beware DO NOT eat at the Beverly Hills Hilton!!!

[Mamamcdrama]

I vomited BLOOD after eating at the Beverly Hills Hilton!

BEWARE Celiac Sufferers! The Beverly Hills Hilton is NOT a safe, gluten free environment even though they will tell you that they are! This hotel does NOT take care when preparing meals for those afflicted with allergies or auto-immune diseases such as Celiac.  My experience at this hotel landed me in the Emergency Room at Cedars – Sinai hospital on the 1^st day of our trip. It subsequently RUINED my entire trip, traumatized my 8 year old daughter, and subsequently causes me anxiety when eating out now, and it was all due to the NEGLECT of the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel staff. Staff was told to refer me to their insurance company immediately after they realized what happened and would not discuss the concerns I had about their food prep process.  The insurance company called immediately and offered me a 4 night stay at the SAME hotel and $750, to which I rejected. There was no way I was returning to the place where I went through one of the WORST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE. We then discussed costs for my trip (which was SUBSTANTIALLY more than $750), to which they rejected. I feel as though this concerning information needs to be shared so that others don’t end up in the same situation as myself.  Don’t let this hotel ruin your vacation or weekend away – as they did mine.  I am fearful for those with Celiac (such as myself), who could end up with gluten POISONING (as I did). Since my diagnosis 7 years ago – this is the only time I have been sick when eating out. I am meticulous about how I order and what I eat. I had witnesses that heard how I ordered and what was said. I am not at fault in this situation, the hotel is and I am concerned that they don’t take Celiac seriously and that someone else could become quite ill as well. I travel extensively for my job and this experience was due WHOLLY to the inadequate, negligent and carelessness of restaurant staff and on the lack of safe food handling procedures at this hotel.  Please save yourself a trip to the Emergency room, or worse, and go to another hotel. (As an aside, this hotel is mediocre at best. The rooms are no different than most other middle of the line hotels. It definitely isn’t high end, though it likes to pretend it is.  Service is marginal (aside from security and valet staff – they were great). You are paying for the name and location. I’ve stayed at nicer Sheratons, Crown Plazas and Radissons.)

[bartfull]

It could happen anywhere. A new employee, someone who didn't get enough sleep last night and forgot to change utensils, who knows. There are lots of places that are normally very good about gluten-free who screw up on occasion. I wouldn't condemn a place across the board for one mistake (although I probably wouldn't eat there again.) But I will say that if you have been eating out for seven years and this is the first time you have been glutened you are very very lucky.

[Mamamcdrama]

Really? So you think that my 7 year history of not being "gluten'd" was due to luck? Not due to good choices? Such as choosing the right restaurants, choosing the right meals, and choosing to speak at length with the waiter/waitress or chef? I would hope it has a lot more to do with my choices, and not luck, but you could very well be right.

As for not condemning the Beverly Hilton for their "mistake" (as you seem to feel it may have been), yet saying you wouldn't eat there again, is a bit contradictory in my opinion. I feel as though I personally have to condemn them for how I was handled and if there had been an apology and reassurances that it wouldnt happen again, or an explanation of why it DID happen and how they were going to resolve it, I probably would have accepted that and walked away - because like you said, people make mistakes. I understand that. We all make mistakes.  I have been served toast with my gluten free breakfast on a few occasions or a mistake was made in the kitchen, which I caught. Luckily I guess... Those places were not condemned in my mind, but at the same time, when it happened and they found out, they quickly rectified the situation, explained it, and APOLOGIZED. I don't expect perfection and even an evening of barfing blood and ending up in emergency could have just been chalked up to an awful situation, if there were reasons, explanations and reassurances it wouldn't happen again to others, plus an apology of course.  I am not confident that this establishment has corrected its food handling practices because I didn't receive any of those things I mentioned, and I felt the need to warn others. Whether those others choose to condemn the Beverly Hilton or roll the dice and see if they get lucky, is totally up to them...

