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Original poster

Woken by hotel staff

207 replies

HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 01:16

I've been at an important 2-day work meeting further from home than usual. Due to a long-term condition, which causes fatigue, I booked myself into a Travelodge overnight to avoid a bit of commenting (me paying, not work).
At check-in the lovely staff gave me a 'quiet room' when I explained the reason for the stay. By 9.30-10pm I was asleep, yay (despite it being like a sauna).
Then at 11.30pm I woke as a stranger was walking into my room! I jumped out of bed and shouted to get out. They did and I barricaded the door assuming I'd forgotten to put the snitch down (was sure I had).
Was just drifting off again when abput 11.55 there was banging on the door. Got up asked through the door if they were wanting me, yes. Had to open the door to a male staff member. I was stood there, bleary eyed, in just a 'Should not be seen in public' nightie, and had to confirm my identity. He said a brisk 'sorry for waking you' and when I said I was already awake as had had a stranger in my room 25 mins earlier he confirmed it was another member of staff as there had been a room mix-up. He seemed a bit annoyed.
No idea why they didn't call my phone and that they had to take my name with me there not dressed, face to face.

I'm now fully awake, hoping they're not coming back, regretting having booked this room, wishing I'd just done the driving, and dreading being exhausted in the meeting tomorrow.

I've just sent an email to the only email address I could find for Travelodge.

Am I unreasonable to complain?
(If I disappear will be due to trying to sleep)

OP posts:
Northernladdette · 04/04/2025 14:54

I’ll stand corrected, but it’s unlikely there’d be a phone in the room at a Travelodge. Premier Inns don’t have them, as I had an issue and was told a three star hotel wouldn’t have a phone in the room 🙂

Noodledoodledoo · 04/04/2025 14:53

Was the first person a member of staff or another customer? Did anyone offer an explanation of why the two incidents occurred?

Not that it justifies either incident but may offer some reason. Would be really worrying if the person who just walked in was a member of staff - another customer would potentially be a mix up and not so sinister even if the follow up was not dealt with and was unacceptable behaviour.

SunnySideUK77 · 04/04/2025 14:46

Complain and ask for your money to be refunded.

ILoveMyCaravan · 04/04/2025 14:33

OP I’m so sorry you experienced this awful behaviour. Thank you for reporting to the police. I’m a victim of sexual abuse and what happened to you would have absolutely freaked me out and sent me spiralling into a serious mental breakdown.

Staff members need sacking, there is absolutely no excuse for what they did. And no it doesn’t matter how much you paid for the room as someone suggested. This is very basic stuff.

Chezxx · 04/04/2025 14:31

Thanks so much OP for posting.

Travel Lodge is clearly not a safe hotel for lone women to use. Good to know.

Of all the bullshit the Daily Mail lift from MN, this would actually be a good article to lift.

Very poor response from them.

Well done for contacting the police and adding weight to any other complaints.

1HappyTraveller · 04/04/2025 14:26

HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 07:14

@BigHeadBertha actually lying here, woken early by the staff, was thinking about your phrase "you get what you pay for". It doesn't apply here. There are basic minimum standards.
Not having staff let themselves into your room in the middle of the night is one.
A second is knowing a woman is sleeping alone in a room (because you just barged in on her) not sending a man up to bang on her door and ask her to open it.
Whether you pay £1 or £1000 these things shouldn't happen.

Absolutely this!

Thisisittheapocalypse · 04/04/2025 14:18

Appalling 'management' from Travelodge being shown here.

To bang on a single female traveller's door so late at night demanding a face to face conversation ... after THEIR mistake ... is completely unacceptable. I would definitely be taking this higher.

LazyArsedMagician · 04/04/2025 14:17

BigHeadBertha · 04/04/2025 03:03

I've stayed in a lot of hotels and for me, "you get what you pay for" is pretty accurate.

Also, I would not open the door to a male staff member again. Tell them to call you at your room phone number.

