Travel Tips: What to do if your hotel has bed bugs

Not the nicest topic, but I call back it'south good for anybody who'due south been a victim of bed bugs to share their experience and hopefully assist others with tips and suggestions on how y'all should handle the state of affairs, as well as what to practise when checking into hotels.

Disclaimer: I don't work for pest command so this isn't official advice. This article is based on my ain personal experience.
▶︎ Y'all may also like: How to Avert Mosquito Built-in Diseases While Travelling

What happened to me

So my bed problems experience happened in the summer of 2016. I checked into a mediocre hotel and after the first nighttime I woke upward with bites on my arm and human foot.  I'd never had a bed bug experience before so I wasn't really sure it was them. I then checked the room equally thoroughly equally possible (based on online advice) and found no sign of them. I was tired then dismissed the idea and put it down to bites from something else.

Later that twenty-four hours subsequently speaking to my other one-half on the phone and sending her pictures, she told me that it was definitely bed bugs. This conversation was quite late and on the evening of my 2d night. I then searched the room again with no luck of spotting them. I decided to sleep with the calorie-free on (although this plain does nothing to keep the bed bugs away).

As you can expect I was quite paranoid and didn't slumber very well that dark. I and so woke upward at four.30-5am and saw a Bed Problems side by side to me. It was extremely small-scale and this one wasn't really moving.

I and then trapped it in a glass and took some photographs every bit evidence. I also spotted what looked similar a baby one on the bedside table which seemed to be running around in circles. I also trapped this one and took photographs.

Closeup to a Bed Bugs on sheets
Closeup to a Bed Bugs on sheets

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Steps to have on cheque-in

Whenever you bank check-in somewhere, particularly if it's a lower class or former run-down blazon hotel, you should always search the room for Bed Bugs. To be honest I didn't encounter any when I checked into this particular hotel only discovered them the next day.

When doing your bank check apply a torch (the one on your smartphone may work) and showtime looking for rusty nighttime marks.The marks may be anywhere such as on the sheets, around the bedsprings, on the walls etc. These marks may exist from their faeces or shells. Take a await on Google Images to see what these await like in the worst infestations (I warn you lot information technology's not pretty). When looking check:

  • Effectually the bedsprings, headboard and joints of the bed.
  • Wait near any cracks on the wall or whatever other furniture.
  • Check around the luggage stand.

To be honest, during my experience I didn't find annihilation on checking in. Maybe it was a minor infestation so in other scenarios there may be more signs. It's definitely a good idea to bank check though, considering if you didn't check and it happened to y'all, then you'd be kicking yourself.

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Signs of bed bugs

Bed Bugs are tiny and can hide almost anywhere, such as cracks in the wall, behind headboards etc, so you may non see the actual bug. If you lot doubtable you've been bitten by bed bugs then these may exist some of the signs:

  • Bites on your trunk –For me, I had lots of bites in various places across my body and in clusters. I had them on my arm and anxiety (movie below) and they were incredibly itchy.
  • Blood on the sheets –Due to the bites there was blood on the sheets.
  • Signs of crushed bugs – You may potentially find signs of their shells, or even the bugs where you lot've crushed them in your sleep.
Bites on an arm from Bed Bugs
Bites on an arm from Bed Bugs

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What yous should practice if your room has bed bugs

During my experience and after the first night and signs of bites, I and so checked the room about three times to try and find them without any luck. It'due south only on the 2d morning that I plant them when I woke upwardly in the morning time.

Here are some of the things y'all should practice if your hotel room has bed bugs (whether y'all find an actual Bed Issues or not).

  • Take pictures of the bites on your body.
  • Have pictures of whatever blood on the sheets.
  • If you lot tin can see any bugs on the bed try and trap them. I used a plastic cup to exercise this.
  • Take pictures if you come across them, including how you trapped them. You may also find crushed insects or stains from their waste.
  • If possible endeavour and get the hotel staff to come up and have a look to acknowledge the evidence.
  • Demand your money dorsum – For me, the hotel didn't debate when I did this. If they practice contend then threaten with exposure.
  • Ask to alter rooms, or try and modify hotels if y'all prefer.
  • Written report to the booking bureau – I went through Booking.com and to be honest they didn't actually say much and I judge they just human activity equally a sale agent, but I yet think it's worth mentioning for their records.
  • Go out a review – I call back it besides depends on how the hotel handles the situation as previous guests could have carried the bed bugs along with them, and the hotel could be perfectly clean beforehand. Leaving a negative review could be extremely damaging to a hotels business organisation so continue this in mind.
  • Put your dress in sealed plastic bags.

What you lot should do on returning home

The scary thing most bed bugs is that they can travel home with you. If y'all are like me then you'll be paranoid about this. On my render home, this is what I did…

  • I left the suitcase out of my firm and took the bags directly from the luggage into the washing motorcar.
  • I then done my apparel, followed by tumble drying at a high estrus.
  • I'd left my shoes outside and went directly to the shower. I really did this wearing minimal clothes.
  • Afterward showering and putting on fresh clothes, I and then hovered my luggage and shoes every bit thoroughly as possible and emptied the hoover straight into the outside bin after I'd finished.
  • Below is a bed bug spray and mattress cover that you may want to effort for extra reassurance. I haven't used these just they both accept good reviews and an average of iv/5 or higher.

See more products on Amazon

Other suggestions:

  • Consider contacting a pest control service.
  • Quarantine your luggage until you are confident you lot oasis't carried i of the critters back with you lot.

Despite this, there is always a chance they could notwithstanding get into your house.

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Summary

I pray you don't e'er have a bed bug experience as information technology can be a horrible feel, but I promise this post gives you some idea of what happened to me and how I handled the state of affairs. If you wanted to acquire more about Bed Bugs as well consider reading Bed Issues Guides on peststrategies.com which is an fantabulous guide.

Mike Clegg

Written by

Mike Clegg

Mike is a traveller, photographer, WordPress programmer and the creator of TravelAndDestinations.com. He started this website so as to share his experiences and tips with travellers. He is from the UK and has travelled to many places around the earth. He loves to shares his pictures and stories through Instagram and this website... [Read full bio]

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