HotelChatter

Honesty is the best policy.

My family was subjected to Bed Bugs at The Red Roof Inn, North Blackstone, Fresno California. This was August of 2005... at the time we had no idea what they were or the ensuing torment that would follow our family. The room was filled with them.... they were so fat from feeding that they did not scurry to their hiding place.. they just kicked back on the bed... bloated from feasting on warm bodies!!
After discovering them we removed the blood stained sheets from the beds only to discover the disgusting mattress and box springs. We are itching and scratching like crazy. Housekeeping and maintenance arrived and confirmed Bed Bugs.. The maids comment rather alarming "oh No! not more"
The front desk refunded the stay and couldn't get us out of there fast enough.
At home we researched Bed Bugs,as like most people we thought they were a myth.
This was the start of the journey.
Home had to have treatment from pest service... clothes to cleaners... laundry for days.. high heat on the dryer.. stuffed animal toys bagged in plastic etc. I know many are suffering a similar fate.
Contacted Manager and stated we wished to be reimbursed for all our associated expenses. Finally heard from their insurance company... They indicated that they probably couldn't accept the claim because we probably brought them in ourselves!! and they wanted us to provide a sworn recorded statement.
Needless to say we were furious.
A little bit of investigating turned up the pest control company and the pest service reports for that establishment.
That establishment has had Bed Bugs spanning a nearly 3 year period..
Multiple rooms... multiple treatments and obviously many paying guests unwitting victims.
This establishment knew they had Bed Bugs.. they knew the protocol.. as per their own pest company guidelines everything exposed in that room needs to be quarrantined, your bags and clothing cleaned, items sealed air tight for two weeks.
This establishment showed no regard for our well being.. This is happening throughout the hospitality industry...the denial and deceit is leading to more widespread infestation.
2 members of my family are now being treated by an allergy specialist with an ongoing itching problem due to a reaction to the saliva of the Bed Bug.
We just recently discovered the corporation that owns this property,
Campbell Lodging Inc. (they own 23 properties in various states) has another property in Fresno and what do you know! YES! BED BUGS!
In California regulation of hotels and motels regarding beds,pests,vermin falls under State Housing Law.
California Code of Regulations:
Title 25 Division 1 chapter 1 Subchapter 1 Article S40
Health and Safety Code Sections:
17920.3 17922 17921 17003.5 50061.5 50559.  
They are in violation of the law substandard housing!!
We have tried for 7 months to have the local and state agencies address this issue to no avail.
In the City of Fresno there simply is no enforcement... You can slap down 50 pages of reports verifying Bed Bug infestation and nothing will happen.
There have been further infestations since we notified the appropriate agency, more visitors unknowingly exposed and harmed.
We can only conclude that the tax revenue provided by the hospitality industry out weighs the safety and well being of visitors and residents of California.
We will have to wait until they reach Arnold's suite at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento.
I am sure they will if the hospitality industry, assisted by local government and the State agencies, continue to conceal and diminish the Bed Bug problem in California.

Sorry for the epic post!

frustrated in California.

need help

Hello, I was wondering if "missmuffet"  (or anyone else) could tell me what kind of investigating was done to gather the information needed to find out who the Pest Control Service or Exterminator was of the Red Roof Inn Blackstone, Fresno CA mentioned in that post.

My story is almost identical to that post.  I stayed at the Vagabond Inn Executive Hollywood California with a friend.  We were bit by bedbugs while there. We took a bug to the Manager and he laughed at us and told us "We don't have bugs, you must have brought that bug with you."  We only went to ask because the bed was loaded with bugs that looked like ticks and we had been bit.  My friend was having a severe allergic reaction to the bites and we wanted to know what to do.

When we arrived home I unpacked my suitcase (on my bed) and immediately started being bit in my bed.  We had no idea what bedbugs were or I would have thrown out my suitcase and it's contents.

Instead I had a nightmare that lasted for several months.  I threw away, clothes, furniture, linens etc. And had my home exterminated 5 times.

I too had a severe allergic reaction to the bites.  I had months without sleep, an unexplainable amount of anxiety.  It was the worst experience of my life... and it seemed never ending.  All because The Vagabond Inn Hollywood put me at risk by putting me in a room that was infested.  This could have been avoided if they had taken proper care and kept that room off limits until they rectified the problem.

(Someone else stayed in the same room months later and was bit by bedbugs, they too posted on the internet and we have been in contact) In my opinion this hotel does not care about the health or safety of the paying guests.  Clearly!

I contacted the Hotel management and the manager pretended he did not remember speaking to me when we came to the office with the bug several day before.  Finally, he refused to give me franchise or corporate contact info.  He said "I am not telling you anything".

There is the first lesson.  Always get a written incident report at the hotel before you check out.  If they refuse, call the corporate office or even the police if you have to.

Second lesson:  Call the health department while you are at the hotel and file a complaint.

We did not know to do any of this.

I did file a claim with the Hotels insurance carrier and was told the same thing as "missmuffet's"  experience.  I had no proof the bedbugs were there prior to my stay. So they have no liability.

That hotel was loaded with bedbugs and continued to be for almost a year after my stay according to posts on Yahoo Travel, Travelocity Best Hotels and countless other travel sites.

Of course some of the posts are mine.

In order for me to hold the Vagabond Inn Hollywood responsible I need to get proof that they had bedbugs prior to my stay and knew about it.

So If anyone has any thoughts on how I can find this info please share your thoughts with me.

Where can I find out who the Hotels' exterminator was during this time?

I tried the health department of LA county but they could not help.  Many people have posted not only bedbug complaints, but other bug infestation at the Vagabond Inn Hollywood and the LA County Public Health investigators can never find anything even when given specific info regarding room numbers and the type of bug infestation per the complaint.

I need any and all info or advice that anyone can share on finding the info I need.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thank you.

Re: Bedbug Ninjas Unite!

BED BUGS at La Quinta Inn and Suites Phoenix, AZ Mesa East.  I stayed 10/8/07 - 10/11/07.  I awoke fine but during the day I began to itch like crazy.  I didn't what it was or I would have checked out sooner.  I received 20 - 30 bites and am just now healing from their bites.  Room 606 has the BED BUGS.

Re: Bedbugs

I had that same incident when I stayed at a Howard Johnson Hotel. I found this wonderful product www.lewchem.com Their product kills bedbugs and their eggs on contact, no odor and safe to use. All the hotels are using this.

Re: Bedbug Ninjas Unite!

Houston, TX, Cincinnati, OH, Cleveland, OH have all successfully and "safely" utilized SporiCLEAN as a completely effective Bed Bug Green alternative to toxic chemical disinfectants & insecticides.  
SporiCLEAN is completely safe to people, pets and plants along with our waterways.  100% Organic Plant-Based Enzymes with Coconut Oil surfactant.  It is completely food-grade and it works!
If you have any questions, please go to the website at: www.USBiologics.com or call: 877-703-3330
Many cities and hospitality facilities are now using SporiCLEAN - it is a concentrate which makes it the most cost-effective product in the market.  It is a safe do-it-yourself product... which saves $1,000s in toxic chemical repeat exterminating programs!