TikToker Madeline Kate Knight (@madelinekateknight) recounted a chilling encounter during a work trip. In her brief video, she captures a man from an adjoining hotel room trying to unlock her door and sliding notes underneath. The incident highlights the importance of hotel safety in situations involving an adjoining room.
In her follow-up “storytime” TikTok, which has nearly 400,000 views, Knight says her unease began when she shared an elevator with a man who gave her a “really bad gut feeling.”
She says she bolted to her room door.
“Turns out, he saw me walking to my room,” she says. “As I got in, I, of course, deadbolted the door and made sure that my door was securely locked.”
There, she says, she heard a “scratching noise.”
“I turn around, and there’s a small note under my door,” she claims.
That, she says, escalated to the man trying to unlock her adjoining door. “There was a full hand under my door, knuckle deep. Man hand,” Knight says.
Knight says she proceeded to call the front desk, but they didn’t answer.
So she says she called the police.
She adds that the man also tried to open the door through the handle. Knight says she also called her mother while waiting for the police. She also lets viewers know what the notes said. “‘I could treat you better than your boyfriend can. Please let me come over,’” Knight recalls.
Knight says she also called her co-workers, who helped her pack and get her to the lobby.
Then police arrived, Knight says. They intervened, though she remains unsure of the man’s fate. Knight says hotel workers moved her to a different room.
Knight thanks commenters for their support and shares her hope for increased awareness around hotel safety.
“Request a room that’s not adjoining,” she says, addressing solo travelers who are women. “Get the extra locks and alarm sounds so that you can make sure your rooms are safe. … Be extra vigilant to see who watches you get into your room. I’m sorry that we have to deal with this, but we do.”
Does this happen often in hotels?
Knight’s experience is not an isolated case. A recent report from the Daily Dot highlighted a similar incident at a Sonesta Hotel in Atlanta. In that incident, a TikTok user claimed she narrowly escaped a trafficking attempt. Like Knight, she faced suspicious activity after being assigned an adjoining room without consent and received little assistance from hotel staff.
What are people saying?
Knight’s initial video on the incident garnered 950,000 views and thousands of comments.
Knight’s TikTok drew thousands of comments, ranging from support to safety tips and critiques of hotel policies. Many women shared their own experiences and emphasized the importance of proactive safety measures. Others called for hotels to strengthen their security protocols.
“There are tools that slide under the door and up to unlock the lock. This same exact thing happened to me in an upscale hotel at midnight-it’s scary af,” one viewer shared.
Both Knight’s story and similar incidents highlight the urgent need for enhanced guest protections in the hospitality industry.
How can solo travelers protect themselves?
In her TikTok, Knight emphasizes the importance of proactive safety measures for solo travelers, especially women. Many commenters echoed her advice, sharing their own experiences and tips.
One noted they always block adjoining doors with furniture. Others recommended carrying portable door-stop alarms and extra locks for added security.
Journeywoman underscores the value of being cautious in shared spaces, advising travelers to avoid disclosing their room number or floor when others are around.
Several commenters highlighted the importance of trusting your instincts, as Knight did when she sensed something was off in the elevator.
Additionally, commenters stressed the need to act quickly by contacting hotel security or the police if any suspicious activity arises, emphasizing that persistent reporting can prompt hotels to take immediate action.
@madelinekateknight still traumatized 🫶🏻 #travel #breakingnews #scary #safety #fyp #women ♬ original sound – mad
The Daily Dot reached out to Madeline via TikTok message.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
