The Hotel Bel-Air is denying online allegations of racial profiling, saying an internal investigation cleared an employee after actress Daphne Blunt publicly accused the luxury hotel of discrimination.
A hotel spokesperson, while declining to elaborate on the incident, confirmed that an investigation was immediately launched following Blunt's viral TikTok posts.
Blunt accused the bar manager of racial discrimination for refusing to serve her alcohol despite him allegedly accepting IDs from two of her white friends.
«"We have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind and take these allegations very seriously," the Bel-Air Hotel said in a statement to The Post.
«"Our hotel is committed to ensuring that every guest and employee feels valued, respected, and safe—we do not tolerate bias of any kind. Out of respect for the privacy of our guests, we do not publicly comment on the details of personal matters. We can confirm that the concerns raised were addressed promptly, and a comprehensive internal investigation determined that our employee acted in accordance with California law.".
Actress and blogger Daphne Blunt accused the manager of an iconic Los Angeles hotel of racial discrimination during a bar visit. TikTok/@DalphneBlunt_
The allegations sparked a wave of online backlash, with angry social media users flooding the hotel's Instagram page demanding the manager's dismissal.
The statement marks the first time the Bel-Air has publicly commented on the controversy that erupted after Blunt posted a TikTok video in July describing her experience at the iconic hotel.
The bar interior at the Hotel Bel Air. Instagram/@HotelBelAir
The hotel also condemned the wave of criticism directed at the employee involved in the incident. GC Images
According to Blunt, the incident began when she sat down with two friends for drinks and dinner and was asked for identification. She said she initially couldn't find her real ID and asked if the hotel would accept a government-issued electronic ID. Shortly after being denied, Blunt said she found her real California ID in the pocket of her Birkin bag.
Blunt said that despite presenting her ID, the manager still refused to serve her, but accepted the IDs of two of her white friends.
«"I had no choice but to understand that this was motivated by racial hatred," Blunt said in her TikTok video.
Actress and blogger Daphne Blunt accused her manager of racial discrimination during a visit to a posh bar at an iconic Los Angeles hotel. TikTok/@DalphneBlunt_
The hotel also condemned the wave of criticism directed at the employee involved in the incident.
«"While we respect people's right to express their concerns, we are concerned about the online personal attacks against one of our employees who carried out her duties professionally and appropriately," they added.
The statement said the establishment's management disagrees with Blunt's account of the incident and believes the employee acted in accordance with California law.
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