Bedbugs, anyone?

We've had 10 discussions of that on this forum. Go here http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/31950/bhow-to-find-all-not-just-some-answers-to-your-helpline-questionb.htmlfollow the search instructions given thereenter the search term bedbugyou should get 10 prior discussions.

Why do you assume bed bugs can't infect smaller hotels?
Is it a union rule:) IMO you shouldn't plan your trip around bed bugs. Location, price, amenities, and good reviews are better criteria.

Thank you for your posts. I apologize for putting this up. I thought I had done a search for the topic, but obviously did not. I'm embarrassed, now, as this is the first post I've ever done, anywhere on the internet, and it was a mistake. :( Again, sorry. And also, I appreciate the point that they wouldn't necessarily just be in big hotels.

Elaine...don't apologize....searching for past discussions has been difficult on this board, until Kent's recent sleuthing. Post away....no need to be embarrassed.

Hi elaine:

To answer your question. I was in Paris on an RS tour and two of the people on the tour got bitten. They were in different rooms. The hotel was very clean and I had no problems. It was two people out of 28. So the hotel was not totally infected.

None of the other hotels we stayed in had any problems and that was the first time i had encountered them in my 5 trips to Europe.

If you are concerned check the bed before you get in.

But don't worry too much.

Elaine: As the others have said, definitely no apology is needed. The intent behind explaining how you can find the prior discussions is to help you find all the answers that are here. Without that explanation, your answers would have been limited to what current Helpline Repliers can provide here, and you would have missed the prior discussions.Most of the information that's available on the Helpline is locked away in the many years of prior discussions. But until recently there was not an efficient way to access the archives, and now there is. So I'm trying to spread the knowledge of how to unlock the archives.Please don't hesitate to come back anytime to ask questions!

Elaine, please do not be embarrassed. The search function on this forum is almost useless unless you know all tricks. Not fair really to newcomers, who need to be able to search the most. We have been bugging the webmaster to fix it! We hope you keep coming back on here with more questions.

As to that bedbug theme. I think it is quite good to discuss it again, now that the summer tourist season is upon us. Having worked in a hotel over here, rest assured that this is a problem that hotels are VERY aware of and do everything they can to prevent it. Avoiding smaller hotels is not the best plan though, as the bigger hotels will have the better laundry facilities, better trained staff, more thorough cleaning of rooms to reach specific standards and will be sure to have bedbug proof mattress covers. These are fairly expensive and something that your smaller hotel may not have. This is not saying that smaller hotels are not clean and spotless, they usually are, but the bedbug thing is something different and if housekeeping staff are not trained to look for them, this is when problems can start. All it takes is one guest who has brought them from someplace else in their suitcase.They are hard to get rid of, so prevention is the key.

Feel free to ask any potential hotel or hostel what they do to prevent bedbugs. Ask if they use protective mattress covers. They will either be proud to tell you that they do, or hem-haw around that they don't need it. That will be your clue as to which place to stay in overnight.

Its all a gambol.
Fact is room could be fine one week, and infected the next,, thanks to that weeks occupants.

Keep in mind, bedbugs travel with travellers, so any hotel is just as likely as any other hotel to have them. Only difference is some hotels will act quickly to deal with issue.. and others can go into denial mode..

Check bed ,, mattress etc. I have been lucky,, and hope to continue to be..

The one thing I do differently because of the bedbugs is I never put my bag on the floor. It's always on a chair or table. Apparently that keeps them from hitchhiking in your luggage.

So far I haven't had bed bugs anywhere but I figure it's bound to happen eventually.

If you're careful, and learn how to inspect a hotel room before you accept it, or just after checking in, you shouldn't have a problem.

If you make reservations at a hotel, check them out on Tripadvisor to see what others see. Also check out the numerous bedbug websites where people report problems (do a google search).

If you wing it when finding hotels, then you have to learn how to inspect a hotel room. If you don't want to be bothered, then be ready for an expensive trip--especially when you bring the little buggers home and have to pay for extermination and getting new furniture.