A Haitian-born, U.S. waiter has filed suit against the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Naples, FL, for allegedly honoring the request of a British couple not to be served by “people of colour” or by people with foreign accents.

A spokeswoman for the luxury hotel chain declined to comment on the lawsuit except to say that the hotel will not tolerate discrimination by staff or guests and that the British couple cannot return to the hotel.

The lawsuit by 40-year-old waiter Wadner Tranchant alleges that notes from the hotel’s computer system spelled out the couple’s instructions: “As per Mr. (hotel managing director Edward) Staros, this couple is very, very prejudice(d) and do like like (sic) ppl of colour or foreign accents.”

Tranchant, a 15-year hotel employee, charges that he was sent away after starting to serve the British family on March 12 at the hotel’s beach-side restaurant.