Bedbug registry?

[MaggieTheCat]

http://bedbugregistry.com/

Does anyone know how accurate this site is? My parents are coming to visit us in a few months and are looking for a place to stay, and they are completely paranoid that they're going to end up in a hotel with bedbugs. They have checked several hotels and keep claiming that they are all on the bedbug registry, but every time I check the same hotels, I find no evidence of bedbugs. If you put a hotel name and city/state in the search engine, it will bring you a list of hotels in that city but then if you click on one of the specific locations, it will either say how many reports of bedbugs they have had, or that no bedbugs have been reported at that location. So far, all the hotels that they've mentioned have indicated that there have been no reports of bedbugs.

Anyway, the site seems pretty...fishy, anyway. In the FAQ, it even says that they have no way to guarantee accuracy of their information since the bedbug reports are submitted anonymously and are not verified by anyone. I don't see any reason why someone who wanted to be a jerk could report bedbugs at any old hotel even if they've never stayed there, and then that hotel would be flagged.

But my parents are completely freaking out and paranoid...does anyone have any advice on how to calm them down?

[Geek King]

I've heard that site discussed on the radio, and the same concerns about jerks were raised. I'd guess the more reports, the more likely it would be a real concern.

The easiest advice would be to pack all their clothes in sealable plastic freezer bags before traveling. Also, to bring a flashlight and educate themselves on the signs of bedbugs, then check the room before unpacking. They're pretty obvious signs, if you know what you're looking for, and the information is readily available on the web. If they're really paranoid, they could run everything through a big dryer before going back into their house after travelling, as high levels of heat will kill the bedbugs.

[dendawg]

Unfortunately, there's only one real way to find out if a motel/hotel's infested with bedbugs.

If they're truly paranoid, have them buy some Diatomaceus Earth and have them sprinkle some around the bed's edges. Plus have them pack their clothes in giant ziploc bags (the have some in suitcase sizes), and wash their clothes in hot water and dry them completely when they get back home, etc.

Even then it's not really a guarantee. Your best bet is luck.

[trailerparkmedic]

I don't know how accurate it is. My little sister had bedbugs in her apartment and it's not listed on that site.

Bedbugs aren't really a big problem in Texas. They're around, but it's not like New York City. In addition to the suggestions above, once your parents get home they can put their suitcase in the tub. That makes it very easy to see bugs crawling out.

[Solumina]

I'll be totally honest in many areas every single hotel has had at least a few bedbugs in the last year. It isn’t really an issue of whether or not the place has had bedbugs, it is an issue of making sure that those bedbugs aren't passed on to the next guests.

Your parents should also educate themselves as much as they can about bedbugs. Almost all of the bedbug complaints that we get (and we don't get all that many when you consider the size of our property) turn out to be something completely harmless, one of them even turned out to be a couple of lightning bugs, so those guests have panicked over nothing, which can really put a damper on their vacations.

[dalesys]

...turned out to be a couple of lightning bugs...

Melva, there's no point in hiding... They've got flashlights.