Woman sees off lurking hotel prowler, threatens to sue

A woman whose Ji Hotel room was invaded by a near-naked man has threatened to sue the intruder and has asked for 1-yuan (15 US cents) compensation from the hotel chain and its parent company, Huazhu Hotels Group. 

The victim, known online as Huahua, has also demanded the company amend its problematic security practices.

Huahua alleged that a man wearing only his underwear broke into her room in a Ji Hotel outlet in the Pudong New Area at around 3am on July 31 while she was still working, according to a video she uploaded on Weibo on August 5.

"He slipped in and stood at the foot of the bed, attempting to approach me," Huahua recalled. "I shouted at him until he stepped out. After that, I immediately went to the concierge and called the police."

The man was given a five-day administrative detention by police. His motives are unknown.

Huahua claimed the man wandered from 7th to 10th floor, trying to breaking into multiple rooms. During his journey, which she said lasted 47 minutes, none of the hotel staff appeared or attempted to stop him, until she shouted and called the police, she said.

The hotel company posted a statement of apology on its official Weibo account two days after Huahua uploaded the video. It promised to take corrective measures nationwide to ensure safer services, such as intensifying night patrols and improving the quality of door locks.

Ji Hotel said before the man entered Huahua's room, its security guard had spotted his abnormal behavior and escorted him back to his room, but didn't pay further attention.

"Ji Hotel and Huazhu Hotels Group should reissue a formal statement of apology with their official seals on it and be transparent to the public about every detail," Huahua said in her latest video. 

"When I get the surveillance footage, I'll sue the man as well."