Female tourist finds man hiding under hotel bed in Japan
A female tourist from Ukraine took to social media to share her terrifying experience when she found a man hiding under her bed at a “very well-known” chain hotel in Japan.
“I booked my solo trip to Japan because I thought Japan is very safe country,” Nataliia Khomenko shared on TikTok and Instagram on Friday (25 Apr).
She booked a stay at APA Hotel & Resort Ryogoku Eki Tower in Tokyo from 29 Mar to 1 Apr and was given a key card which only gave her access to her hotel room and floor. The first evening of her stay went well, but things changed the following day.
Upon returning to her hotel room at 7.30pm after a day of sightseeing, she began to notice a weird smell.
“At first, I thought it was coming from my hair or the bed sheets, but then I realised it was coming from under the bed,” Ms Khomenko recalled.
When she leaned over to check, she was shocked to see a pair of eyes staring back at her.
Booking platform offered to compensate her with credit
Ms Khomenko squealed and jumped to her feet upon her discovery. The man — whom she vaguely described as Asian — also screamed before running out of her room.
After the victim called out for help, the hotel administration came to her room and called the police. They also found a power bank and a USB cable under the bed.
Source: @natalisi_taksisi on Instagram
Ms Khomenko repeatedly asked the hotel how an intruder was able to enter her room, but they could not give her an answer.
Scared and feeling unsafe, she decided to move to another accommodation.
Ms Khomenko demanded a full refund from the manager of APA Hotel’s Ryogoku branch, but they allegedly did not respond to her or send her an update regarding the police report.
She then reached out to the platform where she booked her hotel stay, but they only offered her USD178 (S$234) in credit, which made her feel disappointed as she paid USD510 (S$671) for her four-day stay.
Source: @natalisi_taksisi on Instagram
Police cannot find intruder due to lack of video evidence
Dissatisfied with their lack of action, Ms Khomenko called the hotel demanding a full refund and a proper report.
By the evening, they agreed to give her a full refund, but said the police could not identify the intruder as they did not have any footage of his entry and exit.
Source: @natalisi_taksisi on Instagram
As it was difficult to find the culprit, the case could not be filed as a crime, and the authorities could not investigate it further.
However, in another email, the manager of the hotel branch said they were continuing the investigation to uncover the details of the incident and the identity of the culprit.
The tourist claimed the ordeal had caused her to constantly be on edge and unable to sleep, wary of every corner of her room.
Eventually, she decided to return to the hotel to demand a USD1,600 (S$2,105) compensation for emotional damage, but they refused, saying it was not in their policy.
Ms Khomenko wonders how someone was able to enter her room and know she was travelling alone.
She expressed that she wants more people to know about her story to spread awareness and so APA Hotel would take responsibility “for such a severe breach of safety”.
Also read: Female tourist allegedly sexually assaulted by employee in Bugis hotel, police report filed
Female tourist allegedly sexually assaulted by employee in Bugis hotel, police report filed
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from @natalisi_ on TikTok, @natalisi_taksisi on Instagram.
