Travelodge has revealed its list of the weirdest and most wonderful things left in its hotels throughout 2021.
Most people couldn’t imagine bringing a 6ft cardboard cut-out of Daniel Craig to a hotel, never mind going on to leave it there.
There are 44 Travelodge hotels across Scotland, each of which has its own lost and found office.
Millions of people have stayed in the hotels over the last 12 months and the staff have had a giggle at the variety of things that have been left behind, from labelled jars of the finest Scottish countryside air to pricey heirlooms.
Forgotten treasures
One bride staying at the Fort William Travelodge forgot to take her dress to her wedding. Unsurprisingly, she noticed she was missing the unique tartan number before the ceremony and the hotel manager saved the day.
The team were also shocked when a guest failed to leave their room, only to realise it was a 6ft cardboard cut-out of James Bond star Daniel Craig.
A jar labelled “Loch Ness fresh air” was deemed one of the most peculiar finds in the Inverness Tarvelodge, along with a presumably more expensive vintage gold pocket watch.
In Elgin, one golfer didn’t get very far after they managed to leave the hotel without their golf buggy.
Across various Travelodge locations in Aberdeen, staff have found a drone, a 55-year-old stamp collection and a kaleidoscope.
What do holidaymakers leave behind?
- A Tartan wedding dress, Fort William
- A British shorthair blue kitten called Rocky, Dumfries
- A doctor’s coat, Glasgow Govan
- A vintage gold pocket watch, Inverness
- A castle made from shortbread, Stirling city centre
- A 55-year-old stamp collection, Aberdeen Bucksburn
- A golf buggy, Elgin
- A diamond Rolex watch, Stirling M80
- A 6ft cardboard cut-out of Daniel Craig, Fort William
- A suitcase full of shortbread, Glasgow Queen Street
- A large jar labelled “Loch Ness Fresh Air”, Inverness
- A diary documenting a Glasgow to Fort William road trip, Fort William
- A life-size Yoda, Edinburgh Park
- An Indian wedding necklace made from £50 notes, Glasgow Queen Street
- DJI inspire drone, Aberdeen Central
- A kaleidoscope, Aberdeen Central
- A newspaper from 1998 when Scotland last reached the World Cup, Edinburgh Central
Why do people leave things in hotels?
In other hotel locations across Scotland, strange finds included a castle made from shortbread, a life-sized Yoda and a British shorthair blue kitten called Rocky.
The most common items that were left in Travelodge hotels in 2021 were slightly more regular, including teddy bears, jewellery, chargers and books.
Shakila Ahmed, a spokeswoman for Travelodge gave her thoughts on how people manage to leave, often valuable, items in hotels.
She said: “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.”
Any items that aren’t claimed from lost property within three months are donated to the local British Heart Foundation charity shops.