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? .

@Fleetbug this thread as well your experience freaked me out

is there anything you can do to prevent this on the next holiday? Anything you can put on hotel beds at all as soon as you go in ?

Oh gosh this sounds awful, I’m so sorry!

@DidILeaveTheGasOn haha I did a lot of reading on their behaviour!

The standards of cleaning, steaming, washing etc we undertook was just incredible but what nailed it was careful observation. After destroying two harbourages we thought we had cracked it. We went away for a break. But I had a sneaking suspicion.. and I knew they would be hungry when we came back. So I stayed up the night we got back, with pieces of sticky tape to trap them. I caught seven then got my lucky break- one was crawling up the wall. Where was he going??

it was the picture frame. How satisfying it was to dismantle and steam it at three in the morning! I was probably shouting gotcha!

From someone who has suffered bedbugs and had a nervous breakdown. I would leave everything there and I would be stripping in the garden before going in the house.

I've read a lot about this (thanks contamination OCD) amd unfortunately no, it's not that easy. They could be behind pictures, sockets, skirting boards, the smallest gaps.

When on holiday I do a quick scan of the room as large infestations would be obvious. But not spotting anything really doesnt mean they are not there, so I keep my luggage in a large plastic bag in the bath to avoid hitchhikers, double bag pyjamas and they go in the freezer and/or hot tumble dry when I get home.

I do tend to freeze all my clothes as well to be honest, and keep luggage stored in the garage. It seems intense but its just my routine now and doesn't take much time.

It's worth it for me as I know my mental health would be a disaster if we had them in the house for months.

Always check the mattress seams for signs, little black marks are their faeces. Human blood stains on the matress as well. Not a failsafe but you would notice a heavy infestation hopefully. I am so paranoid about it.

Can I ask, why the bath? Is it harder for them to reach that height?

Yes, agree with PP- we no longer use hotel cupboards but keep everything in our suitcase on a stand. First thing check the underside of the mattress. Any hygiene issue demand another room. But bedbugs? I’d move out completely to another building!

I was thinking of booking this hotel so thank you Op. so sorry they have ruined your holiday.

OP I am so sorry. I agree, I would leave everything there and just take the clothes I was wearing (and destroy them). What a fucking nightmare for all of you.

Jesus christ what on earth is your problem?

You should be able to get a suitable room even a change in hotel if needed and a refund/compensation. Speak with the hotel, insurance and get all the photos, documents.
We are all allergic to bugs bites and unfortunately can happen anywhere. Can you buy the equivalent of piriton baby for the baby? Calamine lotion or in powder mixed with talk powder will help the baby. Ask the doctor they will tell you the right names of the products in that country.

I don't know if anyone mentioned but be careful when coming home as you are more than likely to bring some bedbugs home with you ! For me suitcases and anything that couldn't be washed high temp of professionally fumigated would be going immediately into the bin. Many years ago had a friend bring it back from holiday into a shared house! It was hell.

Because they are less likely to be in the bathroom, though still possible. But although they don't necessarily set up harborages on the bed itself they do tend to stay within a couple of meters radius of the bed (the larger the infestation the more widespread they will be though).

And then yes, it is harder for them to go up a slippery surface (especially plastic).

It would still be possible but really they want to be near people so they won't seek out a suitcase in a bathroom specifically (although they can be attracted to dirty clothes, more than clean clothes).

Thanks to loads of DDT in the 50s and evolution, these beasts are now resistant to most poisons. But the council had a program of using different types. Don’t diy with sprays. Don’t do sniffer dogs either- we considered it! The cost of rentokil is extraordinary and they know you are desperate. Local councils have responsibility for pest control and were brilliant. A combo of steam cleaning, poisoning (council), sealing cracks in skirting boards, washing every item of clothing in the house at 60, and using a special earth that suffocates them all helped too. But it’s best to find their harbourage.

Their first harbourage was our wooden bedframe. Out it went with BEDBUGS written all over it ( embarrassing!) for the council to collect. But before they had the chance to come someone had nicked it! Omg!

I do sympathise op. Sounds totally horrendous.
But on a different note you want to make sure you don't bring the little bed bug bastards back to your house and infest that too.
They travel unseen in your luggage. I would personally buy new luggage and keep it as someone said in the bathtub not on the floor. Sounds like whole hotel could be infested.
You can claim for the new luggage on your insurance.
When you get home put the cases in bathtub too.
And wash everything on high or put in freezer for 48 hours when home.
Bedbugs are a nightmare to get rid of. A real nightmare.
I'm sorry you are experiencing this nightmare.

Makes sense, thanks :)

Not sure if this has been mentioned but did you pay for part of the holiday on credit card, if so Section 75 may apply
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/section-75-of-the-consumer-credit-act-aZCUb9i8Kwfa

OP please please google everything needed to avoid bringing them home. I’d be so paranoid I’d genuinely leave all my luggage behind. I feel so so sorry for you all!

I empathise so much!

I forgot to medicate my cat and she brought fleas into the house. I ended up having a breakdown. It took months of using bicarbonate soda and diatomaceous earth all over the carpets, throwing away pillows and cushions and spraying a toxic flea killer.

I had fleas crawling on me, my toddler had fleas. I would even pull them off me when I was showering.

I bought a new vacuum to vacuum the fleas and the only way reason I got rid of them was because I stalked my cat and finally found their nesting spot. It was at the bottom of the blinds. For weeks my cat was reinvesting the house with fleas.

I went absolutely mad.

I have heard that bedbugs can be harder to get rid of than fleas. You are going to have to ditch everything when you come home.

Your mother in law should have checked the mattress though. I used to travel a lot for work and the first thing I did with any new hotel was put my luggage in the bathroom and search for bedbugs in the hotel room - especially the mattress.

@WonderingWanda @AmxietyFun4 @Fleetbug massive thanks for advice ! Had no clue never happened to me!! On holiday soon so bit stressful to read!

omg. I'm livid on your behalf! What a shitshow! So sorry OP.

Omg horrendous
Contact ABTA for legal advice asap

Dear Lord @Muffinmam … I have diametous earth (I am sure it’s not written like that) .. can you put around the garden or is it bad for pets?

Please also leave them a shit review on TripAdvisor