to worry about cockroaches in the Canary Islands?

[RainbowBriteRules]

Looking at all inclusive family holidays. They are all so expensive in the school holidays! Some good deals in the Canary Islands in particular Lanzarote and Tenerife. I’m not sure if I can do it though with the cockroaches. Google either tells me not to worry, I’ll hardly see any or that they are everywhere! Has anyone been and did you see lots? I have visions of being unable to sleep with them in our hotel room.

youre and aged I work in a hospital

particularly in countries where it gets really warm
Actually the worst cockroach infestation I've seen was in Northern Russia... and I've seen spiders carry their babies on their back in Wild Wales

I worked in Tenerife.

I know where I'd have preferred to see them!

I’d love a cruise Vanilla but they are even more expensive.

Bloody hell, not sure I should have started this thread . So basically they are everywhere in the world and there is no hope.

Didn’t get moved because it was a military holiday apartment (RAAF) and we where only there one week so we just sucked it up. Bought plenty of cockie spray though!

We went to Lanzorote (Playa Blanca) twice a year every year from when I was 2 to 18 as we had a place out there. Never saw a single one.

Went to Gran Canaria last summer and didn't see a single one. Egypt was pretty bad. Saw one in Dominican Republic last month.

Worse infestation I ever saw was when I worked nights in a big hospital in this country. Second worse was in the nurses home I lived in during the 70s at a children's hospital.

Don't ever stamp on them - they carry their eggs on their backs and you'll bring eggs home on your shoes.

Been countless times to Canaries over the past 30 years. NEVER ever seen a cockroach. Stayed in self catering apartments and all inclusive. Never gone for the cheapest though so perhaps that's why?

Oh god. Definitely considering career change now . I will not be googling hospitals and cockroaches. Also the rule that was suddenly ushered in where I worked years ago about not wearing work shoes home suddenly makes sense!

No idea now what to do about holiday but really appreciate all replies except the hospital ones.

@AndhowcouldIeverrefuse back home it gets to 40 in the summer. -25 in the winter . Yep...infested..including the hospitals .

My friend rang me in tears at 12 pm one night to go pick her up, as the house where she took a job as an au pair(London) was infested and she could hear them scuttling all over her bedroom. Fun times.

Been to the Canaries every year for the last 13. I've seen maybe 3.... No need to worry.

Rather have a cockie then a red back spider hiding underneath your toddlers swing.

Totally. You’d have to hold a gun to my head to get me to Australia.

We have been to the canaries every year for the last 20 and I will admit to only seeing 5 cockroaches.

I was in Tenerife three months ago and saw one, it's was late at night and it ran away as we approached. They aren't nice but won't do you any harm.

Book your holiday,you’ll have a great time. If you work for the NHS you deserve a good holiday.

Ok thanks all, I will think about it!

It’s the prospect of spending thousands of pounds to see them that bothers me. It’s such a lot of money to get wrong.

I think what you need to consider OP is that you aren't spending thousands of pounds to potentially see the odd bug. You are spending that to have a family holiday. If you're spending big bucks chances are you'll be in decent accomodation, unlikely to be swarming with bugs. If it is, ask to be moved.

That's sort of like saying, I won't stay in this beautiful manor house in case there is a single spider.

Do not let the bugs of any kind stop you or your family from having fun.

I think you need to stop thinking in terms of "I'm paying ££££ to see cockroaches ". You're paying ££££ for a break, for the weather,food,sun,sea and fun. To spend time with your family without any worries or cleaning or cooking.

Cockroaches are just part of the local fauna. They'll be there regardless and you might see them or not.

I think it's more about where you stay and their standards. I've been to Gran Canaria, Lanzaote and Fuerteventura. I saw the odd one, but in Gran Canara in a fairly basic garden bungalow rented out from the owner with rare sightings of cleaners and they were everywhere (I realised they came in thru cracks around windows, blocked them with plastic bags and the cleaners kept removing them!). The difference was the other places I was staying in quite nice hotels/aparthotels where you saw cleaners and gardeners often. Also read all the reviews on where you want to stay. Reading a pile of trip advisor reports has never failed me in terms of - since the bad experience in GC - getting a great holiday!

I saw one in Tenerife, none in Gran Canaria

Thanks guys you are right of course. Yes, very true Rebel. We had a lovely holiday last year which was so worth the money for all those reasons.

Roaches don't like the light so if they are in your bedroom sleep with the light on.

Honestly op I have been to Tenerife 8 times, Gran Canaria & Lanzarote twice and have only ever seen 2 cockroaches, I really wouldn’t worry about it too much.

Actually funny story about the Tenerife one. I was very drunk anD annoyed with DP. Went back to the room by myself, opened the door and one was just sitting there on the floor. I yelled ‘GET OUTTTTT!’ and it scuttled past me out the door into the corridor and I slammed the door behind it. I was not in the mood for that shit.