[bartfull]

Nope, I probably wouldn't eat there again, just as I never ate chocolate pudding again after I got sick on it when I was six years old. The thought of chocolate pudding always turned my stomach after that. BUT, I wouldn't tell everyone else I met to never eat chocolate pudding or it will make them sick.

And yes, I DO consider you lucky if this is the first time a restaurant made you sick. I've read too many stories here about people who ate safely at the same restaurant for YEARS, and then one time they got sick. Any time gluten foods are handled in the same place that gluten-free foods are handled, mistakes can happen. As I said, all it takes is one wrong utensil.

I would consider an offer of a four night's stay PLUS $750 from the insurance company plenty of apology.

But suit yourself.

[Mamamcdrama]

I don't understand how the pudding reference has anything to do with this situation at all...

I'm not like you obviously, so an offer to stay at the same hotel again that sent me to emergency, was not acceptable, even though it may be to you. You feeling the need to tell me I should've considered it plenty of apology (and therefore accepted it) is also not relevant to this conversation.  Your entitled to your opinion, but I didn't ask for one. 

Some, like you, would see their offer as an apology, I see it as a way to hide their neglect. But to each their own.

Lets just say I am trying to warn others about the risk of eating there. Thats all.

I'm not looking for a debate. Take my post as it is - a warning - or not, and move on.

[cyclinglady]

10 hours ago, Mamamcdrama said:

Really? So you think that my 7 year history of not being "gluten'd" was due to luck? Not due to good choices? Such as choosing the right restaurants, choosing the right meals, and choosing to speak at length with the waiter/waitress or chef? I would hope it has a lot more to do with my choices, and not luck, but you could very well be right.

As for not condemning the Beverly Hilton for their "mistake" (as you seem to feel it may have been), yet saying you wouldn't eat there again, is a bit contradictory in my opinion. I feel as though I personally have to condemn them for how I was handled and if there had been an apology and reassurances that it wouldnt happen again, or an explanation of why it DID happen and how they were going to resolve it, I probably would have accepted that and walked away - because like you said, people make mistakes. I understand that. We all make mistakes.  I have been served toast with my gluten free breakfast on a few occasions or a mistake was made in the kitchen, which I caught. Luckily I guess... Those places were not condemned in my mind, but at the same time, when it happened and they found out, they quickly rectified the situation, explained it, and APOLOGIZED. I don't expect perfection and even an evening of barfing blood and ending up in emergency could have just been chalked up to an awful situation, if there were reasons, explanations and reassurances it wouldn't happen again to others, plus an apology of course.  I am not confident that this establishment has corrected its food handling practices because I didn't receive any of those things I mentioned, and I felt the need to warn others. Whether those others choose to condemn the Beverly Hilton or roll the dice and see if they get lucky, is totally up to them...

The employees may not have been able to apologise per their insurance and corporate policy.  Let 's face it, people sue for all kinds of reasons in the U.S.  

 I am sorry that you became ill.  I will certainly avoid this particular location.  I try to read reviews from celiacs before going to a restaurant.  If I am not satisfied, then I eat from my cooler that I haul to every hotel I stay in -- luxurious  or not!  

[Mamamcdrama]

Thanks cyclinglady! You are probably right about the apology, and I'm not holding my breath that I will ever get one, which sucks a bit honestly, but its more than likely just the way of the litigation/liability world in the U.S. as you said. I agree about the cooler (I do it too sometimes, lol!) and researching first as well. Wise choices like those you mentioned helps prevent being gluten'd (in my opinion).  It doesn't guarantee anything, as we can see from my situation sadly, but it certainly reduces the chances of it happening...

[psawyer]

I am so sorry to hear that you were ill. Celiac Disease has many, many symptoms, and vomiting is certainly one of them, but I have never heard of vomiting BLOOD as a symptom. It may have been something other than gluten that was the culprit. And yes, an apology is an admission of guilt that could be used against them in court in a lawsuit.