A unicorn, alpacas and an Aston Martin: Hotel chain reveals bizarre items left behind in 2019

A five-foot floral unicorn, a pair of alpacas, a gingerbread village and a new Aston Martin: Hotel chain reveals the most bizarre items left behind in 2019

  • Travelodge has compiled a list of the weirdest items in its lost and found offices 
  • One guest left behind an engagement ring prompting a mad dash to Heathrow
  • A pair of six-foot palm trees and huge angel wings are among the novelty items

Where would you find a Gibson guitar, a treasured Persian Chinchilla cat, a Tiffany engagement ring, a gingerbread village complete with residents, and an urn filled with ashes? 

The answer is Travelodge’s lost and found office.

The budget hotel chain has revealed some of the strangest items left behind by its 19 million guests across its 571 properties in 2019. 

A Tiffany engagement ring was left behind by a guest in London who had placed it inside a pillowcase (stock image)

Interestingly, the hotel group has seen a growing trend in wedding props and attire left behind. 

The housekeeping team at Leamington Spa Travelodge got a beautiful surprise when they found a five-foot floral unicorn in one of the bridal rooms, while at Liverpool John Lennon Airport Travelodge, a huge full silver moon – a photograph backdrop used at a guest’s wedding the night before – was left on the bed.

One forgetful guest forgot to pack a Tiffany engagement ring he had made a special journey to London from the Hebrides to buy. Luckily the hotel manager at London City Travelodge found the ring box soon after the guest had checked out and made a speedy trip to Heathrow airport and returned it to the man before his flight.

The hotel manager at Torquay Travelodge was put through his paces when he found a best man who had overslept and been left behind by the wedding party. 

Cat-astrophe nearly struck when a couple left their beloved Persian Chinchilla cat behind in a Travelodge in Stirling (stock image)

Cat-astrophe nearly struck when a couple left their beloved Persian Chinchilla cat behind in a Travelodge in Stirling (stock image)

The manager had less than an hour to arrange a sea tractor and get the guest to Burgh Island in time for his brother’s wedding – which luckily he did.

While an autograph hunter had to make a return journey from the Netherlands to pick up a precious 30-year-old book filled with celebrities’ signatures they accidentally left behind when staying at Manchester Central Arena Travelodge for a concert.

During the past 12 months, Travelodge hotel staff has also seen a growing trend in forgetful pet owners. 

One guest staying at the Stratford Upon Avon branch managed to leave behind a pair of alpacas, while a cat show enthusiast staying at Stirling Travelodge thought her husband had placed her treasured Persian Chinchilla cat in the car and only realised she was still in the room 50 miles into their journey. 

The budget hotel chain hosts 19 million customers per year and has compiled a list of the weirdest items in its lost and found

The budget hotel chain hosts 19 million customers per year and has compiled a list of the weirdest items in its lost and found

MOST COMMONLY FORGOTTEN ITEMS

Chargers for mobile phones and electronic devices such as laptops

Mobile phones, tablets and e-readers

Business papers / notepads / presentations

Books 

Teddy bears

Toiletry bags with contents

Jewellery 

Clothing

Toys

Gifts / presents

Source: Travelodge 

With more business customers staying at Travelodge hotels than ever before, the hotel chain has seen a rise in more executive items being left behind at its hotels. 

This included a new Aston Martin car being left in the car park at Marlow Travelodge Plus hotel.

A chief executive sent his assistant to pick up a lucky 65-year-old bonsai tree that has been passed down three generations of his family, which he forgot at London Waterloo Travelodge.

One forgetful shop owner left behind the deeds to his new shop at Harrogate Travelodge. 

While the hotel team at the new Edinburgh Park Travelodge found a new brand logo presentation and campaign for a well-known company.

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge’s spokeswoman, said: ‘With nearly 19 million customers annually staying at our 571 across the length and breadth of the UK for thousands of different reasons, we do get a range of interesting items left behind.  

‘When it comes to why so many of our customers forget their treasured items, it’s basically due to us all being time-poor, juggling multiple tasks and being in a hurry to get from A to B. In the rush, valuable possessions are easily forgotten.’ 

THE BIZARRE ITEMS LEFT IN TRAVELODGE ROOMS (AND CAR PARKS) IN 2019 

A Tiffany engagement ring (London Central Travelodge)

An Aston Martin (Marlow)

A Vertu Touch mobile phone (Aberdeen Central)

Artwork for a company’s new brand logo (Edinburgh Park)

A three-foot long lucky heather wedding bouquet (Edinburgh Central)

A 30-year-old book full of celebrity autographs (Manchester Central Arena)

A diamond Chopard watch (Manchester Central)

A Persian chinchilla cat called Angel (Stirling)

A pair of alpacas called Ant and Dec (Stratford Upon Avon)

A five-foot unicorn made of flowers (Leamington Spa)

An urn containing ashes of a beloved father (Stowmarket)

A Gibson guitar (Welwyn Garden)

A 75-inch smart TV (Brent Cross) 

A jewelled wedding saree (Wolverhampton)

Four-foot angel wings (Windsor)

Bridal Louboutin Swarovski shoes (Harrow)

The deeds to a shop (Harrogate)

A six-foot flower wall (Rugby)

A gingerbread village with residents (Cardiff Atlantic Wharf)

A pair of artificial six-foot palm trees (Cambridge Central)

A 65-year-old lucky charm Bonsai tree (London Waterloo)

A huge photo of a full moon used as a backdrop at a wedding (Liverpool John Lennon Airport)

A dissertation (Leeds Central)

A blood pressure monitor (Loughborough)

Items that have not been claimed within three months are donated to local British Heart Foundation charity shops, Travelodge’s charity partner. 

 

 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk