Glass eye and gingerbread village left in hotels

A MINIATURE gingerbread village, a glass eye in a gold box and a suitcase full of whisky were just some of the bizarre items left behind in Capital hotel rooms last year.

A gingerbread village was just one of the items left in the hotel

The annual round-up by budget chain Travelodge showed careless hotel guests in Edinburgh also forgot a brand new Apple Mac computer and the keys to an Aston Martin car.

It is understood the gingerbread model had been handmade by a grandmother who had brought it to Edinburgh as a gift for her grandchildren.

A Travelodge spokeswoman said it had been a bumper year for “weird and wonderful items” left at Scottish hotels.

Some of the more exotic objects left across the country include a pile of rocks from the summit of Ben Nevis (in Fort William) and soil from the Scottish Highlands (at Inverness Fairways).

The most touching forgotten item was a 40-year-old love letter – said to be carried around everywhere by a lovelorn gentleman – that was found in a hotel in Aberdeen. It is understood the guest even travelled to collect the letter in person rather than risk the precious memento being lost in the post.

Travelodge spokeswoman Shakila Ahmed said: “What is becoming evident after speaking to our customers is that the pace of life has become so fast and we are so eager to get from A to B that valuable possessions are easily being forgotten.

“This year’s lost and found inventory has revealed some unique items being left behind. It also revealed how much smart technology has become a part of our everyday lives, as we have had 12,000 tablets and smartphones left behind in our hotels in the last 12 months. This is a significant increase from previous years.”

A personalised Louis Vuitton case full of bespoke outfits for a cat – including a pram and a range of kitty dummies – was recovered from Perth while a bikini made from Macdonald tartan fabric was left behind in Kinross.

A traffic stop sign was found in Glasgow while a secret family recipe for shortbread was located in Falkirk.

The list of unusual hotel items comes after the News revealed some of the strange objects seized by security chiefs at Edinburgh Airport.

Items handed over to stunned customs staff include a meat cleaver, a four-inch blade, a screwdriver and bolt cutters.