Travelodge's 2018 Lost and Found Audit

A Blue Eyed Cockatoo Called Brexit, A Jilted Groom, A Replica of Meghan Markle’s Wedding Dress, An Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat, A Chest of Semi-Precious Stones, An Ice Cream Van and a 5ft Teddy Bear Made Of Popcorn – Make the 2018 Travelodge List of Bizarre Left Behinds

Where would you find a Blue Eyed Cockatoo called Brexit, a jilted groom, a replica of Meghan Markle’s wedding dress, an amazing Technicolour Dream Coat, a chest full of semi-precious stones, an ice cream van and a 5ft teddy bear made of sweet and savoury popcorn – where else but Travelodge’s Lost and Found office.

Today, the UK’s first budget hotel brand, Travelodge, has revealed some of the interesting items left behind in its 557 UK hotels during the last 12 months.

With nearly 19 million people annually staying in a Travelodge hotel with half of customers being business travellers customers detailed below are some of the other unusual treasures that have been left:  

·       A Louis Vuitton Man Bag containing designs for a new a new product launch (Glasgow Central)      

·       A business plan for a pop up shop (Portsmouth)  

·       A suitcase full of business books (High Wycombe Central)

·       A 21 year old lucky penny belonging to a CEO (Oxford Abingdon Road)

·       A bag full of scratch cards to be used as wedding favours (Birmingham Bull Ring)

·       A flat pack greenhouse and a life-size scarecrow (Bristol Central)

·       A gallon of water from the Loch Ness (Edinburgh Queen Street)

·       A ‘ TOTT3NH4M’ personalised number plate (Liverpool Central Exchange Street)

·       Two Persian cats called Moet and Chandon (Swindon Central)

·       A 5ft handmade chocolate Easter bunny (Beaconsfield Central)

·       A glass eye (Manchester Trafford Park)

·       Three Butterfly Tail fish in a decorated tank called Kim, Kourtney and Khloe (London Covent Garden)

·       A doggy throne (Telford Shawbirch)

·       A vintage bottle (1943) of Champagne worth over £1000 (London Waterloo)

Interestingly, the hotel chain has seen a growing trend in forgetful pet owners. One animal lover staying at Brighton Seafront Travelodge for a summer break left behind their Blue Eyed Cockatoo called Brexit. One fashionista forgother three Butterfly Tail Fish called Kim, Kourtney and Khloe who travel with her as they inspire her fashion designs at London Covent Garden Travelodge. Also a cat show enthusiast was so over joyed that her two Persian cats called Moet and Chandon won best of show that she forgot them at Swindon Central Travelodge.  

The hotel manager at Cambridge Orchard Park Travelodge got quite a shock when they found a jilted groom in his room sobbing on his wedding night. Whilst the hotel team at Crewe Travelodge were delighted to find a brand new ice cream parked in their car park for a week. Unfortunately the owner had lost the keys to his new ice-cream and had to wait for a week for the replacement keys to be produced.

A royal enthusiast from Houston, USA staying at the company’s new Travelodge Plus hotel, London City Travelodge had to make a return journey from Heathrow airport and purchase a new airline ticket when she left behind her much treasured Megan Markle replica wedding dress.  

During the last 12 months, Travelodge hotel staff has also found a number of items belonging to forgetful performers. Joseph’s Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat was discovered at Bath City Centre Travelodge.  Luckily the hotel manager danced to the actor’s rescue and personally took the coat to the theatre in time for the curtain call. It was touch and go when a cheerleading team forgot their case of pom poms at Manchester Arena Travelodge ahead of competing at the UK National Cheerleading Championships. The hotel reception team managed to save the day and ensure the team had their pom poms in time to attack the crowd.

With a year on year rise in more business customers staying at Travelodge hotels across the UK, the hotel chain has seen a rise in more valuable items being left behind at its hotels. This includes a chest of valuable semi-precious stones at London Bank Travelodge.  A Chinese businesswoman sent her PA midway from her Europe trip to pick up a rare bottle of vintage champagne worth over £1,000 that she had recently won at auction that she forgot to pack whilst staying at London Waterloo Travelodge   

One forgetful fund manager left behind his new Coutts Cheque Book and his prestigious Silk Coutts account card after a night of celebrating in the Bar Café at London Farringdon  Travelodge. He realised a few days later and then sent his assistant to pick it up. 

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “With nearly 19 million customers annually staying at our 557 UK hotels for a variety of reasons, we do get a range of fascinating items left behind.  This year’s audit includes: a brand new ice-cream van, a jilted groom, an amazing Technicolour Dream Coat, a 5ft teddy bear made of popcorn. a blue eyed Cockatoo called Brexit and even a replica of Megan Markel’s wedding dress.

“Interestingly as we have more business customers staying with us than ever before, we have seen a rise this year in important business papers, valuable items and lucky charms being left behind in our hotels. This includes a chest of semi-precious jewels, a rare bottle of vintage champagne, a Coutts cheque book and a 21 year old lucky penny belonging to a CEO.  When it comes to why so many customers forget their treasured items, there is one common theme, and that’s living in a fast & furious world. Where time is off the essence especially when getting from A to B and therefore valuable possessions are easily being forgotten.”  

Listed below are some of the bizarre items left behind at Travelodge’s 557 UK hotels Travelodge 2018

Listed below are the top ten most popular items left behind in Travelodge hotels during 2018:

·         Chargers for  mobile phones and electronic devices such as laptops

·         Tablets

·         Mobile phones

·         Business papers / notepads / presentations  

·         Teddy Bears

·         Toiletry bags with contents

·         Drones

·         Pyjamas

·         Socks and ties

·         Books

All items left behind in Travelodge hotels which have not been claimed within three months, are donated to local British Heart Foundation Charity Shops, Travelodge’s Charity Partner.

Ends

For further information, please contact:

Travelodge Press Office on 01844 358 703 or email: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk