A woman has accused Travelodge of failing to protect her after hotel staff gave a man a key card to her room, allowing him to enter while she slept and sexually assault her.
The incident happened in December 2022 at the Travelodge hotel in Maidenhead. The woman had attended a party earlier that night where she met Kyran Smith and other guests before everyone returned to their hotel rooms.
In the early hours of the morning, Smith went to the hotel reception and allegedly lied to staff, claiming he was the woman’s boyfriend. Staff then issued him a key card and provided her room number.
The woman, now in her 30s and legally anonymous, said she woke up to find Smith in her bed assaulting her. She later told authorities that it was the first time she had ever stayed in a hotel alone.
Smith was later arrested and convicted of sexual assault and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence following a four-day trial at Reading Crown Court in November. He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
The victim said she was shocked when hotel staff told her Smith had passed security checks simply by providing her name. She questioned why staff did not attempt to call her room, wake her, or verify his claim before giving him access.
“I feel like they failed me,” she said, expressing frustration that the hotel had not admitted wrongdoing.
She added that she had locked the door and followed what she believed were standard safety precautions for staying alone in a hotel.
After reporting the incident, the woman said Travelodge offered her a £30 refund, which she described as “insulting.”
Travelodge later acknowledged the refund offer was inappropriate but maintained that staff had followed the company’s security procedures at the time.
In a statement, the hotel chain said the safety and security of guests remains its priority and that employees are trained to follow approved policies. The woman is now calling for the company to review and strengthen its security procedures to better protect hotel guests.
