[Sundae]

Thanks for the explanation, Clod. You always do it well.
But I still don't get it.
Hotels are private property, but in reality they're public places. No hotel I've ever known has stopped me walking in, or asked to see my key. Oh - I lie. They did in Siena (Italy). Everywhere else a purposeful walk has been enough to get me past Reception. And in the bigger hotels, Reception is miles away from the lifts anyway.

So, no. I would never expect a hotel to be responsible for my personal safety.
If a mad axeman ran rampant on my hotel floor I would not blame the hotel.
Doesn't mean it's my fault either - it's the fault of the psycho with the axe.

I don't want to stay in Colditz.
I don't want to have a screening before I can enter my hotel.
Therefore, I accept that bad things can happen.
I'm not belittling this woman's horrible experience. And I get that some people might not want to stay at that hotel because of it. But honestly - I just don't get how it's their fault.

If it was a member of hotel staff in her hotel room, maybe. That would raise the question of staff screening policies. But even then, bad people do bad things and bad people lie.
We're sposed to have a nannying culture here. Well, an Islamo-fascist state, to be more accurate. But this need to put the blame on someone, anyone, as long as they have money... It's just weird to me.

I hope she does get money.
Anyone who has been through this deserves counselling.
And I know from my experience it's one thing the NHS falls down on.
I'm just not sure it's the best way to go about things.