I have never felt insecure in a hotel - until now

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I have spent a fair amount of time in the past few years staying in hotel rooms in this country on various select committee visits, political conferences and personal trips.

I have never felt insecure or under threat. Until now.

The controversy around Travelodge and the news that a woman guest was sexually assaulted in her room in Maidenhead, Berkshire after staff gave her attacker the key card made my blood run cold.

The assailant, Kyran Smith, is now in jail for seven and a half years. He is reported to have been given the key after he falsely claimed to be the woman’s boyfriend. Since that initial story about Travelodge their CEO has resigned. She was heavily criticised for her handling of the incident in which the victim was allegedly offered compensation of £30.

And there has been a flurry of other reports of women who faced intruders in hotel rooms who had been given the key.

That poses serious questions about security across an industry which is not only one of our biggest and most important economic sectors, but also one in which we put our faith at times. Travelodge have said that they are reviewing their policies and have improved security across their hotel chain.

But how was it ever possible that any hotel would just give someone the key to your room without checking that person’s ID or speaking to you to check that it is someone that you know

When I thought about it a wee bit longer I recalled quite a few times in various hotels when I left my card in my room, or lost it, and simply went to reception for another one.

No problem, no question, just another key.

And sadly, like many politicians, I know of domestic abusers and ex-partners who have been able to track down their victims to hotels where they should have been able to feel safe.

As part of Travelodge’s response to the Maidenhead incident they commissioned an independent review.

As a result they say all staff are now trained that a guest must give explicit permission for a room key to be handed out, and that it will never be confirmed to a third party if someone is staying at a hotel. And as part of the improved room security which has been rolled out across all of their hotels, they are ensuring that all key card doors also have dead bolts. Those things should surely always have been the case.

That is also, however, just one hotel chain among very many, and the number of reported incidents poses the question of whether there is an industry-wide problem.

The sector’s trade group, UK Hospitality, is currently undertaking a review, the results of which are expected to be published in the next few weeks.

Women’s groups and politicians will be watching the outcome carefully. When you book into a hotel or guest room you put your safety in their hands.

The review will have to offer us assurances that we can have confidence that they are taking that responsibility seriously. Until they do I will be checking hotel policy very carefully every time I book a room.