Think twice before staying alone in a Travelodge

A few years ago there was a thread on here where a woman had checked in alone, but her Mum had joined her. Late at night a man got into their room with a key card, she felt he was assuming she would be alone. There were other women on the thread with similar experiences. I’m not sure which chain it was, whether it was Travelodge or not. Possibly, or another well known chain. Dd and a friend stayed in a hotel recently, both 18, going to a London show. I gave her a door jammer to use. You can buy them on Amazon, there are also ways of jamming a door with a suitcase in some rooms, and you can get door jammer that have alarms.
That is an unbelievably poor response from Travelodge, really shocking. It’s pretty obvious that they should have called her to establish whether she was expecting another person. Any random friend of a friend or colleague could have your name, even someone watching you check in, or a stalker. They should be taking every care with women booking alone to make sure they are safe on their premises. £30 !!! It’s absolutely horrifying.

Good to see this post, I emailed my thoughts about Travelodge security measures and response to the victim as a soon as I read about it this morning on BBC news. Glad others are doing the same, I really hope it has an impact.

Not a fucking chance I will be staying with them again. Premier inn all the way! I regularly go away with the kids for a night or two and don't want to risk any of us being assaulted because dp's working hours mean he can't always come with.

They are rubber wedges. Like doorstops. You jam them in at the base of the door and they prevent the door from being easily opened. They don't totally block the door (which would be dangerous in the case of fire), but they mean that someone can't use the 'oh, I thought this was my room' excuse. I like them because they stop the door opening without making me feel as though I couldn't get out in an emergency.

Done.

I would never stay at a Travelodge after a relative was 'bumped' off.
He arrived to find his allocated room given to someone else.
As he had arrived by public transport, it was not an option to go to the next nearest one.
That said, I would certainly think twice about staying in ANY hotel on my own, without putting in place some extra security measures.
It's probably not possible to avoid someone (maybe a staff member, etc) having an extra key, but at least you want to make it difficult, so you wake up, if someone enters your room

I travel solo all the time, the depressing fact is that you need to take extra steps to secure you room in any hotel.

Thank you, I've done the same.
Some of these posts about people's experiences are so chilling. I don't usually have to stay in hotel rooms alone, but if I ever do I'll invest in a wedge or something. Whilst also utterly resenting the need to do so.
It really is a bloody man's world.

It’s here, from a PP:

Her email address is [email protected]

I read this this morning and I am completely disgusted by what happened to this poor women and Travelodges response.

I regularly stay at Travelodges on my own as they are convenient for me when I visit family. Other hotels are too far to drive. I have sent an email the the CEO to ask just how safe I will be going forward. I will see how long it takes for a response.

Would you be happy to share the email address? I'll do the same. If enough of us kick off about it it will hopefully make a difference.

What "security protocol" are they using that thinks it's ok to give a key for a single woman's room to a random man? Doesn't matter if he knew her or not, or even if he could have proved he was her husband, child or father. The booking was for one person only.

Have you tweeted them to tell them? I think it is only if we make a public fuss that we will not longer give them our business that they will sit up and take notice.

Absolutely appalling. I read the article this morning and was shocked. Unfortunately though, I have read about similar incidents before and that’s why when I have to travel alone for business (luckily only once a year) I always try to take extra precautions like wedging a chair under the door handle. I’ve seen proper locks you can use on the inside on Amazon before, so might look again at these!

fucking hell - I have just cancelled 2 nights next week and rebooked with Marriott who assured me no keys ever given without the named person on the room present. This is insanity

Absolutely outrageous on both the original act and post.

https://docs.planning.org.uk/20240517/208/SBMED6JYHNR00/brvk6n4i0vuudvbw.pdf

“Checked in guests gain entry using a keycard that is issued upon proof of a
verified booking.”

or instead by just knowing someone’s name it seems!

Other hotel chains aren't perfect, either. I always sleep with a door wedge and anything else I can put against the door, like an ironing board, table or chair.

I checked into a Premier Inn late one night last year. Was given the room key to someone else's room - with them fast asleep inside.

In another PI, I got to my room and was sure the TV was on. Refused point blank to open the door and possibly frighten whoever was in that room out of their minds. Reception did assign me to another room.

It's really awful that as a lone woman she couldn't trust this hotel company. Well we ladies all know where not to stay in future. I'll bet that it wouldn't have happened if a lone male was booked into a room.

They'll soon regret this action by either posting a big fat Loss, or go under. What a PR mess. A Ratner scenario.

I stayed in a farmhouse B&B. It was in a ground floor extension with French doors. It was hot and there was no window so I had the doors open a little. Not only was I uncomfortable about this, even though we were miles from anywhere, but in the middle of the night I became aware of something in the room and lay there rigid with fright. It turned out to be a cat that insisted on being let out into the corridor!
So pick carefully!

Ive just emailed their ceo to communicate my disgust at their handling of this.
Poor woman having to be subjected to the attack and the minimising afterwards.

I've stayed alone in both and IMO Premier Inn are a cut above Travelodge. When they gave me my key they put it face down and didn't say the room number out loud.

Thanks for this. I've got a long drive in a few months and was thinking I would book one of these. Now thinking farmhouse bed and breakfast instead.

All of this. Thanks for this thread, OP.

I bought a door wedge but couldn't make it fit under the door at all. I often put up the ironing board/stick a chair in front of the door. At least I'd hear anyone coming in

He passed their security procedures? Wtf?
He says he knows her? Tick. Here you go sir, here's the key.

That is outrageous. Even if someone actually does know you, its still not ok to give them a key to your bloody room when their name isnt on the reservation. You could be fleeing a dv situation for example.

I bet I know what the security procedure was passed. Money. Passed from him to the person at the front desk