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Original poster

When you travel, how much thought do you give to bed bugs?

59 replies

ButtercupBluebells · 11/09/2022 15:03

I have anxiety so I do worry about things that are unlikely to happen. But the thought of bed bugs really spoils holidays for me :(
I put luggage into the bath tub when we arrive at accommodation, remove the bedding and mattress and have a thorough scout around. Even then, I'm not completely comfortable and once home again I feel anxious for weeks. I am on medication, which has been absolutely life changing apart from this one worry which I can't seem to shake! So I want to know whether I am being ridiculous or if other people tend not to give it any thought when they go on holiday...

OP posts:

Stickmansmum · 11/09/2022 23:00

Fuck bedbugs I say. They’re for the hotel to worry about. I literally could not be arsed wasting my time worrying about them.

Artesia · 11/09/2022 23:02

I do- because I've lived in a flat infested with them and it was horrific. Ended up needing hospital treatment for infected bites, and having to boil, freeze or burn my possessions to get rid of them. Would be far from thrilled to have to deal with them again.

beastlyslumber · 11/09/2022 23:07

I got badly bitten by bed bugs in a hostel in Cairo many years ago. But I have to say I've never been worried about it since then, until this thread!

EveSix · 11/09/2022 23:08

I do take some precautions.
I found a dead one at a Devon holiday park which I was staying at for an event. Luckily, I'd accidentally been given the keys before the cleaner had been, and without realising, I nipped into the bedroom to check the mattress. The bedding hadn't been changed, and there was a dry smear of blood and a crushed bedbug on the sheet. I hot-footed it out of there.
Someone I know ended up having to leave their rented accommodation after they attracted an infestation, and had to get rid of most of their belongings in the process.
Weirdly, I never once encountered them or ever heard them mentioned, while travelling in Asia, and I must have stayed in scores and scores of shoe-string guest houses, train sleeper carriages, hostels and backpackers over the years.

SummerInSun · 11/09/2022 23:17

Never given it a thought. Never would. Why on earth would a hotel (unless perhaps in a third world country or operating illegally) have bed bugs? If it did, people would complain, post all over trip advisor, call the relevant health inspectors, etc, and it would be out of business in no time.

Maybe you are sub-consciously trying to prevent yourself from enjoying a holiday? If so, why? You are allowed to relax and have fun. You don't need to pay a "worry insurance" tax to keep yourself safe.

peonyjam · 11/09/2022 23:28

I do but that's probably because I've experienced an infestation. The psychological impact of it was far worse than the bites - though they were nasty too. Since then I sometimes spend the first night in a hotel struggling to sleep because of anxiety about them. I am much better now than I used to be but I think the level of anxiety about it is usually reflective of how I'm feeling more generally. Please don't let the anxiety about this ruin your holidays. Search reviews for bedbugs before booking. They usually leave tell tale signs - black marks on sheets and the mattress, and they're visible to the eye. But know it is very unlikely and if you don't see anything you have to believe it and not worry x

TwoWeeksislong · 11/09/2022 23:40

Bed bugs are currently a world wide problem that hotels of all price brackets all over the world are having to think about. Sorry to burst your bubble.
They were wiped out in many places 50 odd years ago using powerful insecticides that are no longer available.Now they are back.

mondaytosunday · 12/09/2022 00:22

I never give it a thought, but I'm beyond staying at places where I imagine it might be an issue (hostels, cheap motels).

Handsnotwands · 12/09/2022 00:29

I once got bed bugged at the grand hotel in Scarborough (I mention it publicly as often as possible as they were entirely unapologetic). As a result I’m fairly cautious about leaving my case or clothes on the floor

did you know that bedbugs can’t crawl up the metal legs of those little fold out suitcase holders? Anyway I alway use those now.

Gruffling · 12/09/2022 01:20

I don't think you are terribly paranoid - it's one of those things that most people are blissfully unaware of - particularly regarding how difficult it is to get rid of them if you bring them home.

I take some basic precautions like pulling back the fitted sheet for a quick check of the mattress. I don't put my things away in the drawers provided as they love nooks and crannies. Keep suitcases off the floor in hotels, keep it on the desk if a stand is not provided. I have stopped DH storing our suitcases in the closet in our bedroom and try to quarantine them downstairs for a few days - they live for ages without blood, but I figure let's not make the job easy for the odd blighter that makes it home by bringing them straight to the bedroom.

