Infestation rates are hard to estimate but some surveys suggest 10-20% of hotels may have a bed bug issue at any given time. Hotels with higher occupant turnover like airports tend to have more frequent issues. Hotels must be proactive in implementing effective bed bug prevention and control measures.
People Also Ask
Bedbugs are found in hotels but the vast majority of them are in apartments Some travelers take precautions to avoid bed bugs, but hotel-goers aren't the most at risk.
In most cases, guests carry bed bugs into hotels unknowingly, in infested luggage, clothing, blankets, and pillows. Hotels with high occupancy turnover are especially vulnerable to infestation. There is little that can be done to prevent guests from bringing in bed bugs. No hotel is immune to a bed bug infestation.
“It may surprise you that bed bugs are a common problem in hotels,” says Jordan Foster, Pest Management Expert at Fantastic Pest Control. “Infestations of bed bugs have nothing to do with sanitation or cleanliness. Bed bugs are not uncommon in hotels or motels of any star rating, from one-star to five-star.”
Just because you think (or are even positive) the hotel had bed bugs does not necessarily mean that you brought them home with you. Granted, bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate on your own, so it's a good idea to act as if you may have picked up a hitchhiking bed bug or two.
Not everyone who stays in a bed bug infested room will take bed bugs home. Nevertheless, it's a good idea to act as if you may have picked up a stray bed bug or two. The most likely place to pick up bed bugs in luggage is on, or next to, the bed.
Victims of bed bug bites can sue the hotel for ample compensation for their damages. You may be able to receive coverage for the following: Medical expenses from the past and future. Property damage for anything that was lost or needed to be repaired if the infestation spread to your home.
Some people think that bed bugs are no more common in hotel rooms or vacation rentals than anywhere else. According to recent NPMA data, however, 80% of pest control companies surveyed reported that they had treated hotels and/or motels for bed bugs infestations within the past year.
Bed bugs can move as fast as 5 feet per minute but can move from room to room within an hour or two. Within an hour bed bugs can move as much as 100 feet! Bed bugs can spread even quicker if they hitch a ride onto clothes or luggage.