Traveling is a pleasure for most of us. However, there are many risks associated with traveling that go unnoticed until after the trip. One such risk is bed bug bites from hotel. With increasing travel and tourism, bed bug related problems are also on the rise.  Travelers are exposed to bed bugs in various ways when traveling. Hotel rooms, airplanes and public places like movie theaters and restaurants can be breeding grounds for these bugs.   How many of you have stayed at hotels and then developed bed bug bites? I always take my own bedding sheets if possible, but sometimes when there are late bookings (or whatever) it’s not always possible to do so, so we end up staying in hotels. So it was just last week, that I was out on a business trip with others, and we had to stay in a hotel room. Initially I don’t think anyone had booked ahead of time and the hotel was full, which led to us having stay there. We were happy though not to be unhappy about that as we were all tired from the flight and wanted to rest up until dinner time anyway.

Bed Bug Bites From Hotel

Prevention

Once you know what to look for, prevention is much easier. Before unpacking your bags, check the mattress and box spring for stains or signs of bed bugs. If you find any, ask for a different room—and don’t take any chances with that bed either. Next time you stay at a hotel, keep all of your luggage off the floor and away from beds; put it on an elevated rack in your closet if possible. Finally, pack some bed bug-proof bags before leaving home so that when your stuff needs to be moved around during travel or storage (for example between apartments), it’s safe from infestation until it gets where it’s going.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Hotels

If you believe that you have been bitten by bed bugs at a hotel, there are several ways that you can resolve the issue.

• Hire an exterminator to inspect and treat your room.
• Call the hotel directly and ask for a refund or another room.
• File a report with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) regarding your experience with the hotel and request that they take action against this business practice of allowing bed bugs to inhabit the premises of their establishments.
• File criminal charges against individual employees who allowed these pests to live in their building and bite guests staying there for an extended period of time without any intervention on their part or notification being given as soon as possible after being discovered by management (typically within 24 hours).

Do Your Due Diligence

If you have doubts about the cleanliness of your room, take a flashlight to go over it before turning in for the night. Check all the bedding and crevices in the room.

If you find evidence of bed bugs, don’t panic. Bed bug bites are not dangerous, but they can be extremely uncomfortable and annoying while they last. In fact, bed bugs are more of an annoyance than a health hazard; they’re really more like tiny vampires than parasites. (Believe me: after living with them for three months straight, I know.) They can’t bite through clothes or human skin unless there’s an opening somewhere—usually when we’re asleep—and even then there’s no guarantee that we’ll be bitten every time we sleep in infested beds or furniture.

It may be helpful to bring along a plastic bag so that you can bag any belongings that will need washing when you get home; otherwise just leave those items outside on your balcony until morning (or into the trash if there isn’t one nearby).

Bed bugs are a very common issue in hotels, but there are steps you can take to avoid falling victim to them and to get rid of them once encountered.

Bed bugs are a very common issue in hotels, but there are steps you can take to avoid falling victim to them and to get rid of them once encountered.

• Research your hotel before booking a stay. If you’re traveling on business or for pleasure and want to stay in an upscale hotel that fits your budget, it’s important to check out reviews from past guests about their experiences with bedbugs in the building before you book the room. This can help steer you away from locations where bedbugs may be present or at least give you some insight into what kind of cleanliness standards are upheld by staff members who work there every day.
• Check the beds as soon as possible after unpacking when checking into any type of lodging space—this includes motels, hostels, B&Bs—anywhere where someone else could have had access within close proximity. You might find evidence of an infestation right away!