- Travelodge CEO steps down amid security review.
- Her handling of sexual assault case scrutinized.
- CFO Reidy to serve as interim CEO.
TRAVELODGE CEO JO Boydell stepped down Aug. 17 as the hotel chain addresses security failures after a sexual assault at one of its hotels. She was replaced on an interim basis by Chief Financial Officer Ray Reidy.
Travelodge is the U.K.’s second-largest hotel brand, with 632 hotels and about 49,000 guest rooms across the U.K., Ireland and Spain, according to the company.
The resignation follows scrutiny over room-access incidents at Travelodge hotels, according to the BBC. The main case involved a woman who was sexually assaulted at a Travelodge in Maidenhead in December 2022. The attacker, Kyran Smith, obtained a key card after falsely telling staff he was her partner and was later jailed for more than seven years.
Boydell faced criticism over the company’s handling of the case. She said she learned about the assault years later, although the victim had emailed her in January 2023. Boydell said the email was “handled on my behalf” and acknowledged “serious failures.”
An independent security review led by barrister Paul Greaney is ongoing, and the company is reviewing its procedures.
Other guests have since reported room-security issues. A domestic violence victim told the BBC that her abuser was given a key to her room, while a couple in Scotland found a stranger in their room after he was mistakenly given their key card. Guests at a Newham hotel also reported receiving keys to other rooms twice in one week.
The security concerns drew government attention. Then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote to Boydell in March urging her to “seriously engage” with the government on hotel security. Liberal Democrat Freddie van Mierlo, member of parliament, whose constituency includes Travelodge’s headquarters, had also called for Boydell’s resignation.
Travelodge introduced new room-access rules, the BBC reported. Extra or replacement keys now require permission from the guest staying in the room, and the company has checked its U.K. rooms to confirm that key-card doors have secondary deadbolts.
The company is also working with a violence-against-women-and-girls expert to train senior leaders and review its policies. Reidy will lead Travelodge while the company searches for a permanent CEO.
“We are delighted that Ray Reidy has agreed to serve as Interim CEO,” said Stephen Shurrock, Travelodge chairman.
Reidy served as Travelodge’s CFO since August 2025, after serving as interim CFO since April 2025. Before joining Travelodge, he held roles across sectors and ownership structures, including at RS Group plc and Mars Petcare.
“We remain focused on the safety and well-being of our guests and will continue taking the actions necessary to strengthen the business,” Reidy said. “We will also continue to engage proactively and constructively with government and the wider hospitality industry on the issue of safety and security.”
Separately, U.S. hotel crime statistics show thousands of incidents each year, including theft, assault and sexual violence. About 1 in 10 sexual assaults occur in hotels or motels, many unreported, according to ZipDo. Hotels also report fraud, reservation scams and harassment, underscoring the need for security protocols, staff training and guest awareness.
