The First Thing We Do When We Enter a Hotel Room is a Terrible Mistake

February 15, 2016

The first thing anyone should do after checking into their hotel isn’t flopping on the bed or unpacking their bags

According to experts, doing so minimizes the risk of contact between bed bugs at a hotel and guests’ personal belongings. The slippery surface of the bath tub makes it difficult for bed bugs to cling to. The advice should be heeded now more than ever given the terrifying spike in bed bug incidents found at hotels and motels across the country.

A 2015 Bugs Without Borders survey, carried out by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky, found higher rates of treatment for bed bug infestations in the United States now than there were 15 years ago. In addition, New York City hotels reported a 44% increase for January of this year compared to 2015.

Five-star hotels aren’t excluded either. Last month, a viral video by a California couple showed the disturbing infestation of bedbugs at the Astor on the Park hotel located at 106th Street in New York. The man in the video showed mounds of bed bugs hidden in the mattress and bites all over his partner’s arms.

The critters, who feed on human and animal blood, are no bigger than specks of dust. They lay hundreds of eggs and burrow into the crevices of mattresses. They are easily spread by latching onto the clothes and suitcases of travelers. Getting rid of them isn’t an easy task either. Bed bugs are able to survive for months at a time without feeding.

It’s important to notify hotel staff immediately if there are any signs of bedbugs so that the matter is taken care of right away. Next time you’re checking into a hotel, leave the luggage in the bath tub.

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