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Original poster

Somebody has just walked into our hotel room at 4am

309 replies

Batmam · 09/10/2026 05:18

Me and DP were fast asleep in a (large, chain) hotel and a woman with a suitcase has just let herself in with a key - don’t know who was more shocked her or us! We didn’t have any clothes on but were under the sheets thank god. I was sleeping so deeply it took me a second to realise what was going on. Never had this happen before in my life, and after everything that happened with Premier Inn I thought hotels would be even more diligent about security.

Phoned reception and she was more concerned with getting our details than actually apologising. It wasn’t a mistake with the key, the woman was told that this was her room. I’ve never worked in a hotel, but how could this happen? We checked in in person last night and signed for the room. Already paid when booking unfortunately. Surely the system should have known this room was occupied?

We’ve bolted the door now and it obviously won’t happen again tonight, but I doubt I’ll be able to go back to sleep now...

  • [Correction at OP's request - the security incident mentioned was at a Travelodge hotel, not a Premier Inn]
OP posts:
Minasama · 10/10/2026 22:02

This is extremely worrying after recent BBC story about Travelodge giving a room key to a man who claimed his girlfriend was in a certain room, then went in and assaulted the woman who was asleep in the room.
Travelodge didn’t care at all until the BBC got involved, but then did review procedures and train staff.
I travel a lot for work as a lone woman and I shan’t be staying at any Travelodges.

StarlightLady · 11/10/2026 06:16

Witnesses · 10/10/2026 10:45

I think a few things could help prevent this and all cost money that the budget hotels I worked for wouldn't be interested in spending sadly! (Glad to be out of the industry now).

  • Firstly, make it so the keycard system and checking in system are integrated. You check guest in, cards are cut instantly. This wouldn't stop you potentially checking the wrong guest into the wrong room - but it would mean the room showing as occupied would at least be the room that actually was occupied, at least at the point of check in. This wouldn't be foolproof - as people lose their cards, cards stop working, they ask for extra cards etc. It would definitely help though, but errors could still happen after check in, later in the stay.
  • No more lone working. The vast majority of budget chain hotels will have one, perhaps 2 people working the desk at any time, also overnight. The busier someone is, the more likely they are to make mistakes. In lone working scenarios you aren't allowed to leave the premises - you aren't allowed a break. It is legal. It's not right. It means you have night staff working alone overnight for eight hours, which just seems like an obvious recipe for making an error.
  • Systems whereby a red/green light or OCCUPIED sign appear above the room. This could honestly make such a difference. Once checked in, the sign above the room lights up to show as occupied. I've no doubt this wouldn't be a seamless solution, but I'm sure it could help.
  • Internal locks. It's tricky, as having been on the corridor side of the room with people doing drugs etc inside refusing to open up, I can absolutely understand why some budget hotels don't want internal locks. But a chain that could be broken relatively easily with some force would enable access when urgently needed (lots of people go to hotels to commit suicide unfortunately) would be a good red flag if someone tried to open the door of a locked room.
  • On top of this the sort of checks that we all think would help, but that lots of people are resistant to. Showing ID when checking in. If you turn up and say your husband will be along shortly - give him the second card when he turns up, the policy being actually - no, you'll need to come back down to greet your husband and confirm with us you want him to have the card. From the angle of the Travelodge attack everyone likes these ideas! But, in my experience, lots of guests will get angry about having to come back down to reception (especially if they have young kids etc) or having to carry ID. Or being told actually, no, we won't let you into the room of somebody else, even if you insist it's your son's room, and he isn't answering his phone etc. it creates inconvenience for guests who aren't doing anything wrong, in the name of safety for all others. I think it's worth it.

I've given this a lot of thought over the recent year with the news of the Travelodge attack (I've worked for many of their branches!) wondering how this could be fixed.

Show quote history

I think the majority of this is spot on. But let’s not pretend that a drugs problem could only occur in a budget hotel.

