Bed Bugs: The Definitive Thread
 

Earlier today I stumbled across an interesting message on another travel board (Fodor's). The poster claimed to have developed bedbug bites after a stay at the St. Louis Airport Hilton. This individual specifically noted that he hadn't been diagnosed by a physician, so it's impossible to say for certain if it was *really* bedbugs. Nonetheless, the post concerned me a little, since I thought this problem was generally confined to lower tier properties--more along the lines of Motel 6 or Big Al's Roadside Inn than a Hilton. From what I understand, you can easily take these little suckers home in your suitcase if the problem is severe enough, so it's potentially much more than a matter of just a few bites.

It's important to mention that this person was ultimately pleased with the compensation offered by the hotel. I debated about posting this because I don't like to malign a property based on secondhand information, but I finally decided to put it forward because I know this is info I'd want if I had an upcoming stay in St. Louis. Obviously, you can decide for yourself how much weight, if any, to give this kind of report.

I'm curious--has anyone here ever experienced this problem at a Hilton property? A non-Hilton property? Is anyone familiar with the signs to look for(other than bites)?

First of all, according to the National Pest Management Association,

"An infestation of bed bugs is NOT evidence of unclean or unsanitary living areas. World class hotels have reported bed bug infestation in recent years perhaps due to the increased domestic and international mobility of society in the past few decades."

That said, the old part of the St. Louis Airport Hilton is in a poor shape, bugs or no bugs. I believe that you were talking about this thread on the Fodor's site. According to the poster, he/she was staying in room 310, which is indeed in the old part, on a low floor. No self-respecting FlyerTalker should stay there! :D

Just in case you are interested in additional info on bed bugs, here's a good site: http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entom...ruct/ef636.htm

One more thing: I'm curious whether the poster that reported itching ventured into any grassy areas, even just around the hotel. The description of his/her bites sounds awfully like chiggers.

The worst thing about the Missouri summer isn't sunburn, heat or humidity - it's chiggers

Yep--that's the one. I figured someone would come across it but wasn't sure if I should post a direct link.

Maybe it was really chiggers--I don't know why, but somehow that doesn't seem as bad. Just thinking about bedbugs gives me the willies!

I hate chiggers!!
 

I stayed at the embassy suites in Hot springs ar in march. When I got home my legs were itchin BIG TIME and I thought it was bed bugs but I realized when we weny hiking in Hot springs national park the locals were wearing long pants with duct tape. NOw I know why!

Preventing chiggers: buy some "flower of sulphur" at your local druggist, put it in an old sock, and whack your socks, shoe tops and trouser cuffs with it, giving all a light dusting. Ta DAH! no chiggers.

Preventing bedbugs - you can get them in unexpected places, unfortunately!

Once I got scabies :eek: in a hotel (Aha Una Ula in Santa Elena, El Petén, Guatemala,) and once from a flight in a Mexicana 727 that had apparently been used to fly repatriated illegal imigrants to Mexico. Now, these guys, you do not want to get (and the Doubletree Club MIA has been demolished, as it should have been long ago... I didn't get anything there, but I beleive it was either incredible luck or the invisible shield.) :D

Bedbugs at Homewood Suites Gallaria
 

Wife and I stayed at the Homewood Suites in Atlanta off of Cobb this week. Both of us got bit up bad (as we say in the south) with bed bugs.

Anyone have a remedy for bed bug bites?

Best remedy I know is to call CS and complain ,ask for full refund and a few thousand Points for the inconvienance

No help on the bed bugs, but I'm not surprised. This hotel is in my opinion the worst hotel in the HHonors system. I don't write many letters to complain, but I did about an experience in 2004 there. I started by trying to complain to the hotel manager, but received no response. I ended up contacting HHonors directly. They tried contacting the hotel, but received no response. HHonors ended up cutting me a check to refund my stay.

Cheers,
LBBZman

Bed bugs are increasing at an alarming rate

Vie da vantzen tantzen :(

According to this article on eMedicine, by Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH, Professor and Head of Dermatology, Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Pathology, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School:

"Bedbug bites do not usually require any treatment. Apply local antiseptic lotion or antibiotic cream or ointment if secondary infection occurs. Creams with corticosteroids and oral antihistamines may be advised in the presence of allergic reaction."

He also states "Anaphylactoid reactions are well described." If you have difficulty breathing, etc. (it's likely this would have happened some time soon after being bitten,) you should seek medical help, as you should if you become infected at the bite sites.

