Hurricane Sandy Victims Seek Shelter in Albany Hotels

Hotel rooms in the tri-state area are filling up as displaced Hurricane Sandy victims look for a place to stay. Some had to go as far as Albany, New York to find an available hotel room.

Hurricane Sandy left thousands of people homeless as many homes were flooded, knocked down, or burnt to the ground during the storm. While those people are now looking for a new permanent place to stay, some are looking for temporary relief, just to get away from their neighborhoods that have no electricity, heat or hot water.

Some have taken refuge at shelters. Some are living with family or friends. Yet, many are now living in hotels and some have had to travel as far as Albany to find a vacancy.

The Times Union mentioned a Long Island mother and daughter who elocated to the Homewood Suites in Albany as they don't expect to have electiricity for several weeks. The mother was celebrating her 89th birthday, so the hotel staff baked her a cake.

"We welcome them," Robert Huber, general manager of the hotel said. "Our whole culture here is home away from home."

The mother and daughter are just one of a dozen families that are living in the hotel after Hurricane Sandy. Other Long Island and New York City evacuees have taken to the Hampton Inn for refuge.

"I was in our Hampton Inn yesterday and one of the guys who handles the breakfast bar said there were some people from New York City and Long Island who got in their car and ended up in Saratoga," Michael Hoffman, president of Turf Hotels told The Business Review. "We've also had some of those comments in the Albany/Latham area."

Among other Albany area hotels where displaced victims are staying or have inquired about include The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center in Colonie and Hilton Garden Inn in Saratoga Springs.

Fema, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been issuing vouches to those who are staying in hotels because of storm related issues.

While some hotels are housing victims, some also became victims due to Hurricane Sandy. According to the Business Review, The Hotel Albany lost about $50,000 due to storm-related cancellations. Capital Region hotels has to cancel several conferences because attendees were unable to get there.