If You Travel Alone… You MUST READ THIS

I DVR just about everything and last night caught up on a recent Dr. Phil episode that SHOCKED ME. Yes, I watch Dr. Phil on daily basis. Please don’t judge me.

This year, I’ve traveled quite a bit – and most of those trips were ALONE or with my partner Audrey McClelland. I was practically shaking on the couch watching the show because I knew that what I was watching could happen to anyone.

It scared me more because the hotel they were talking about was a Starwood which is my preferred hotel of choice. It wasn’t some no-name motel. It was a reputable brand!! I have over 350,000 points with them (and I’ve gone away for free several times already). Needless to say, I am a lover of Starwood and now I am scared out of my mind.

Here’s the story:

A woman was away on a business trip overseas. She was dining with colleagues and a man began to show interest in her. So much in fact that she felt very uncomfortable and asked friends to walk her back to her room. Once inside, she closed the door, changed into her PJs and went to bed.

Hours later she heard her door open up and close. A man entered her room, took off all of his clothes, got into bed with her and began to fondle her. It was the same man that was inappropriately harassing her all evening. Thank goodness he was drunk because she was able to run out of the room and down to the front desk.

Are you ready for this????

She screamed to the staff, “THERE’S A MAN IN MY ROOM!!!!!”

And they said, “Of course there’s a man in your room. That’s your husband. We just gave him the key.”

What???????????????????????????????????????????????????????

The room was in her name and her name alone. The hotel never checked records, phoned her to make sure he wasn’t lying, checked his ID etc. They just took this stranger’s word and GAVE HIM THE KEY TO HER ROOM.

She could have been RAPED OR KILLED. I was shaking. I felt sick.

The woman is obviously suing Starwood and I’m not sure of the status of her case, but I will say this. DEAD BOLT THOSE DOORS. Every lock that the hotel offers – USE IT! This poor woman thought she was safe because she was in her room, but obviously you can’t trust ANYONE these days. Use every precaution to protect yourself. This is just too disturbing for me to handle and I had to write about it just in case you missed the show.

You know when you watch something and it’s a game changer? Well, this was it for me. I will NEVER EVER STAY IN A HOTEL ROOM WITHOUT LOCKING EVERY SINGLE LOCK THAT IS OFFERED. Please do the same.