A Miami Beach condo hotel owner is facing backlash after screenshots of her messages to a prospective guest went viral online, according to Miami New Times and other outlets.
Monifah, a 24 year old event planner from London, was trying to book the Ocean Five Condo Hotel in South Beach for herself and three friends. She was messaging with the owner, Giulia, on WhatsApp, and Giulia asked for a down payment. Monifah asked for a breakdown of the costs, said she would need until June 28 to send the deposit, and later offered to pay the full amount that day.
Giulia reportedly was confused by that offer and believed Monifah might be planning to use multiple cards. In the messages, Giulia wrote, “One of you has a credit card, I am sure,” and asked for Monifah’s age, a copy of her driver’s license and her email. Monifah sent the information.
On June 21, Giulia followed up about the credit card. When Monifah did not respond quickly, the tone of the messages changed. Giulia wrote that Monifah’s behavior gave “a very very bad picture” of Black people. Monifah replied that she no longer felt comfortable staying at the property after what she called racist messages. She says later messages included racial insults, which she shared in screenshots.
Monifah posted the conversation to Twitter, and Booking.com removed the condo from its site after the posts went viral. Giulia reportedly posted a copy of Monifah’s license on Facebook and acknowledged making the remarks, saying that being racist is not illegal. Giulia has also said she was concerned the payment method could be fraudulent.
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