A major independent review has concluded that Travelodge “fundamentally failed” a woman who was sexually assaulted by a man provided with the key to her hotel room. The investigation, led by barrister Paul Greaney KC, found that security policies at the Maidenhead property were inadequate and not fit for purpose at the time of the December 2022 attack.
Kyran Smith, who is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence, obtained the room key by falsely identifying himself as the victim’s boyfriend. The review revealed that he was handed the key in under three minutes by a receptionist who had received no training on key security protocols.
Greaney determined that the blame rested with the organization as a whole rather than individual employees, noting that a culture had developed where room intrusions were treated as an acceptable risk. Evidence from this summer indicates that nearly one in ten Travelodge hotels reported guest room intrusions, and the chain lacked a specific policy addressing violence against women and girls.
The review also criticized how the victim’s subsequent complaint was handled. After emailing chief executive Jo Boydell in January 2023, the complaint was processed without the victim’s knowledge and did not reach Boydell until March 2026. Instead, it was investigated by a manager who was named in the complaint, and customer service staff offered a refund of approximately £30 for her stay.
Boydell stepped down as CEO in August following public backlash over the company’s handling of safety issues. While the review credited her with driving improvements since March, Greaney stated that changes were implemented “years too late.”
The case gained national attention in March after the victim contacted the BBC. Since then, dozens of guests have reported similar incidents, including a domestic abuse survivor whose abuser was given access to her London hotel room. Then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote to Boydell urging serious engagement with government safety guidelines.
The report issued 38 recommendations, including the introduction of ID verification for key requests, body-worn cameras for reception staff, and networked CCTV across the chain. It also called for an urgent policy on violence against women and girls, developed in consultation with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
However, mystery shoppers tested five hotels, including Maidenhead, and were able to enter rooms through housekeeping staff without being directed to reception or asked for identification. At three locations, staff confirmed guest stays, and at two, room numbers were disclosed during check-in.
Freddie van Mierlo, the Liberal Democrat MP for Henley and Thame, expressed concern that Travelodge was still attempting to handle safety “on the cheap,” warning that the recommendations would require significant capital investment.
Ray Reidy, Travelodge’s interim chief executive, apologized unreservedly for the failures. He acknowledged that while significant progress had been made in the past six months, there was further work to do. A new board committee will oversee the implementation of changes, with independent assessments scheduled at six and twelve months.
They claim reforms were years too late. I wonder how many other victims suffered in silence before this case finally broke open?
So they handed a refund for a thirty quid stay after a brutal assault? The insensitivity here is beyond comprehension.
Getting into a room via housekeeping is terrifying. If mystery shoppers can do it, so can actual predators. How is this still happening?
It is absolutely disgraceful that the complaint sat ignored for over a year. The victim deserved immediate, sensitive handling, not bureaucratic neglect.