I would accompany this with a request for a full refund on the room in question, from the hotel, or from HHonors if they fail to respond. I am not a compo freak, but this is a bad scene, particularly in light of other FTers' posts about this hotel.

Have you checked over your bags, clothing? You may have brought them home with you to boot. Happened to a relative at a Sheraton in NYC. He was comped 25000 points (I believe worth 75,000ish in most other programs). The room was to be fumigated and closed for two weeks to remedy the problem.

Good point: you don't want to import those things home with you.

You definitely have to let Hilton know. If this hotel is a problem, they need to do something.

Is there a website that grades hotels? I know that the information is buried in here, but is there a site that gives the information in a more direct way.

My Interaction with the Hotel
 

As soon as I realized from my physician that I had bed bug bites, I contacted the Diamond Desk with my stay dates, hotel name, and room number to let them know to take care of the room so others would not have the same fate. Not sure that anything will happen so future hotel stayer beware.

My bites are pretty much healed. However the wife's bites are really nasty looking. Too bad we cannot post photos here!!!

I got the following message from the Diamond Desk -- pretty much what I suspected:

Thank you for your feedback on the Homewood Atlanta Galleria. Your comments and concerns have been forwarded to our Guest Assistance team who will contact the hotel to see how these issues can be resolved and avoided in the future. We appreciate you taking the time to share this information with us and have our assurance we take this type of feedback seriously.

Well, I had a reservation at this hotel in August and I cancelled now because of all the info here in this thread...Thanks to all those who posted info on this hotel!

Does anyone use one of those "executive sleeping bags"?

How about posting on Tripadvisor?
 

Sorry about what you are going through. If one looks up this hotel on tripadvisor, they will find only three good reviews. Perhaps you and anyone else on this board who has had a bad experience with this hotel can take some time to post on tripadvisor (see http://tinyurl.com/khqhp).


Wow, pretty lame. Hopefully they will follow up with a better response.

You'll want to be careful with your luggage and clothing from that trip. They might be stowaways in your belongings, so be careful.

wow...good to know for future reference not to stay here....

Hotel Response
 

I received a call from the manager today asking for specifics. He will be taking the room out of service.

Reimbursement
 

Do you think it would be appropriate for me to request that the hotel reimburse me for the doctor visit and for having my luggage professionally treated? Or, do I chalk this up to the price you pay for being a road warrior?

Definitely discuss this with the hotel GM. Ask that the hotel cover your medical expenses (including what your insurance would pay), and for new luggage or professional cleaning. Providing a clean hotel room is something that is expected when booking a room. Obviously, having bedbugs does not qualify. Likewise, ask for an inspection of your house to make sure you did not bring home guests.

ETA: The hotel probably has insurance of some sort that will cover their expenses for this, including your doctor's visits, etc. Your insurance company, when made aware of the reason for your doctor's visit, may opt to pursue payment from the hotel or the hotel's insurance.

Sorry to rehash this old thread, but I felt it was appropriate:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070104/D8ME732O0.html

Soprano Sues Arizona Hotel Over Bedbugs

NEW YORK (AP) - An opera singer has sued the Hilton Hotels Corp. (HLN) for $6 million, complaining she suffered 150 bites from bedbugs on her arms, chest, neck and face when she stayed in one of its hotels in Arizona.

Soprano Alison Trainer claimed she was bitten at Phoenix's Hilton Suites between Nov. 20 and Nov. 26, and said the bites were a "horrific" experience that left her afraid to sleep in a bed, caused her to lose weight and made her uncomfortable about her physical appearance.

Another review regarding bed bugs. This one is at Washington Hilton.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR..._Columbia.html

bed bugs
 

I strongly suggest EVERYONE on this board start getting more knowledgeable about bed bugs and how to avoid them. Everyone here travels, that means everyone here is at risk for not only getting bitten but for bringing them home and infesting their own homes.

Do searches online for bed bugs.

I just read an article written by a professor in NYC. NYC, for those of you who don't know, is essentially at the center of the bed bug epidemic in the U.S. This professor had bed bugs in her home, perhaps, she guessed, due to her husband's business travel.

She told her pest control guy that she didn't think people like them (in nice neighorhoods) were the ones to get bed bugs. His reply? "It's the people with money to travel who get them".

Isn't one of the important things to keep from doing is putting your suitcase/bags on the bed?

Yep.

