Question for hotel CSers

[worddork]

Last weekend I stayed at a hotel in Los Angeles, so I could attend a class at UCLA. The first morning I notice that my arms icthed, I thought it was due to the fact fact that I forgot to pack moisturizer and my dry skin was acting up. The second morning the icthing had moved to my hands, and that's when I noticed the spots. The bites are too big to be flea bites, but too small to be mosquito bites, so my mom believes them to be bed-bug bites.

Since coming back home, family and friends have been urging me to contact the manager and ask for a discount from my bill since their bed-bug infestation could have been speard to my house if I hadn't washed everything I took as soon as I got home.

I think I should just contact them to alert them to the problem so they can fix it, not have any one else be biten by these creepy-crawlies.

So what are your ideas?

[Setsunaela]

I'm not a hotel worker, but I'd like to offer my advice anyhow. Feel free to ignore it ^_^

Personally I'd call them with the intent to inform them that you experienced a problem with bed bugs during your stay in their hotel. If they offer you a discount/partial/full refund, etc, accept graciously. If they act all huffy and "not OUR hotel" and sucky and rude, reconsider your approach. ^^

[Evil Queen]

That's a good way to do it.

Call them and let them know they have an infestation. With any luck, it'll be the one room that is infested.

AND WASH YOUR CLOTHES! Those things are hard to get rid of, in some cases you have to throw out the item (or burn it) to kill the pests.

[alogram]

I would definitely call them!

And PLEASE, think of everything you brought with you.....suitcase, etc.

Those things are RELENTLESS.

I would hate to see them spread into your home!

You didn't say if it was a chain hotel, etc., but if the hotel says "That would never happen here" or something to that effect, definitely go higher.

GOOD LUCK!

[Broomjockey]

Yep, tell them about the infestation. They could conceivably not even know. If they deny it, definitely take it higher, because frankly, any hotel that would risk it is in dire need of a management change.

[smileyeagle1021]

The one thing I would say, and this is more for future reference sense it's too late now, but definitely mention it BEFORE YOU LEAVE next time. Housekeepers, if they are good, will clean 20+ rooms in less than 8 hours (at our hotel they start at about 8 and finish around 4, and they do have a break and have to do their own laundry and they average right around 20 rooms). They are only in the room for maybe 10 to 15 minues, with maybe 2 or 3 minutes working on the bed. It is understandable that they would miss something like that, and obviously they did sense nothing was done during your stay.
I'm saying tell the manager before you leave for 2 reasons, first, it is much more likely with the manager able to look at the bed bugs, and knowing the problem, have someone verify it immediately if they are going to do a discount/comp room, second, and more importantly is that they need to get that room taken out of inventory ASAP before someone else starts getting bitten by bed bugs and potentially spreading the infestation to their own home.

That said, it's too late for that now, so I'd say call ASAP. The management still should be willing to work with you, and they still need to get that room out of inventory.

[worddork]

AND WASH YOUR CLOTHES! Those things are hard to get rid of, in some cases you have to throw out the item (or burn it) to kill the pests.

I did the first morning I was home. I washed my clothes, the sleeping sack* I took, my pillow, and my slippers.

I'll call them today, and tell them.

Smilely- I would have told them before I left, however I checked out as I was leaving for class and only noticed the itchiness in class, but not the bites, those I saw on the drive home. By then it was too late

*looks something like this (http://www.isabellacatalog.com/prod.cfm/pgc/21300/sbc/21303/inv/4793), but I made mine. I use it cause I sometimes find hotle sheets to be scratchy.