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Thu, 01 Oct 2026

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 Travelodge failed sex assault victim 'at every stage'

Room intrusions were still being reported at one-in-10 Travelodge hotels this summer, a review finds.
An independent review found that Travelodge failed the woman "at every stage", with the reception staff handing over the key less than three minutes after being approached by the perpetrator. The reviewer, barrister Paul Greaney KC, said blame rested with the company as a whole rather than individual staff members. A culture had developed where room intrusions were seen as an inevitable occurrence. The woman emailed her complaint to Travelodge in January 2023, but it was handled by a manager who was also criticized in the review. The customer services team offered her a refund for her night's stay of £30. Since then, dozens of people have shared experiences of strangers entering their rooms at Travelodge hotels, including a domestic abuse victim whose abuser was given a key to her room. The review makes 38 recommendations, including requiring guests to show ID to get a room key and using body-worn cameras for reception staff. It also calls for a policy on violence against women and girls, which would be drawn up with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and implemented across all Travelodge hotels.