- Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell to meet British MPs over hotel key card assault.
- UK budget hotel chain must explain the failure and prevention measures.
- Similar incidents occurred in Weld County, Colorado, and Fort Worth, Texas.
TRAVELODGE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Jo Boydell is set to meet British Parliament members this week over a security lapse that allowed a man to obtain a guest’s key card and sexually assault her in December 2022. The meeting follows reports that hotel staff gave the key card to a man who falsely claimed to be the woman’s boyfriend.
Labour MPs Matt Bishop and Jen Craft earlier led a letter, now signed by more than 100 colleagues, calling for a face-to-face meeting with Boydell to review Travelodge’s security procedures and handling of the case, according to The Times. Craft said Travelodge initially implied staff had acted within protocols when issuing the key card, raising concerns about guest safety.
U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, said Travelodge must explain how the failure occurred and what will be done to prevent future incidents.
Travelodge, founded in 1985 and based in Thame, Oxfordshire, operates more than 630 hotels across the U.K., Ireland and Spain with about 47,000 rooms. Jo Boydell joined Travelodge as chief financial officer and director on March 19, 2013 and became chief executive officer on May 16, 2022, according to the company website.
Key card security breach
In December 2022, a woman in her 30s checked into the Travelodge in Maidenhead, Berkshire, after a night out. Kyran Smith, 29, who had been at the same party, approached reception in the early hours and falsely claimed to be her boyfriend, requesting a key. Staff provided the key card without further verification, according to media reports.
Smith then went to the woman’s room and sexually assaulted her. The incident raises concerns about hotel safety and the need for staff to anticipate and prevent security breaches.
In the letter to Boydell, the MPs said reception staff had given Smith a key card to the victim’s room, according to The Guardian. The woman said staff told her that Smith, who she knew, had passed security checks using only her name.
Prosecutors detailed how Smith exploited the key-issuing process. After a four-day trial, he was convicted of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offense and the assault. Smith was arrested and sentenced to seven years and six months for sexual assault and related offenses.
Criticism over £30 refund
Travelodge offered the victim a £30 refund and the decision drew widespread criticism. The company later apologized, saying the offer was inappropriate. Boydell apologized to the victim and invited her to discuss improvements.
The letter, also signed by former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said MPs and peers wanted to discuss the refund decision, internal reviews after the assault and how security procedures were strengthened, according to The Guardian.
It noted that the incident “raises serious questions about guest safety, hotel security procedures and the adequacy of Travelodge’s response.”
The letter from Bishop and Craft also said that the incident “raises deeply concerning questions about whether current policies provide sufficient safeguards for guests, particularly women traveling alone.”
It is supported by 26 MPs, mostly Labour and Labour peer Jane Ramsey, as well as DUP MP Jim Shannon from Northern Ireland.
“Hotels have a fundamental duty of care. Guests must trust that when they check in—especially alone—their privacy and safety are protected,” the letter stated.
Strengthening security amid boycotts
Travelodge said it is strengthening room security and has commissioned an independent review of procedures, the Times reported. It has committed to meeting political and safeguarding officials.
However, MPs are seeking answers on why key issuing policies failed, how staff are trained, and what changes will ensure guest safety. They said the meeting was “an opportunity for [Boydell] to explain why women are safe staying in Travelodges” and requested details on training for violence against women and girls and enforcement of new guidance.
Joshua Reynolds, Liberal Democrat MP for Maidenhead, said he probably wouldn’t stay in a Travelodge and criticized the company’s handling, according to BBC. He said the case should prompt a wider review of hotel security policies.
U.S. ‘not a safe haven’ for guests
U.S. hotel crime statistics show thousands of incidents annually, including theft, assault, and sexual violence, with about 1 in 10 sexual assaults occurring in hotels or motels, many unreported, according to ZipDo. Hotels also report fraud, reservation scams and harassment, highlighting the need for clear security protocols, staff training, and guest awareness.
Similar incidents have been reported in the U.S. A jury in Weld County, Colorado, awarded $4 million to two women in May 2025 after a hotel clerk at an Econo Lodge gave a key card to a man not registered to a guest’s room, Denver7 reported. The man entered the room and assaulted the women; the incident occurred in January 2023.
In Fort Worth, Texas, a lawsuit filed in June alleges that a Fairfield Inn & Suites employee used a master key to unlock a guest’s room for a man claiming his partner was inside. A woman in the room was sexually assaulted on March 26, 2024, and the suit claims the employee did not verify the man was a registered guest, according to NBC5.
“These cases highlight vulnerabilities in hotels when procedures fail,” said Rashmi Nair, a software developer and traveler from Michigan. “It underscores the responsibility of providers to maintain systems that protect guest privacy and safety. The upcoming meeting between Boydell and MPs will test whether Travelodge has addressed the failure and implemented changes.”
G6 Hospitality and the Fort Worth Police Department hosted a “Safe Hospitality” seminar for franchisee hotel partners covering human trafficking awareness, narcotics reporting, nuisance regulations, and hotel health and safety inspections.