Edited

This is the stupidest comment.

What you pay for is a private room. She wasn't staying in a hostel.

Thebloodynine · 04/04/2025 14:16

I don’t understand how the hotel could say it was repeat behaviour despite a reprimand, when the person came back and asked for you to identity yourself? Or sent someone else up. That doesn’t sound like some member of staff just walking into rooms at night and then claiming it was an accident.

If he had just walked in, with the intention of watching you or something, and then planned to claim it was an accident and wrong room if he was caught, then why did he come back up, bang on the door and ask for identification? That’s harder for him to claim to managers that it was a mistake.
What was actually going on? What had the staff member done before that was reprimanded?

Original poster
HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 14:16

Thank you for all your support and input. It’s shocking to hear how many people have had staff barge in.

FYI no phones in the rooms anymore and only way to contact Travelodge is via pay-per-minute phone numbers, or the customer services emails (which hasn’t replied).

I’m going to close my eyes for a bit. Will update if I hear back from Police or Travelodge

OP posts:
Original poster
HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 14:13

Thursday5pmisginoclock · 04/04/2025 14:08

I hope the Travelodge PR and legal team see your report and/or this thread. Not a safe place for a lone female to stay! Definitely keep persuing this!

Exactly this.
I hope the repeated use of the word Travelodge brings this to their attention. Still no reply to my middle-of the night-email.
Unless action is taken swiftly there will be a very clear and accurate TripAdvisor review being posted. The police will also be seeing if Travelodge took my advice to report this repeat behaviour.

OP posts:
Original poster
HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 14:09

@TorroFerney I’m so sorry to hear about your experience.
The possibility of this person moving on to assault is why it was important to raise this with the police. Plus even if he doesn’t go on to assault someone the possible trauma to those who have previously experienced assault is unacceptable.

OP posts:
Thursday5pmisginoclock · 04/04/2025 14:08

I hope the Travelodge PR and legal team see your report and/or this thread. Not a safe place for a lone female to stay! Definitely keep persuing this!

BellissimoGecko · 04/04/2025 14:05

BigHeadBertha · 04/04/2025 03:03

I've stayed in a lot of hotels and for me, "you get what you pay for" is pretty accurate.

Also, I would not open the door to a male staff member again. Tell them to call you at your room phone number.

Edited

Absolute nonsense.

Whether you’re staying in a budget hotel or a posh one, you are entitled to safety and security, and for other people not to come into your room!

Northernladdette · 04/04/2025 14:01

Not sure it’s really valid, but if it was a Premier Inn, you’d get a refund.

runningmumoftwoloudboys · 04/04/2025 13:50

This happened to me recently at a London Travelodge. I complained at Reception and was told they were having some teething issues with a new computer system. I said it wasn’t good enough!

The other thing that p*sses me off about that particular hotel is that they announce your room number loudly for everyone to hear. I’ve got a hospitality background (albeit a looooooong time ago) and you just don’t do that.

Lovedogwalking · 04/04/2025 13:45

Had similar problem with travel lodge in Oxford last year. Checked in, nice staff, went to the room to find it occupied, it was about 5pm.though not quite the same. I went back down, pretty exhausted from the drive there, got a weak apology and a new room.

I know they are cheap, but this was a new hotel, lovely food there and a nice room. I told them thank goodness I'm honest and didn't nick the other person's belongings!. She wasn't in the room but In a way that's worse, it took me a few seconds to.work it all out.

Needless to say whenever I went over after that I stayed elsewhere! I never asked for a refund but would do if i were you.

Original poster
HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 13:45

@vandelle I can understand what you’re saying. I’m partially deaf on one side. Luckily last night I must have had my working ear away from the pillow otherwise I wouldn’t have woken until they were beside me, actively waking me, or not at all (I usually sleep very deeply)

OP posts:
Original poster
HotelStrangers · 04/04/2025 13:41

My meeting: I have lovely colleagues ❤️ During an experiential learning exercise at the meeting today I shared last night’s events. Everyone was appalled. They were so lovely I realised I was too tired to engage and left mid morning to be safe to drive home. Hence I have missed a unique opportunity this meeting gave to learn from a national (world?) leader in our field. He was lovely too and offered to send me info.

