailor’s family sent an outraged email to the Standard’s management after the incident and a general manager responded via email, inviting the sailor back.
“We most certainly do appreciate and take a lot of pride (in) all the young people giving their lives to defend out nation,” manager Nayara Branco wrote. “As per regular protocol, our team at the Top of the Standard is instructed to enforce a dress code – which obviously should not apply to military uniforms. Once again, our sincere apologies for the miscommunication at our end, the issue has been brought to all of our team’s attention and it will certainly not repeat itself. It would be a great honor to host her and her fellow colleagues.”
The apology is a good start, but O’Connor is more concerned that the hotel keeps its word.
“I’m calling on The Standard to really examine its policies,” he said. “People serving our country should be a priority. The fact that her uniform wasn’t labeled Versace shouldn’t have prevented her from going in. They need to have a greater sense of the bigger picture.”
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