Staying in a five star hotel in Morocco and there are COCKROACHES - normal?! I’m freaked out!

[Diamonddiamond]

We’re staying in a luxury horel in Morocco with our kids and there are cockroaches in our room. Noticed one dead one yesterday, then another fell off the ceiling(!!!), then when we came in and turned the light on today saw three more. They’re massive and they can fly!

Am I overreacting to be horrified? Should I complain? Or should I expect cockroaches in Morocco? This hotel is very expensive.

Terrified they’re going to stow away in my luggage (I hate cockroaches!)

Urgh. We had the same in Egypt once... a five star hotel. They were coming up the shower drain. We got moved to another room straight away.

We had a baby one in Dubai in the Berj
Al hotel.
Omg. They bent over and over and over backward to apologise
Free champagne, Gift book, checking on us

Go and moan!

Urrrrgh! My husband just complained and they’re going to spray in the morning while we’re out. No apology though . I think it’s not ok?!? The hotel is so expensive!

Definitely complain again. That's not on... Explain that you would never have booked the hotel if you knew it had a cockroach infestation and you would like to move to a clean room.

You don’t happen to be staying in a Roy do you OP?

Riu

Yes but cockroaches are difficult to avoid in Morocco especially if you are on the ground floor. If you’re on ground floor, try and get moved upwards. Make sure doors and windows etc are closed in the day

PS today is a special day in Morocco

TBH cockroaches are common in many hot countries and not necessarily a sign of poor hygiene etc. I lived in Asia, kept a very clean flat but often saw cockroaches.

Those really big ones aren't the same as the the smaller ones AFAIK. They eat cellulose (dead wood) and don't spread disease in the same way as the cockroaches that eat human food do. They have them in Malaysia where my in-laws live, and they are no more horrified by them than we are by a moth.

I lived in Egypt for several years and if we found one in a five star hotel, we would have gone ape shit and left.Do not accept that as normal . They do exist but can't be prevented. However you don't get rid of them overnight.

Ps the word for cockroach in Arabic is Zarak zit

A friend was trying to convince me to go to Morocco today. Glad I saw this thread

london - not staying in the Riu, feel bad to name it as I don’t want to give them a bad rep... but if I’d read any reviews saying cockroaches, I wouldn’t have booked! (Since searched and can’t fjnd any reviews saying that. We took pics!)

jesuis - we are on the ground floor. Annoyingly, we requested a move to the ground as we thought it’d be more fun for the kids! I am not usually one to kick up a fuss, but they really frightened me! I am a wimp!

blackamericano - okay these are huge. So maybe those wood-eaters? Not the disease-spreaders?!? I am actually mostly scared that one or the eggs will tuck itself up in some of our luggage.

misseliza - so when they say they’ll spray tomorrow while we’re on a day trip, they probably won’t be able to actually get rid of them...?

jesuis - that’s useful! My DH had to show the photo he took as the concierge didn’t know what he was talking about!

misseliza - it’s a beautiful country. But cockroaches really freak me out!!! My kid was calmer than me! (Though I hid my freak out as I didn’t want to scare him!)

It will be becuase you’re on the ground floor. Moving Upwards is your best plan or get a cat ( )

I feel your pain OP but I think they are just par for the course in certain hot countries. I lived in Gran Canaria and they were a common occurrence despite our diligent cleaning routine. Its kind of like a spider in this country. You might freak out and want it gone but you wouldn't assume poor housekeeping.

Op don't worry. If you've been there several days and that's the first you've seen, I doubt you'll see another. However, for the record, I lived in two different countries and in both places, when you sprayed, you had to totally clean out your kitchen and bathroom and sleep at least one night outside the house.

I stayed in a riad on the ground floor in Morocco last summer- I did not lay eyes on a single cockroach but enjoyed the lizard visitor in the shower

Kick up a polite but firm fuss.

Op I have a real phobia about them despite living in places where they are common. Well done for staying calm in front of your dcs. Enjoy your holiday. Honestly I don't think you'll see another but I do think the hotel is ab#%^*#ng you!

It's normal for there to be cockroaches in Morrocco, but you shouldn't be seeing them and that many in a five star hotel. They should be fumigating regularly enough that they aren't coming out.
Complain, a lot. Seriously.

I have seen maybe 10 now taken photos!

Okay am going to kick up a bigger fuss. One had attached itself to one of my kid’s tops that was hanging up and wouldn’t let go! It was huge!

In case anyone is interested / wants to be freaked out, I just walked back into the room to this in the shower

That's a proper infestation. Demand to be moved!

DH went back and someone promised to come and sort it but no one has... hours later! I don’t think they care!

Mention TripAdvisor and other review sites and say you will post pictures. That should get them moving