A COUPLE has accused Bournemouth’s most famous hotel of poor security and service after an intruder stole £6,000 worth of their possessions.

Karen and Sean Murray from Sandbanks, who stayed at the Royal Bath, said they were offered no safe and claimed that there was a weak wooden door and little help from staff.

They say they are now going to the county court to try and reclaim the money.

The couple went to a school ball at Talbot Heath and treated themselves to an overnight stay at the hotel but lost jewellery, telephones, money and a laptop.

Mrs Murray, 39, an accounts manager, said they returned to the room to find their key card would not work but staff offered little help.

She said they had to spend the night in another room without their clean clothes or toothbrushes and were told they had to wait until 8am.

The next morning, she said she had to walk the corridors wearing the same clothes from the previous evening and queue for help in front of arriving guests, and then wait 45 minutes in a corridor for a maintenance man.

Mrs Murray said: “The locks on the door of the patio were below any basic standards, and this was confirmed by the police themselves.

“The door had a key lock with no key in it and the door was held together by some wood and loose nails only.”

Mrs Murray, and husband Sean, 44, a company director, said they had received no apology or offers to pay for the losses.

She added: “As a child growing up in the north of England I would regularly stay at the hotel during its grander days.

“But The Royal Bath will certainly not give Bournemouth a good name if this is what happens to guests today.

“I cannot accept this hotel can treat guests the way we were treated.”

A hotel spokesman said: “We apologise for any inconvenience that Mr and Mrs Murray may have experienced.

“We are not in a position to say anything further due to an ongoing investigation.”

A Dorset Police spokesperson said: “Officers believe an unknown offender entered the room by the rear door.

“An 18-year-old man from Bournemouth was arrested and released on police bail while enquiries continue.”