Police: spoke to the force local to the area via 101. The call handler was lovely. I was clear that I did not expect any action regarding last night’s events but that the incident needed to be logged in case this forms a pattern of behaviour which may escalate. They agreed and took it seriously, even suggesting I’d get further contact. As I’d been told this was repeat behaviour reporting to the police was definitely the correct thing to do.

Travelodge: I’ve heard nothing from them as yet. They will definitely be hearing more from me!

OP posts:
vandelle · 04/04/2025 13:40

KrisAkabusi · 04/04/2025 13:16

So in the event of a fire, you wouldn't hear the alarm, wouldn't see any flashing lights that are installed specifically to warn deaf people, and nobody would be able to get you out of your room because you've barricaded the door? And you think you're safer?!!

Show quote history

I do hear very high pitched alarms like fire and my carbon monoxide detector, as that part of my hearing is ok. I can hear house alarms going off on my road for example. It's ordinary noises like a door opening or closing, the TV, radio, knock on the door, normal stuff like that I wouldn't hear if sleeping, (or awake without my hearing aids in), whereas others would.

I know my limitations!

Droplet789 · 04/04/2025 13:36

Absolutely within your rights to complain, the hotel should be refunding your stay and apologising for the disturbance and distress being woken up by a stranger in your room at nearly midnight might have caused.

twilightcafe · 04/04/2025 13:31

Incidentally, this happened to me at a Premier Inn.

I checked in late at night, given a keycard, went to 'my room'. There was a shape in the bed - which woke up and understandably roared 'OII!!!'
I was back down at reception - shaken, upset and mostly angry - that they'd double-booked the room. Turned out whoever did the room allocations was a bit slapdash at writing the numbers on the room card.

I did complain to head office, and got some money back.

If I'm a lone female guest, I make sure the spy hole is closed, and barricade myself in with a door wedge, plus a chair or ironing board wedged against the door. I don't trust hotel door locks. I also leave the TV on if I'm not in the room so that anyone else would know the room was occupied.

At another Premier Inn, I checked in late, got to my room and could hear the TV. No way was I going to knock on the door and frighten someone else - so reception had to find me another room.

twilightcafe · 04/04/2025 13:24

TennesseeStella · 04/04/2025 08:56

You've got a full refund. Genuinely, what else do you expect them to do if you "take this further"?

Show quote history

OP is absolutely right to escalate this. For all we, know this slapdash behaviour has been going on for ages, never been challenged - so one day the worst could happen and a guest end up being assaulted or worse.

Chezxx · 04/04/2025 13:23

I would be apoplectic OP.
I think the hotel is not safe for women and this needs reporting to the police.
How frightening.
As there is a pattern I would tell them you will also be contacting the media.

Not good enough at all.

KrisAkabusi · 04/04/2025 13:16

vandelle · 04/04/2025 12:31

Sorry about your experience OP, but what you have done is given other women staying alone in hotels a bit of a wake up call.

I am always very wary, but at the same time think it'll never happen here, or to me. But it can and it does.

An added worry for me is that I am deaf (when I remove my hearing aids to sleep that is) and I wouldn't hear a bomb go off, not to mind someone entering my room. Add in an eye mask and I might as well just put a sign on the door saying enter and I won't know!

So I just bring a couple of door wedges and hope for the best. I know I can get more sophisticated door alarms and so on, but I wouldn't hear them anyway.

Stay safe out there my sisters.

So in the event of a fire, you wouldn't hear the alarm, wouldn't see any flashing lights that are installed specifically to warn deaf people, and nobody would be able to get you out of your room because you've barricaded the door? And you think you're safer?!!