My disabled 22-year-old daughter and her 20-year-old sister were turned away late at night by Travelodge Cambridge Orchard Park because staff would not accept that they were over 18. Their rail and student cards showing their dates of birth were not accepted.
I called the hotel and offered to scan their passports but this was refused as well. The customer service helpline was similarly unhelpful. By then it was nearly 10pm and they had nowhere else to go. The 22-year-old is autistic and when she goes anywhere we always have to have her itinerary pre-planned and someone to be with her.
Eventually, a friend kindly drove some distance to Cambridge and took them in. I’ve since made several complaints but got no response.
How could anyone think it acceptable to turn vulnerable young women, far from home, out into the street at night?
JB, Sussex
How indeed. Travelodge has form when it comes to turning away pre-booked, pre-paid guests. Several readers report being sent on late-night, miles-long journeys after the chain double-booked its rooms, but at least they were ultimately found a bed for the night.
Travelodge, like many other hotels, requires unaccompanied guests to be over 18. However, the requirement to produce official photo ID if questioned is only to be found by clicking on the terms and conditions and reading the first few paragraphs of small print.
Customers are obliged to tick a box confirming that one of the party is over 18 when booking, but there is no mention of ID at that stage, nor is it alluded to in the booking confirmation.
This is not good enough in my view. Given that it reserves the right to turn away guests without a refund if they look young, the chain should prominently highlight the importance of bringing a passport or driving licence.
The ban on under-18s is company policy, not a legal requirement, so under the circumstances, staff should have accepted the ID that you and your daughters offered.
Travelodge says it has apologised and refunded you. You say the refund arrived without a word.
The company ducked my questions about why an ID requirement is not made clearer, and stood by its decision to turn out two young women at night.
“As Travelodge only recognises official government photo ID, the team were unable to accept any alternative identification in this instance,” it says.
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