New Franklin, NC Hostel

[HikerMom58]

Made it to Franklin today and didn't plan on staying in town overnight, just long enough to shower, do some laundry and resupply. Budget Inn was full and were told by the lady at the counter that the only shower possibility was across the street at the new hostel. We moseyed on over and paid $10 for two showers then watched the lady at the desk ask some of out friends who had a room there for $15 apiece if we could use their shower (the hostel's bunks and rooms were all taken). We took our showers and hung out for about 30 minutes outside the room with our friends quietly having a couple drinks with them and waiting for them to catch the shuttle from Ron. Lady behind desk comes to tell us there's "no hanging out allowed" and we assured her we weren't planning to sneak our way into a free bunk for the night, thinking that was the concern. Ron arrives with the shuttle and reiterates that unless you're a paying customer, you're not allowed to hang out with paying customers on his property (apparently this included the rooms themselves, something I've never encountered at a hotel anywhere). Mind you we weren't causing a public disturbance or anything. We were all tired from hiking anyway. He then offers to take us all to the buffet down the street and then to wal mart to resupply and back. We all go (a shuttle's worth of people). When he drops us at wal mart, he announces he'll be back to take everyone back to the hotel and hostel. Awesome. Then when he arrives, he refuses to let the two of us (who had committed the cardinal sin of "only" paying for a shower at his hostel and thinking it wouldn't be trespassing to spend thirty minutes with our fellow hikers) into the shuttle, and very publicly and embarrassingly threatens to "call the cops if I catch you on my property again." He then very begrudgingly allows us back onto the shuttle after we again assured him we had no intention of going anywhere near his hostel then makes a princely show of offering everyone else on the shuttle a ride anywhere they'd like in town. I'm not sure where he got such a wonderful reputation for "serving" the hiker community, but we didn't see any of that spirit on display today, just an obvious desire to wring as much as possible from all of us, and treating us like criminals who aren't to be trusted. I hope he's still following this thread and that anyone yet to hit Franklin thinks twice before patronizing his many businesses in town.


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Have heard reports from others about this same type of treatment before.....I don't understand it at all.

In his defense, I think he has been taken "over the barrel" many times. It's a trust issue.

If it were me, I would have given him $$ for the shuttle as well, since you weren't staying at his place.

What is confusing to you, I'm sure, is that he offered you a shuttle, for free, but then treated you badly after you took him up on his offer. I don't understand that. That's not acceptable behavior, IMHO.

It's not something that is discussed much but hikers can be taken advantage of and "milked" for every penny too.
We mostly talk about how hikers try to take advantage of service providers.

It's hard to tell what's really going on sometimes.

[lonehiker]

Made it to Franklin today and didn't plan on staying in town overnight, just long enough to shower, do some laundry and resupply. Budget Inn was full and were told by the lady at the counter that the only shower possibility was across the street at the new hostel. We moseyed on over and paid $10 for two showers then watched the lady at the desk ask some of out friends who had a room there for $15 apiece if we could use their shower (the hostel's bunks and rooms were all taken). We took our showers and hung out for about 30 minutes outside the room with our friends quietly having a couple drinks with them and waiting for them to catch the shuttle from Ron. Lady behind desk comes to tell us there's "no hanging out allowed" and we assured her we weren't planning to sneak our way into a free bunk for the night, thinking that was the concern. Ron arrives with the shuttle and reiterates that unless you're a paying customer, you're not allowed to hang out with paying customers on his property (apparently this included the rooms themselves, something I've never encountered at a hotel anywhere). Mind you we weren't causing a public disturbance or anything. We were all tired from hiking anyway. He then offers to take us all to the buffet down the street and then to wal mart to resupply and back. We all go (a shuttle's worth of people). When he drops us at wal mart, he announces he'll be back to take everyone back to the hotel and hostel. Awesome. Then when he arrives, he refuses to let the two of us (who had committed the cardinal sin of "only" paying for a shower at his hostel and thinking it wouldn't be trespassing to spend thirty minutes with our fellow hikers) into the shuttle, and very publicly and embarrassingly threatens to "call the cops if I catch you on my property again." He then very begrudgingly allows us back onto the shuttle after we again assured him we had no intention of going anywhere near his hostel then makes a princely show of offering everyone else on the shuttle a ride anywhere they'd like in town. I'm not sure where he got such a wonderful reputation for "serving" the hiker community, but we didn't see any of that spirit on display today, just an obvious desire to wring as much as possible from all of us, and treating us like criminals who aren't to be trusted. I hope he's still following this thread and that anyone yet to hit Franklin thinks twice before patronizing his many businesses in town.


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I suspect there is more to this story..... I would patronize Mr. Haven's businesses in a heart beat.

[sheepdog]

Ron is top notch and a hikers friend. If there is problem between someone and Ron. I'd suspect someone was the problem.

[Lugnut]

WB needs a 'Like" button.

