The shocking case of a woman who was sexually assaulted at a Travelodge by an attacker who was given her room key has drawn attention to a serious overhaul of hotel security.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was staying at a hotel in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The attacker, Kylan Smith, told the reception staff that he was her boyfriend and was given a key card that enabled him to carry out the attack.
He was jailed in February for seven and a half years after the attack. Initially, the survivor was given £30 compensation.
Travelodge has promised to improve its operations. But how could it have happened, and what are the other risks?
Was this a special event?
Unfortunately, no. Travelodge chief executive Jo Boydell said Good Morning Britain: “We have certainly heard of other situations, different from this one, in that no keys are found fraudulently, but those of a person entering the customer’s room that he did not give specific permission to do.”
Natalie Wilson, senior travel writer for Independentshe said: “I think this issue is very scary and serious, especially as a woman traveling alone.
Every hotel seems to work differently. I stayed in one in Cardiff where you are not given a key at all; someone lets you in and out of your room each time you arrive and pass the reception.
When a guest enters a hotel, he must accept that he is sharing the property with unstable people. But every hotel guest has the right to expect privacy and security in his room.
At least the level of security in any hotel should be to ensure that the person occupying the room is expecting a guest, by calling the room or knocking on the door. Limiting room keys to people listed on the booking who can provide ID can be another important option.
How common are these issues?
In a high-pressure, customer-facing environment, they happen more often than anyone would like. Each of the past two years, I have checked into a hotel and been given a key to a room that was already in use.
The first time, in Berlin in 2024, I let myself into room 509 to find a rumpled bed, haphazardly strewn towels and half-eaten bottles. The guests had left, luckily, and I was assigned to a different room.
At the end of 2025, at a chain hotel in Manchester, I was given the key to an existing room. The gentleman who lived there was surprised and angry when I opened the door – but he had put a hole on the other side of the door.
In each of these errands the hotel was very busy, with staff under pressure. In Manchester, it turned out that the hotel was overbooked and I was transferred to another property across town. But this being the 21st century, it is surprising that hotel systems would allow the key to be given to two different people with different bookings.
Why do hotels seem to be slacking in their approach?
There is a fundamental conflict between security promotion and the hospitality industry. Hotel staff have a tight rope to walk. They naturally want to be accessible to guests, and they want to provide warm and non-confrontational hospitality.
Hotels are temporary in nature, with sometimes hundreds of people coming and going every day. No one knows exactly who the guest is.
When I’m out of town, I’ll sometimes go into the hotel’s public area to use wifi or loollo; I am always amazed when I am challenged, in a friendly way, to explain what I do there.
In my experience, a hotel spokesperson, there is a lot of emphasis on discreet security: staff will be posted at public entrances, CCTV footage of who comes and goes will be constantly monitored. There is a conflicting opinion, which is that five-star hotels are more concerned about not upsetting their guests and therefore may not ask as much as they could.
What safety precautions should visitors follow?
Use whatever precautions are available: a door chain or knife to stop the door from opening too far, and a knife if available. Alternatively – and this is especially important if you’re traveling alone – a cheap rubber door wedge. They cost around £3 and make an important safety line.
Remember that criminals can sometimes pretend to be hotel staff. If you knock on the door unexpectedly, call reception to confirm who the person is.
In general, fire is still dangerous. As soon as you enter, check the way from your room to escape the fire.
Is theft a problem in hotels?
Yes. Thieves may roam public areas unchallenged and steal from travelers – even pick up bags while visiting travelers.
There is also the problem of stealing from rooms that are occupied but where the guest has left. This can be as absurd as someone asking the housekeeper: “Oh, I’m in room 219 and I left my key in. Almost always such requests will be genuine, but careful staff should do the checks.
Furthermore, you should not put all your trust in the hotel safe; as a rule of thumb never go with something you can’t afford to lose.
Any updates expected?
Facial recognition has a role to play in speeding up the login process and improving security.
Read more: My happy stay at the amazing Tugu House in Jakarta, Indonesia
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