“I am deeply sorry for the significant distress experienced by the victim,” said Jo Boydell, CEO of Travelodge, as the hotel chain announced a major change to its security policy.
The decision comes in the wake of a harrowing incident in December 2022, when Kyran Smith was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for sexually assaulting a woman at a Travelodge hotel. Smith had tricked hotel staff into giving him access to the victim’s room after they had attended a party together.
The victim awoke to find Smith attacking her in her bed, a situation that has prompted widespread concern over hotel security protocols. Following the incident, Travelodge initially offered the victim a £30 refund, which she described as insulting.
In response to the assault, Travelodge has implemented a new policy requiring explicit permission to issue additional or replacement room keys. This change aims to enhance the safety of guests and prevent unauthorized access to hotel rooms.
Boydell expressed her regret, stating, “We got things wrong and we should have acted sooner and I am truly sorry for that.” The CEO emphasized the importance of ensuring guest safety and the need for better procedures regarding key issuance.
In addition to the new policy, Travelodge has trained its 12,000 customer-facing colleagues on the updated security measures. An independent review of the hotel chain’s room security protocols has also been commissioned to identify further improvements.
The victim of the assault has voiced her frustration, saying, “There needs to be better procedures for the issuing of keys, for giving out anything to do with rooms, really.” She added, “It’s frustrating that it takes something like this to then push those kind of things forward but I’m glad that they’re actually looking at it.”
Labour MPs are set to meet with Boydell to discuss hotel security, indicating that this incident has sparked broader conversations about safety in the hospitality industry.
As Travelodge moves forward with these changes, the hope is that such incidents can be prevented in the future, ensuring a safer environment for all guests.