ZippyTaupeBeaker · 11/10/2026 09:01

It happened to me in Holiday Inn
last year. I wasn’t in bed but just taking off my t shirt to get ready for bed. Two men opened my door with their key card, I said ‘excuse me’ and they immediately retreated. Wasn’t their fault at all - I had been given this room to replace my allocated room where the toilet wouldn’t flush. I reported what had happened the next morning- presumably the men had reported it the night before.- but of course the staff members on duty had changed. They took my details, said I’d be contacted but I never heard a word of course.🙄

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Holidays
FlipFlopVibe · 11/10/2026 09:05

Lugol · 09/10/2026 06:53

That must have been really scary OP. I would go nuclear on the hotel management for that.

I'm ex cabin crew and I always travel with a rubber door wedge and a portable door lock in my case for hotel rooms.
One of my colleagues years ago was raped in a hotel one night when a member of hotel staff let himself in.
A rubber door wedge will block the door opening and the the portable door lock fits most doors and is extra security. They're only about a fiver on amazon but worth every penny.

My DD laughs when I ask if she has packed hers when travelling but the peace of mind it gives you is immense.

I’m just wondering if there was a fire or you collapsed, how would someone get in to you if needed?

echt · 11/10/2026 09:14

FlipFlopVibe · 11/10/2026 09:05

I’m just wondering if there was a fire or you collapsed, how would someone get in to you if needed?

Show quote history

Axes, bloody big axes. That's firefighters do.

thevassal · 11/10/2026 10:07

GoodGirlFaith · 10/10/2026 13:21

I don’t disagree with all of that at all but human nature means that occasionally it does happen. If you can come up with a completely fail safe way of preventing it, you’ll have managed to do something that at the moment is impossible to prevent.

You have conveniently missed the statements I made about how to prevent it happening if you want to by locking the door from the insude. Which also comes with risks!

Show quote history

But YOU seemed to have missed that it happened to OP 3 times within about 6 hours. There is no way that can be described as "occasionally'.

And, tbh, as I said, even occasionally implies something that happens with some frequency - I agree it can probably never be 100% impossible but it should be very very unusual not "only once or twice a month" and definitely not "three times in one stay"!

As you point out, guests locking the door poses additional risks to them. Hotels insisting their cleaners knock twice and then shout "housekeeping" before entering if they arent absolutely sure a guest has checked out costs the hotel nothing and has no risks.

GoodGirlFaith · 11/10/2026 10:43

thevassal · 11/10/2026 10:07

But YOU seemed to have missed that it happened to OP 3 times within about 6 hours. There is no way that can be described as "occasionally'.

And, tbh, as I said, even occasionally implies something that happens with some frequency - I agree it can probably never be 100% impossible but it should be very very unusual not "only once or twice a month" and definitely not "three times in one stay"!

As you point out, guests locking the door poses additional risks to them. Hotels insisting their cleaners knock twice and then shout "housekeeping" before entering if they arent absolutely sure a guest has checked out costs the hotel nothing and has no risks.

Edited
Show quote history

I replied to her original post initially so yes, I missed the subsequent posts when she stated it happened again. I’ve not experienced it happening more than once to a guest during my career. This hotel didn’t immediately rectify the issue.

Regarding your last paragraph, I previously stated that because experience taught me the room list isn’t always reliably accurate. I always knocked a few times before entering any room. I’d already covered this so I know why you’re telling me that’s what should be done.

I do appreciate it’s hard to understand how it can happen but when you’re spent 30 years working in hotels, you realise that it does OCCASIONALLY happen and you understand how, and why. Usually it’s down to new members of staff or night staff relocating a guest to a different room but they forget to update this to reflect the move on the system.

Again, you can lock the door from the insude but you must recognise this comes with it’s own risks (which personally go my mind, are higher).

Lugol · 11/10/2026 12:20

FlipFlopVibe · 11/10/2026 09:05

I’m just wondering if there was a fire or you collapsed, how would someone get in to you if needed?

Show quote history

They are very easy to dismantle from inside and that wedge on the amazon link has an alarm that is activated when shoved against.

I'd personally rather risk that in a situation that I'd doubtlessly be woke up in than risk being raped in my hotel room like my colleague was.

Booboobagins · 11/10/2026 20:56

Maisymouse2 · 09/10/2026 05:43

Why is it Scary?
A woman with a suitcase wouldnt be a threat.

Are you off your head? Anyone walking into your hotwl room wouls be enoughto stop your heart esp as they were asleep.

@Batmam chase this to the end to find our what went wrong. Threaten to tell the newspapers. It's shocking.

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