I like to think that the household spider population might do me a solid for not always squishing them and take care of the odd unwanted incomer, be it bedbug, flea or silverfish (ugh). Wishful thinking, I know!

Gruffling · 12/09/2022 01:27

When I first found out about them I was cautious and didn't do things like borrow library books (as these are a great vector) but have loosened up (books for DC are pricey) and just insist they are kept downstairs as a precaution.

ColinRobinsonsfamiliar · 12/09/2022 01:49

So I’m in a hotel, itching all over, no sleep and have to be up in 3 hours.
Thanks OP!

lickenchugget · 12/09/2022 04:09

Op, did you post the same question the other week?

The advice was mainly that it may be helpful to see your GP as the anxiety was crippling.

Magnanimouse · 12/09/2022 06:12

Absolutely have never even considered it all, but I guess it'll be on my mind now I've read this post! Thanks!

connie26 · 12/09/2022 06:15

I got them once from an overnight stay at a hotel. Bloody awful. I'd never considered them until then.

Oblomov22 · 12/09/2022 06:16

None. Never crossed my mind until I read this thread.

WonderingWanda · 12/09/2022 06:41

I always check the mattress for signs of them, hate the idea of them. My dh travels a lot and I know he won't bother to check the mattresses and doesn't seem to react to bites so I've invested in some bed bug sticky traps to put on all our beds just in case. I check them every time I hoover which is mostly once a week.

MargotMoon · 12/09/2022 06:48

It wouldn't have crossed my mind to worry but my dad got bitten by bed bugs on holiday this year in Greece. The hotel didn't give a shit and accused us of mistaking them for mosquito bites when we asked for the mattress to be changed (they weren't, he gets those too and they are completely different). Luckily he was in a twin room and could swap to the other bed which stopped the bites.

User642986540 · 12/09/2022 06:51

Lots, when DH used to go away on business I used to tell him to check carefully, I try to check when we go on holiday and for UK we have our own caravan so that should be ok

Luredbyapomegranate · 12/09/2022 06:55

I travel for work every week.

Never once given it any thought. In any half decent accommodation there’s no need to. Maybe get a short term therapist to help you strategise to not do this on your next trip?

User642986540 · 12/09/2022 06:55

I don't think bedbugs care how many stars a hotel has got

PolkaDotShoes · 12/09/2022 07:00

TwoWeeksislong · 11/09/2022 23:40

I'm not sure that the insecticides are no longer available, it's more that the bedbugs have evolved to be resistant to them.

I do consider it, I must admit, especially if I'm somewhere where housekeeping standards aren't as high as I'd like. Not so much the worry of being bitten, but the worry of bringing them home.

They are a huge problem in certain cities and not just in the developing world. NYC is one which springs to mind.

RascafríaMom · 12/09/2022 08:04

@Stickmansmum While they may be a problem for that hotel and just cause you itching while there, if you actually leave a hotel with them, you can spend thousands of €€€ to try to get rid of them from your home, require multiple treatments that require multiple nights away from the house and still not kill them as they can live quite a bit of time without feasting on people and pets. We got them from a visitor to our home who brought them in their purse, and it took us the better part of a year to get rid of them while trying our hardest to get rid of them. So yeah, hotel problem if they have them until you potentially bring them home with you.

And that doesn´t even get into the social stigma issue that you might face if you catch them. Luckily for us, people were hugely sympathetic and were like, "Normal in a big city. "

Beezknees · 12/09/2022 09:11

Zero thought.

StillMedusa · 12/09/2022 09:24

Never gave them a thought...until we had an infestation ( we think DH brought them home!)
While in themselves they don't cause much damage to us, other than some itchy bites, they are a nightmare to get rid of... cost us ££ to have the house professionally sprayed, we binned our entire bedroom, carpets, bed, wardrobes..the lot! Luckily they were confined to our bedroom but we still had to boil every single piece of fabric in the house.
So now I check if we are staying somewhere...I also have preventative down.. a litlle sprinkle of Diatomacious earth under beds stops them in their tracks!

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