Couples turn to social media for help getting money back from closed hotel

PITTSBURGH — The Ace Hotel on Whitfield Street in Pittsburgh had become a very popular spot for weddings. But with signs on the door saying the facility is closed, couples are turning to social media to try band together and get their money back.

Meghan Rodgers and Tristan Wimmer were planning on having over 100 guests at their wedding back in April.

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“In the span of about three days, you know, the state shut down large events and we knew that we had to start calling everybody,” Rodgers said.

The couple said the hotel was letting them postpone their wedding until October, but over the summer they decided instead to have an intimate wedding and requested a refund. The answer from the hotel?

“You know, we’ll have an answer for you about refunds next week. I got the same email twice. I was like okay, something’s going on here where you are definitely just sort of kicking the can down the road,” Rodgers said.

“Not only were there big gaps in communication, but we were getting the same message, you know. ‘Will let you know next week.' Then we started noticing the changeover in personnel,” Wimmer said.

The couple started a Facebook page to try to connect with other couples trying to get their money back.

“In a week, we had couples joining like two and three a day. I think we’re up to over 30 different couples right now,” Wimmer said.

“It just seems to be a finger pointing situation,” Rodgers said.

She said that neither the hotel nor Nate Cunningham will take responsibility. Cunningham is part of the ownership group Y Hotel Master Tenant, LLC. His name was listed in the wedding contract Rodgers and Wimmer provided to Channel 11.

When Channel 11 reached out to the Ace Hotel, a spokesperson sent a statement reading in part, “Despite several requests from Ace, the property’s ownership group has refused to uphold their contractual obligation to fund the hotel.” The statement also said that hotel ownership group Y Hotel Master Tenant LLC was liable for the refunds. The ownership group refused to comment.

It’s not clear whether any of the couples will get their money back, but they said they are just happy to have a support system of other people going through the same thing.

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Cox Media Group