The Hampton Inn at Orchard Valley was ready for flood evacuees from south of Manteca after officers went door to door asking rural residents to leave their homes due to the possibility of levee breaks along the San Joaquin River.
Night desk clerk Roman Neri said the management had reduced their room rates for anyone needing a room from the flood prone area.  As Neri was working with some seven families, fellow desk clerk Alex Bander was answering the phone with repeated requests for rooms from other residents from the areas where evacuation was ordered at about 10 p.m.
One of the callers said he was quoted on a website that a room would be $169 but that had been reduced by the Hampton to $119 by the time he called the hotel desk. 
“We also have a complimentary breakfast for all of them,” Neri said.
One affected resident waiting at the counter said he had just bought a new home near Woodward Park six months ago, having retired and moved to Manteca from Fremont.  He had worked in the Silicon Valley area for over 20 years and was looking for a quieter community than he had over the hill – having asked if his new home was in a flood plain and told it wasn’t.
He said it was just for him and his wife and being on the third floor was no problem for them, thankful to have found a room for the night in his new community of Manteca.
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.