Annual Lost Found Report

LONDON, January 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

A 4ft Stuffed Macaw Parrot, A Baby, Santa's Grotto, A Vera Wang Wedding Gown, A Mr Blobby Costume and A Rare Toby Jug Make the 2011 Travelodge List Of Bizarre Left Behinds

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!

Today, the UK's fastest growing cheap hotels chain announces the mysterious objects left behind in its 496 hotels during 2011. With over 13 million people staying with Travelodge each year, other bizarre items left behind include:

•    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

(Please see notes to editors for more information on these items and how they came to be left behind)

Jon Hendry Pickup, Travelodge Operations Director, said: "Each year our lost and found box gets filled with some remarkable items. We have had Ferrari keys, a four foot stuffed Macaw parrot, a rare Toby jug and a life size Santa's grotto to name just a few. It just goes to show the amazing cross section of people that stay in our hotels.

"Our 2011 report also demonstrates the ever-increasing role that technology and gadgets play in our daily lives as we have seen a surge in the number of smart phones, Kindles, tablets and other technology being left behind in our rooms."

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 have 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.

Notes to editors

The Travelodge lost and found inventory report includes items left behind in the Company's 496 hotels from 1st January to 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

1. Stratford upon Avon Travelodge: A four foot stuffed Macaw parrot

2. 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.

3. 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.  

4. Edinburgh Travelodge: Vera Wang wedding gown

The newlyweds celebrated her honeymoon at the Travelodge hotel and the wife thought her new husband had 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.  

5. Milton Keynes Travelodge: A life size Mr Blobby costume  

6. Newcastle Travelodge: A rare Toby jug from the 1780s

The owner had been visiting an antiques roadshow and hid the jug under the pillow and then 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.    

7. Leeds Central Travelodge: A case of rare comics

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.

8. Manchester Travelodge: A mock Olympic torch that lights up and a suitcase of pink tiaras

9. Liverpool Central Travelodge: A case full of false eyelashes, spray tan and hair extensions

10. London Bank Travelodge: Keys to a 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 worth over £50k.

11. London Waterloo Travelodge: 100 Duchess of Cambridge face masks

The masks were left after the Royal Wedding.

12. Blackpool Seafront Travelodge: A magician's box of tricks

13. 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.

14. Knutsford Travelodge: A Roborovski hamster called Fredrick in a large cage.

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.    

15. Peterborough Travelodge: An urn containing ashes

A gentleman stayed over at Peterborough Travelodge en 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.      

Shakila Ahmed
Travelodge
+44(0)802-702-499

SOURCE Travelodge