Two families staying at the Gateway Inn in Ashford, Washington, were left scrambling for accommodation after the hotel was abruptly shut down on 5 August while they were out hiking in nearby Mount Rainier National Park. Sarah Ruppenthal's family returned from their walk to find the building roped off, its electricity being disconnected, and were given only minutes to gather their belongings, while Marilyn Mitchell's family arrived after a 13-hour journey to find the doors locked with no warning. The closure matters because it highlights ongoing safety failures at the property that authorities say had not been properly addressed months after they were first identified.

Pierce County officials ordered the shutdown due to a series of unresolved safety violations, including dangerous electrical conditions, faulty smoke detectors, blocked exits and chimney problems posing carbon-monoxide risks. The Gateway Inn had already been partially closed in February over similar issues, and a county spokesperson said those violations had still not been corrected. Both families eventually found alternative lodging, though at higher cost and with difficulty given limited availability during the summer peak season, and Ruppenthal said she was still awaiting a refund more than two weeks after the incident.