But the issue goes farther -

I recently found a few in my room. I have to say, I was shocked and amazed by how the staff handled it. They were great, comped the stay, moved me to a suite, and cleaned all the clothes - which is what ended up being a problem. I was told they were going to dry clean the clothes - fine. Turns out, while they dry cleaned the dry clean only clothes, they washed the rest in hot water and hot dried them. Yes, I understand that's the way to get rid of bedbugs, but they ended up shrinking half my clothes. The other half now look old and worn out. I was preparing to send Marriott an email praising the staff for how they handled it, but now I'm not so sure. Am I overreacting about the clothes? Should I just drop it? I don't even want reimbursed, but I'm a little upset about it.

That's a tough one. My mom has had bedbugs at two different Marriotts in the last couple years. Both locations were up front, honest, admitted it and all was good. Points for a few free nights each time. This last time was major and mom ended up in the emergency room (no joke) but she didn't want to push it. Your case brings up an added element. I would probably present it to the local Marriott exactly like you did here. You aren't trying to get something for free, were really impressed by how they handled it, BUT you feel very frustrated by the clothes issue. See what they suggest. They'll give you 75k or 100k points pretty easily. That might make everything feel better!?

Could you share what hotel it was? Was this recent? Do they still have that problem?

I'd really rather not share until I decide whether to email them or not - and yes, it was recent. Not sure if it was a hotel-wide problem or just that room.

I've yet to hear of anything being building wide anywhere (hotel, Apartment, Airports, Home etc - yes they are found everywhere these days)...as far as hotels go the housekeeping teams are all trained what to look for and immediately notify management so they can be handled...it's not an easy process and takes weeks to fully certify (yes rooms are certified by outside vendors before being returned to service)

I had a friend that got bitten by bedbugs in RC in Tokyo and got offered measly 5k for the trouble. Not all Marriott properties are alike....

What does a room smell like after it has been rid of bedbugs? I was offered a room last night at the Stamford Marriott and it smelled off. That and the fact it didn't have a tub, I asked to be moved to a different room. That room smelt fine.

After reading this, it may have been a insecticide type smell.

They sprayed the luggage, which smelled slightly, and I do mean slightly. No idea about the room.

It always smells off. It's a fairly old Marriott.

the room will not have any odor - the room is taken out of service for a few weeks after the initial treatment and rechecked several times to be sure the situation has been correctly resolved

Wow. I must be lucky. 2000 nights in all sorts of Marriotts and never seen a bedbug to my knowledge.

Just speculating here...is it POSSIBLE some people bring bedbugs to the hotels and think they got them at the hotel?

Just a thought....

+1, but I'll add, with the comments recently posted about demanding compensation for this-or-that regardless of other factors or merit, perhaps someone is bringing the bugs to the hotel to start a claim?
I've seen reports of folks putting roaches in their soup and claim that's how it came from the kitchen......

Except the first 45 days all my stays where at Gold or Platinum member. Maybe they give the bugs to transients....

Well, I'm not demanding compensation, so....

And if I brought bedbugs into this hotel, wouldn't I have brought them into the other 17 hotels I've stayed in this year? Including the one two days before this one?

Wasn't accusing you. They could have been brought there by one of the guests before you of course. Or maybe you picked them up at the property you stayed two days prior. I just find it curious that I have never run into bedbugs.