Disaster holiday at resort

[Happywifehappylife18]

Long story shortish,
me, my partner, son and MIL have paid a huge amount to stay in a resort this week. After the first night MIL had what we thought to be mosquito bites all over her arms and chest. They were blistering and weeping. Doctor gave her an injection antihistamine and directed us to stay in room for 72 hours. The very next morning MIL woke up with over 80 bites over her body, face, ears back and hands. Doctor confirmed it appeared to be bed bugs. Resort have moved MIL to another room however has now been told by doctor to avoid sunshine for another 72 hours. Meaning that 5 days of our holiday we have all been couped up in a room, and me and my partner have been taking turns in taking little one to the pool.

now we have found bites on our two year old. We’re not sure what to do. MIL is emotionally distressed and it’s so bad. The bites are so swollen and just everywhere, some have even popped so badly that her skin is raw.
am i being unreasonable to request a full refund from the resort as we have had a really horrifying experience

has anyone ever had this from a high end resort? .

A refund and compensation should be given as they knew they had a problem.

Just checked the reviews on TripAdvisor and it seems this has been going on since 2023 - to the point where ambulance chasers are doing no win/no fee claims: https://www.holidayclaimsbureau.co.uk/families-left-traumatised-by-bed-bugs-at-bahia-principe-costa-adeje/

As mentioned they've obviously not been prepared to close rooms to deal with it, which while no surprise at all doubles the recommendation to report this to the local authorities ... unless of course they already know about it and don't want to act either

Edited to add apologies, @Liondoesntsleepatnight; I just saw that's the link you've already posted

I'd expect a full refund for this. Absolutely appalling.

There's an option to talk to an advisor on that claims page. Might be a good idea to do this while you're there. That way, you can provide everything they will need for a claim.

Please please please when you get home DO NOT bring a single item inside with you. Once they’re in your home they’re an absolute nightmare to get rid of

Jeez. You are right, I’m so sorry, it is an utter shit show.

My DS18 had this a couple of months ago….. a few months into travelling in South America in a complete hell hole of a hostel, in Peru… with no air conditioning ( in 30 degrees) and the shower was over the loo… you could literally combine the two.. 🙄😳.. he had already sent me a photo of the “bathroom” , followed by a photo of a pile of mattresses all stacked up as bed bugs had infested the whole place… point being, you are NOT in a hell hole hostel!! So, this is NOT OK!!! 👿

I have experience in cases like this, and echo what @Sidebeforeselfsaid. Everything you do now is paramount to the success of your claim. Anything you do not obtain now, whilst you have the opportunity, cannot be obtained in the future. I know you’re having a horrific time, OP, but, grab a notebook, your phone and crack on…… ( you can take little one to the pool after 💖…)..

SO, I’m assuming you have contacted your Holiday Rep. Make sure you keep details of all Reps you deal with- names, times and what they have said. Try to get all this in writing by them, if possible.

PHOTOGRAPH EVERYTHING! Your MIL bites/ how they are progressing/worsening; your old room- and everything in it, I would just photo absolutely anything, even if it amounts to nothing, and I just delete it. It’s so much better to HAVE photos and seem the relevance of them, or not, once uou are home. You don’t want your Solicitor, on return, to ask if you have a photo of something, be it mattress, pillow, dodgy chair, anything, and you don’t.

Keep notes of -

HOTEL STAFF- WHO you speak to- WHO they are- Time/ Date- WHAT exactly was said.

WITNESSES- Fellow guests- NAMES/ Contact Details/ Complaints they have had.

DOCTOR/ MEDICAL- If you didn’t get a written medical note/ report, GO BACK and get one… it will be virtually impossible to get one when home. If you are covered by Iinsurance, you will need one of these to be reimbursed when home, ( most prescriptions will not be covered, but, of course, check your policy).

KEEP RECEIPTS of EVERYTHING you buy! If you do proceed with a claim on return, it is not sufficient to guesstimate items purchased. So, even the slightest purchase, keep receipts.

Once you have obtained your policy, CALL your Insurers!!! First thing to do! It doesn’t matter that the hotel have changed your room, trying keep you on board with cold cocktails, whatever, Insurance Companies do not like not being in the know. God forbid your MIL health worsens and cannot travel home, and/ or one of you want to stay with her, or if she is hospitalised.

There is nothing at all that can be done regarding a refund- of any amount- at this point. That can only be done on your return. All you can do now is the above and whilst it is happening, and whilst you are in the resort, use the sadly ruined activity time wisely, record everything!!! Keep notes and receipts of everything!! Photo everything!!!

And, then, grab little one, get to the 🏖️, try and forget for a bit, then have a chilling cocktail 🍹!