Bedbugs are becoming a major problem.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...ls&btnG=Search

ew ew ew ew ew. Hotels really need to do something about this!!

Regular fumigations or something.

Definitely not the souvenir you want to bring back to the family. If you've never seen the effects of bed bugs (and the difficulty of getting rid of them) consider yourself lucky. Back in college one of the sorority girls got them (how no one knows) and in a few days the entire house was infested. Getting rid of them took weeks.

Avoiding them is probably beyond your control, but with some simple diligence you can spot them and stop the problem before they end up in your luggage and back in your home. One habit I've picked up lately is taking all my clothing directly from my suit case to the washing machine (and all the dry cleaning in a sealed bag) just in case.

http://hotels.about.com/od/hotelsecrets/a/bed_bugs.htm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11877871/

Bedbugs at Hilton hotel
 

Hi gurus,

I stayed at one of the hilton hotel with my family and there were bed bugs that bit my daughter who is 3yrs old and and wife .

I found the bugs and handed over to the housekeeper supervisor .

Now my daughter is in trauma and does not want to sleep alone by herself :(.

Can someone advice as what what can be the compensation for bed bugs bites .

I am a diamond at hilton.

Any pointers if i can file a lawsuit against the hotel

Thanks in advance

Bedbugs sadly are more common than ever.
 

If you are looking for lawsuit advice I'm not sure FT is the likely place. If your family is suffering form bedbug bites you first need to contact the GM at the hotel and the Diamond Desk . From there you can decide whether you want to retain an attorney.

They're coming back.

I assume there's a reason why you didn't post the hotel name... but I'm extremely curious. :D

I hope that Hilton will give you some free nights but I wouldn't think a lawsuit was in order unless they knew there were bedbugs before your stay, and still gave you that room. I certainly don't want Hilton to bomb the mattresses with pesticides between guests. :( It would be nice if the GM of the hotel would assure you that they have consulted a pest control service, and they will train their housekeeping staff to check for bedbugs when changing linens.

A quick Google search indicates that bedbug bites are painless, but result in itchy/painful bumps later, similar to a mosquito bite. Since there is no immediate association with pain, I wonder if your child's reaction is more a reflection of your own (understandable) horror/disgust than her personal trauma. :confused:

Maybe you can buy this toy for her, and she can kill all the bedbugs before she goes to bed at night. Or get her one of these - it's hard to be afraid of something cute and furry!

Decent parenting should help her get over it.

Of course you can file a lawsuit - and you should. Pointer #1: Find a lawyer. Lawsuits should be filed any time you are made unhappy, because unhappiness is not fair. Now go get your millions.

Be sure to log your stay here as well. Sue the webmaster if the site makes you unhappy.

+1. I have a hunch that the parents may have made a big deal out of it instead of downplaying the situation. Don't get me wrong, bedbugs are not acceptable in any hotel but suing the hotel seems to be a bit overkill.

As squeaker suggested, talk to the GM about this and you might possibly come up with an appropriate compensation.

Bobette

Definitely sue! Sounds like there's a lot of pain and suffering going on and, as we all know, if things like this happen, a lawsuit is the only way to proceed. It's certainly more effective than trying to move on and forget about the incident.
On a similar note, my TV at the HI stopped working the other night in the middle of Whale Wars. I'm thinking of suing also. It's KILLING me not to know how the episode ended.

I am truly sorry for you experience.

Bedbugs are a SERIOUS problem for the entire hotel industry; as well as for the traveling public.
Please contact the Hilton corporate offices at once. Thank you.

I am looking forward to when the suit is granted class action status, and some shyster lawyer starts advertising the fact on one of the cable news networks, trying to sign up clients. ;)

More immediately important than the lawsuit is not bringing them home with you - vishesh123, when you return home, you need to place all of your clothes directly in the dryer for at least 20 minutes on high heat (washing first is fine). Anything you cannot put in the dryer needs to go in a plastic ziploc bag (they make some very, very large ones that will fit clothes, books, etc.), then ideally in the freezer for 3 months (or at rt for 18 months, the amount of time they can live without food). Your suitcases need to be vacuumed with a high-powered canister vacuum cleaner, then the vacuum bag sealed up in a plastic bag and disposed of immediately.

In fact, getting some of those ziploc bags now for your clothes inside your suitcases would be a good idea assuming you are flying home to avoid spreading them to other pax.

Lots of information online about these protocols. Huge pain, but infinitely better than having an infestation in your home.