[bigmac_in]

I would have to agree with Sheepdog on this one. Seems like every year someone gets on here and bashes Ron. I guarantee there is always more to the story. Ron is a good man and has ALWAYS treated me, and thousands of other hikers, right.

[TOW]

That is so cool Ron! I am gonna post this onto my Crazy Larry's Hostel Group page!

[ericmcdaniel]

I wasn't trying to bash Ron. I'm sure he's a great guy, and nobody's perfect. I don't have any personal problem with him. But all that goodness that others talk about didn't come through in his interactions with some of our group, unjustifiably so I thought. That's all. No more, no less. Like everything else, ymmv.


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[HikerMom58]

Where's the "like" button on WB? ^ Welcome to WB ericmcdaniel.

[10-K]

It's absolutely possible to have a bad experience with a good person/company. If you own a company or business you will eventually have an unhappy customer I don't care who you are - and I've never met a business owner who never had a bad day or did anything out of character.

It's impossible to be universally loved and adored and never make a mistake or do anything wrong - not many perfect people running around.

In the case of someone like Ron Haven I'd be willing to give him a 2nd chance.

[Jeff]

Good comments by 10-K !!!

Right now the thruhiker bubble is passing thru Franklin...that means 18 hour days/7 days a week for Ron. It is a real challenge to handle every hiker need during that period.

[Desert Reprobate]

I have to agree with Big Mac and Sheepdog. I've known Ron for a while now and he puts up with a lot more than I would. There is more to this story.

[superman]

I have to agree with Big Mac and Sheepdog. I've known Ron for a while now and he puts up with a lot more than I would. There is more to this story.

I agree with Sheepdog and Big Mac.

[SafetyFirst]

I was present for the EricMcDaniel incident. If we were teenage hoodlums intent on stealing services, Ron's threats of forcible removal would have been appropriate. Instead, we're 30's, engineer/lawyer that had paid for a service, had no intent to steal anything and would have never approached the premiss or accepted the offer for a shuttle should we suspected we'd be treated with such distain.

[HikerMom58]

I was present for the EricMcDaniel incident. If we were teenage hoodlums intent on stealing services, Ron's threats of forcible removal would have been appropriate. Instead, we're 30's, engineer/lawyer that had paid for a service, had no intent to steal anything and would have never approached the premiss or accepted the offer for a shuttle should we suspected we'd be treated with such distain.

Wow... just wow! These are recurring reports coming from hikers. I'm paying attention to these reports. They are all over the internet not just on WB.

[MuddyWaters]

For the most part, it seems that the people that have complaints against Ron, were not guests of his.

The rest dont seem to have the proper expectation of what type of motel room $40 per night gets you, in conjuction with free transportation around town and to and from trail.

Ive stayed in many, many, many hotels and motels. There is a HUGE difference between just $50 and $70 in terms of what kind of place you get. Huge. Generally speaking, compared to what most of us are used to in our regular lives, anything under $55 is often a poor experience.

Without a doubt, you really do get what you pay for with hotels. No one should be surprised by that, but many seem to be.

[ericmcdaniel]

I defy anyone in this thread who has jumped in the defend Ron despite not being there to give an example of any reputable hotel (cheap or otherwise) that would threaten to have a temporary guest of another customer arrested for no reason other than "I have been taken over the barrel before," or "it's my busy season, so my poor attitude should be excused."


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[jimmyjam]

everybody has a bad day now and then... I have my share.

[Old Hiker]

Wow... just wow! These are recurring reports coming from hikers. I'm paying attention to these reports. They are all over the internet not just on WB.

Could you post the links, please?

I have some opinions, but would like further input.

[Lone Wolf]

I defy anyone in this thread who has jumped in the defend Ron despite not being there to give an example of any reputable hotel (cheap or otherwise) that would threaten to have a temporary guest of another customer arrested for no reason other than "I have been taken over the barrel before," or "it's my busy season, so my poor attitude should be excused."


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obviously you've never run a business on or near the AT that caters to walkers on vacation

[MuddyWaters]

I defy anyone in this thread who has jumped in the defend Ron despite not being there to give an example of any reputable hotel (cheap or otherwise) that would threaten to have a temporary guest of another customer arrested for no reason other than "I have been taken over the barrel before," or "it's my busy season, so my poor attitude should be excused."

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Its a common problem that 1-2 hikers will rent a hotel room, and then have several of their friends waiting around the corner to pile in as well.
In fact, its pretty much the modus operandi for younger thru hikers. Some motels do not want to deal with thru-hikers for this very reason.

Small properties with only a couple rooms where they can keep a close eye on it, are in a better situation than a larger motel. As one small property owner (with ~ 6 rooms I think) told me once, "He was big enough he could keep the thru hikers under control at his property." But he really targetted section hikers for his business, not thrus. He just didnt want to deal with them.

If someone ever gets argumentative with a property owner, It will always spiral quickly downhill from there.