LONDON — A British hotel apologized Thursday to a soldier refused lodging by a desk clerk who told him the hotel had a “no military personnel” policy.
Cpl. Tomos Stringer, 23, was on leave from his army unit in Afghanistan in June when he sought a room at the Metro Hotel in Woking, southwest of London.
Stringer, who had broken his wrist in Afghanistan and was visiting a wounded comrade in the area, was wearing civilian clothes but presented his military ID to the desk clerk. He slept in his car overnight after he was refused a room, according to his mother.
Stringer since has returned to duty in Afghanistan.
After the incident was reported in the British media Thursday, hotel officials issued a statement saying the clerk had made a “mistake.” In a letter of explanation to a member of Parliament who inquired about the incident, a hotel official said the hotel had “experienced some rather serious incidents” involving military personnel.
