Woman says Travelodge gave abuser key to her hotel room

Travelodge gave a domestic abuse victim’s attacker the key card to her room, allowing Kyran Smith, 29, to lie to staff, get her room number and then kick the door off its hinges in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

The woman, Lucy, told BBC Breakfast she was attacked in her hotel room after reception staff handed over access to the wrong person. She said she was “failed” by Travelodge and described it as one of the “most” upsetting experiences she had faced.

Smith told staff he was Lucy’s boyfriend, and was then given her room number and key card. The assault took place in December 2022. Smith was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in February 2026.

Travelodge said it made “immediate changes” to its door key policy after the assault. The company later said it was carrying out a full review after more women came forward with similar allegations. Two women said strangers had entered their rooms while they were alone.

Travelodge chief executive Jo Boydell said she had only become aware of the attack during Smith’s trial, but she had been sent a “serious complaint” by email soon after the 2022 assault. Lucy later said she was “glad” she spoke out, as the case drew pressure from MPs seeking a meeting with the company’s leadership. Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips was also meeting with Travelodge.

Irwin Mitchell said it was supporting Lucy and investigating why the security failings happened. Another Travelodge incident in Dundee involved a couple waking to find a shirtless man in their room after staff mistakenly gave him a key card.