Travelodge Guests Report Double Key Card Incident at East London Hotel

During a recent stay at the Excel Travelodge in Newham, east London, a group of guests experienced a security issue when they were handed keys to occupied rooms on two separate occasions within a single week. John Nowell, part of a corporate team working as a lighting technician at Excel, shared his account of the incident with the BBC. He described how his key card granted access to a room where another occupant was in the shower.

“I checked in, was given a key card for a room, went up to the room, went in, could immediately see there was somebody else’s possessions on the bed and I could hear that somebody was in the shower,” Nowell said.

Nowell’s colleague also encountered a similar problem. They reported hearing voices in their assigned room and opted to return to reception before entering. The hotel staff expressed regret but offered no explanation for the occurrence. The manager attributed the error to a blend of “human error” and the introduction of a new card system.

Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell previously apologized for similar issues across the chain, stating: “We’re working really really hard to make sure that we get this right going forwards.” Nowell noted that he had read about past incidents involving unauthorized access to rooms, including a 2022 case where staff at a Maidenhead branch handed a key to an attacker.

“It seems astonishing they’d have a new system installed which allowed that to happen,” he added.

Despite the initial complaints and assurances from staff that retraining would prevent future problems, the issue resurfaced two days later. Nowell approached management again, but felt the manager was “reluctant” to address the concerns. This experience led him to lose trust in the hotel chain.

“I will not choose to stay in a Travelodge again if I can possibly avoid it,” Nowell said.

A Travelodge spokesperson acknowledged the incident, calling it “clearly should not have happened” and emphasizing the company’s commitment to guest safety. They mentioned ongoing retraining for staff on room security and check-in procedures, along with an independent review to enhance protocols. An internal audit of room-access security is also being conducted to bolster guest confidence.

The situation has sparked public concern, with dozens of individuals sharing their experiences through the BBC Your Voice platform. This has prompted the involvement of an MP whose constituency includes Travelodge’s headquarters. Freddie van Mierlo, Liberal Democrat MP for Henley and Thame, demanded “wholesale change” at the company.

Travelodge reaffirmed that security remains a top priority, stating it is “working at pace” to address the issues. The prime minister has also reached out to the company following the security breaches.