I wish you the very best of luck!!!! 🤞🙏 🍀 🤞.. 🤗

Please do google what you need to do to prevent you taking the bedbugs home. I would put all clothes in bin bags and take straight to launderette to wash and tumble dry at high heat before you bring them into the house. Luggage to the skip.

We had bedbugs once at our flat and it took a year and £2000 of treatment to get rid of them.

Just to echo PPs, I would be even more worried about not bringing them home than getting a refund for a wasted holiday. Make sure you don't bring anything in.

For anything that can't be tumble dried or frozen like electronics, make sure you inspect them thoroughly. Dont keep phones etc anywhere near the beds. Though I suspect with so many bites they're all over the room.

Good luck, my idea of hell. I always google "hotel name + bed bugs" before booking anywhere.

Sounds horrendous OP.
Takd as many photos and videos as you can.

You need everything in writing email the hotel and manager saying and including pictures not verbal but written

Ahh we used to love this hotel a few years ago and kept going back.

Apparrntly from reviews it went quite downhill after Covid.

I suffer bad reactions to insect bites so feel your MILs pain. Are they infected? She may need a topical steroid/antibiotic cream @Happywifehappylife18

It sounds like a dreadful and very stressful situation. OP probably needs somewhere to vent?

I think that I would do this as well. I would be so worried about bringing bed bugs home with me as well. Good luck Op.

I would definitely be expecting a full refund at the very least. I'd also be doing some research into how to make sure not to take bed bugs home in suitcases.

I’m so sorry you’re having a bad time and your mil is suffering so much. I’ve been to this report loads in the past (I used to be a privilege club member). You definitely need to be on at them to compensate full stay and more!

Please speak to you rep

And then absolutely read everything you can on how not to take them home!

A year to get rid of them? That's horrific!

Ok, if the issue is no sunlight, then a long shirt plus long sleeve tshirt (VERY light. Think gauze type of material) will protect her whilst allowing her to still go out a bit.
Otherwise, I can see how she’d go stir crazy.

Thats ofc if she isn’t in too much pain 😢

Id ask if the doctor you saw can write down his diagnosis (bed bugs, no sun etc….) so you have an ‘official’ written note of what happened.
Plus photos asap (before they get better!)

EDIT TO ADD
Youre absolutely not unreasonable to ask for a full refund!

Do you think they moved OP's family to another room because they're psychic?

Sorry to hear this OP I could not cope at all if in this situation it would literally be my worst nightmare. I am booked to stay in the Bahia fantasia in Tenerife is this the same hotel?

Firstly, what a horrible thing to happen. It's a shame you or the doctor didn't realise they were bed bug bites to begin with!

You can't expect a full refund but I'd expect a 33% refund to cover the cost of one adult.

YABU though to have someone babysitting your MIL. That's a bit silly. You, your DH and your son can still go and enjoy the holiday. Your MIL won't expect anyone to stay inside. You can spend the evening letting her know what you got up to.

It’s all well and good everyone saying full refund etc, the Op would have to now pursue this through the hotel directly, their insurers or even the Spanish courts. That won’t be easy.

Do not bring bed bugs back with you to yr home! The week of misery you are experiencing now is nothing to the seven months we endured battling with these fiendish insects.
If there is stuff you don’t want to bring home from holiday with you, bin it. Everything else….
Bag everything in double bin bags. When you unpack at home DONT bring stuff inside. Put everything outside- all yr luggage. Take off shoes and socks - leave everything outside except the clothes you are wearing. Then go straight to washing machine, strip off completely, put all the clothes you are wearing on a 60 degree 2 hr wash. If you can’t get everything in one wash, bag it till it can be washed. Then nice long showers and hair wash - though this is psychological more than anything as they don’t normally travel on human bodies.
Take your time bringing your holiday stuff back in the house- ensure it can go straight in the wash. Bin all the bags outside- not in your normal house bin. Suitcases can be steam cleaned. Buy one on amazon. Any stuff that can’t be washed in 60 degrees- keep bagged until you have enough space in yr freezer- 4 days minimum in freezer. Or send to be dry cleaned.

My children and my friends didn’t visit me for 7 months. My mum wouldn’t let me visit. The nightly bites were awful- it was a heatwave and I went to bed in socks, long trousers and a long sleeved top. Just the memory of it is traumatic. I was taking painkillers and antihistamines. We were on first name terms with the council pest control!!

In the end I became a skilled hunter and found and destroyed their nests- it was great to become predator rather than prey. But I wouldn’t wish bed bugs on anybody…

@Fleetbug I'm horrified and fascinated by your experience. How did you find their nests?

I have no advice but just wanted to send lots of sympathy. I would find this so stressful. I once found a bug on my bed....it wasn't a bed bug but I lost the plot and couldn't sleep, even on the sofa for two nights until the rentokill man could come out and confirm that I was wrong.