To ask what hotels are doing to ensure random men do not have access to your hotel room?

[DeftGoldHedgehog]

This story is absolutely horrific.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g01m82vn2o

Travelodge "changes policy". So your previous policy was to give out a key to an occupied room to anyone who asked for one, on the basis that he knew her name? You give your name on check in, anyone could hear it. And they offered the victim £30 initially! And then only a weak apology. Absolute arseholes.

I've been given a key to the wrong room on check in by Premier Inn before - it was already occupied. And I have read on here on more than one occasion about staff or other guests getting access to their room while they were asleep, so it certainly isn't just a problem with Travelodge.

When you think how organisations can be fined for sharing your data incorrectly, should there not be a bit more focus on what happens if someone is given access to you?

Door wedges!

I stayed at a Travelodge that didn't have an internal lock, no chain or solid bar lock.
I barricaded the door with chairs, so unnerved was I not to be able to lock the door.

Have never and will never stay in one again.

What do you suggest?

I think it's a dreadful event.travelodge need to tighten up for sure.hopefully lessons to be learnt here. Terrible story,lady offered £30.00 in compensation FFS! She said that made it even worse. A lady on TV said there is a screw down door safety device about £35.00 avaliable from Amazon

I will NEVER stay in a Travelodge after my experience a few years ago. I was fast asleep when my door was opened- I screamed and told them to get the fuck out- which they did. I threw on some clothes and went to reception to complain when the bloke on reception admitted it was him and he'd "got confused" and opened the wrong room. I complained to Travelodge and they denied the whole thing happened.

I'm away for work now and am staying in another city as the only hotel available where I need to be later was a Travelodge. I'm getting up early and travelling this morning rather than stay there.

Had good experience at Aurora (sp) near Heathrow, I had come off a 11 hour flight and DH was going to meet me in the hotel then drive us home the next day.

When he arrived I was already asleep. He presented himself to the front desk and gave my name and room No, they called to confirm and then issued him a lift only card, so I still had to open the door. Maybe a little inconvenient but safe.

I have this.

www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/travel-door-lock

I stay in hotels with a deadbolt door lock. Then no-one can enter when im in there.

I take a door wedge with me. About £3 from Amazon or a hardware shop. Pretty effective.

Travelodge and Premier Inns used to have door chains, I can't understand why these were removed. I use a door wedge but shouldn't have to.

That they dont give keys to people not named on the booking would be very easy. No id no key

But you don't give names when making a booking though. Only the name of the person making it.

FWIW Arora..

As background the (very smart) owner of that chain started out by providing accommodation for airline crew - it's first hotel was directly opposite a certain airline's crew report centre at LHR.

To get the contract their security will have been vetted by the using airline(s), if they are still getting airline contracts they'll have to have maintained standards.

Not relevant to the thread but for info:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surinder_Arora

Whilst that may help it’s not good enough, more needs to be done.
“Here’s your room key for your stay oh and here’s a door wedge incase we hand a copy of your room key out” 😳

So what are you suggesting - that you just give out keys to anyone?

Change the booking process in that case so you do give the names in advance.

I also prefer it when hotels have the policy that they don't tell you your room number out loud just point to it on the card. If I'm on my own I like that no random stranger can overhear it.

Travelodge have, belatedly and only due to the media attention, changed their policy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g01m82vn2o

These Travelodge stories are horrifying.

The question should be - what is the hotel industry doing re this?? There should be laws around this.

As the OP mentioned, this kind of thing is not confined to Travelodge.

Here's a thread from 2024 about an incident at a Hilton hotel.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5084579-sister-just-had-some-guy-walk-into-her-hotel-room?page=1

I was about 50% certain I was wrong

Door wedges and locks are no good in an emergency though.

And women shouldn't have to put themselves at risk or fire etc, to stop themselves being at risk from men.

But that's the only safe solution right now. I use a door wedge.

Our work hotel booking system has a solo female traveller symbol against certain hotel chains. I certainly don't trust it and do my own research on review sites. However there is always pressure to stay at the cheapest/ closest.

They do generally ask for the number of adults staying in the room though? So if you book for one adult they could not give a keycard to any other adult unless you have notified them in advance?

Can we stop blaming the hotels and start blaming the men who do this kind of thing?

No, both are to blame. Hotels are 100% responsible for handing out keys to womens rooms to random men.