Where would you find a four foot stuffed Macaw parrot, a life size Santa’s Grotto, a Vera Wang wedding gown, a baby, a Mr Blobby costume and a rare Toby jug? Where else but Travelodge’s Lost and Found office!
The UK’s fastest growing budget hotel chain, today announced the mysterious objects left behind in its 496 hotels during 2011. With over 13 million people annually staying with Travelodge each year, other bizarre items included:
• A suitcase of vintage Marvel comics in Leeds
• A mock 3ft tall Olympic torch that lights up in Manchester
• Keys to a Ferrari 458 Italia in London
• A magician’s magic box of tricks in Blackpool
• 100 Duchess of Cambridge masks in London
• A suitcase of designer dog outfits and matching collars in Birmingham
• A watch box containing seven prestigious watches in London
• A Roborovski hamster called Fredrick in Knutsford
• An Urn in Peterborough
Jon Hendry Pickup, Travelodge operations director said; “Each year our lost and found department provides plenty of revelations. From Ferrari keys to a four foot stuffed Macaw parrot, from a rare Toby jug to a life size Santa’s grotto, the items our customers leave behind demonstrate what an amazingcross section of people stay with us in our hotels.”
“The 2011 left behind inventory report also reveals how reliant we’ve become on our technology - we have seen a surge in the number of smart-phones, Kindles and tablets being left behind in our hotels.”
The top ten most popular items left behind in Travelodge’s 496 hotels in 2011 are:
1. Phone / laptop chargers
2. Pyjamas / clothes
3. Teddy bears
4. Toiletry bags with contents
5. Books
6. Laptops / iPads / kindles
7. Satnavs
8. Mobile phones
9. Electric toothbrushes
10. Bags / suitcases
In the last 12 months Travelodge staff has reunited 75,000 forgotten cuddly bears with their owners.
Since January 2011 all items left behind at Travelodge hotels that have not been claimed within three months have been donated to Cancer Research UK charity shops across the UK. Cancer Research UK is one of Travelodge’s nominated charities alongside KidsOut.
Ends
Notes to editors
• The Travelodge lost and found inventory report includes items left behind in the Company’s 496 hotels from the 1st January to the 31st December 2011
• Annually over thirteen million customers stay with Travelodge
• Travelodge hotel staff make every effort to reunite all items left behind in their hotels with the owners. If an item is not claimed within three months it is donated to the local Cancer Research charity shop.
Listed in the table below are the most bizarre items left behind at Travelodge hotels during 2011:
Stratford upon Avon Travelodge
A four foot stuffed Macaw parrot
Winchester -Sutton Scotney Travelodge
An 18 month old baby boy
(A couple was rushing to get to a wedding on time, they quickly packed the car and each parent thought the other had placed the baby in the car seat. As soon as they realised they immediately came back to collect their 18 month son).
Nuneaton Travelodge
A large Santa’s grotto complete with decorations, lights, a model reindeer, Christmas tree, a Father Christmas outfit and the remains of a full Christmas dinner
(A couple decided to celebrate Christmas early and created a full Santa’s grotto in a Travelodge room. They stayed two nights and recreated a traditional Christmas day including a full three course Christmas meal and presents.)
Edinburgh Travelodge
Vera Wang Wedding gown
(The newly weds celebrated her honeymoon at the Travelodge hotel and the wife thought her new husband and packed her wedding dress. She only realised when she got home to Cornwall and had to arrange for a courier to pick it up. This was their first official argument as man and wife.
Milton Keynes Travelodge
A life size Mr Blobby costume
Newcastle Travelodge
A rare Toby jug from the 1780’s
The owner had been visiting an antiques road show and hid the jug under the pillow and forgot to take it with him when he left. The jug was picked up by his wife a few days later - The jug was valued at £3,000.
Leeds Central Travelodge
The forgetful comic collector was so desperate for the return of the comics he rang the hotel every 30mins to ensure the case was safe until he arrived back at the hotel to pick them up
Manchester Travelodge
A mock Olympic torch that lights up and a suitcase of pink bras
Liverpool Central Travelodge
A case full of false eye lashes, spray tan and hair extensions
London Waterloo Travelodge
Keys to Ferrari 458 Italia and a watch box which contained seven men’s prestigious designer watches. Brands included: Rolex, IWC Schaffhausen, BRM, Tag Heuer Carter, Omega and Chanel
(The watches were estimated to be over £50k)
100 Duchess of Cambridge face masks
(The masks were left after the Royal Wedding)
Blackpool Seafront Travelodge
A magician’s box of tricks
Birmingham Fort Dunlop Travelodge
A suitcase full of designer dog outfits and matching collars
(There were hundreds of outfits in the case including fancy dress for every calendar event – Christmas, Valentines, Easter etc..)
Knutsford Travelodge
A Roborovski hamster in a large cage (Hamster was called Fredrick. This breed of hamster can run the equivalent of three human marathons in one night.
(The hamster was left by mistake, the owner went into town to do some shopping and forgot to come back to his room to pick up little Fredrick. After driving home to Bristol, he realised and had to make a return journey to pick him up).
Peterborough Travelodge
An urn with a wife’s ashes
(A gentleman stayed over at Peterborough Travelodge on route to scatter his wife’s ashes at a location where they used to holiday. In the morning he was in a rush to leave the hotel to avoid the rush hour traffic and left the urn on the window sill. He had to make a return journey an hour later when he realised)