Comments on: Hotel bedbug horror degenerates into a war of words

By: Paulette Baker

Paulette Baker — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:10:48 +0000

This woman’s story just doesn’t ring true. No fleas in Colorado? That’s a myth that’s been debunked by several authorities. Although the state isn’t as flea-friendly as some warmer climes, fleas are found just about everywhere animals are. Sounds like an at-home flea infestation and she’s trying to get someone else to foot the bill. I think the hotel responded correctly and wouldn’t hesitate to book a room there.

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:40:41 +0000

On June 25th, 2009 at 11:16 am Ron said Frank,
I was commenting not on whether or not this person had legitamate claim, but about the service she got when she contacted the hotel.
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The Service? Why, they said they followed up on the room and had an exterminator investigate. That’s correct protocol. Nothing was found. Nothing was brought to the attention of the hotel staff WHILE THERE. Nothing was documented. THEY LEFT THE HOTEL, WITHOUT COMPLAINT.

By: Samuel

Samuel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:58:12 +0000

the hospitality industry is in full lockdown and denial about the bedbug problem. but bedbugs are just another one of the ills affecting hotels. i have experienced many hygiene related problems like filthy bathrooms, unchanged beds and sticky carpets in all classes of hotels over the last few years. i have gotten so jaded that i now travel with anti bacterial wipes, an allersac travel sheet, and flipflops, i would have never done this 10 years ago. the first company to introduce a hotel geared towards cleanliness will make a fortune. a hotel with no carpets, solid memory foam mattresses, sparse clean bathrooms and some form of room inspection is an idea just waiting to happen

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:12:19 +0000

On her side, if you’ve never been bitten by a bedbug, you have no idea what those bites are. I got bitten by them and I’m allergic (they don’t affect some people), but even my doctor couldn’t figure out what the giant red itchy and eventually oozing welts were. Luckily, they weren’t in my house — I’d be dead. And they don’t live in the soft bedding, but rather in the cracks of beds and woodwork.

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:16:56 +0000

Frank,
I appreciate that bedbugs are everywhere. I was commenting not on whether or not this person had legitamate claim, but about the service she got when she contacted the hotel.

I don’t know how the original posters can prove the critters came from the hotel unless the hotel found that they had an infestation and admitted to it. Even if the family had a bug and sent it to the hotel after they left, I don’t think that would have proved anything.

I just think that if the hotel had responded better to this person’s complaints, they could have nipped this in the bud and the family might not have taken things to a public forum.

It is a no-win situation for everyone now. The bugs may have come from the hotel, they may have come from somewhere else. No one will ever truly know. However, we do know that this hotel has had their reputation smeared.

By: Mike Stevens

Mike Stevens — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:04:20 +0000

Should HAVE, not “should of.”

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:58:44 +0000

On June 25th, 2009 at 7:47 am Ron said No matter what the result is with the small claims court case, the hotel has lost. Sad to say, this little bit of information will live forever on the Internet and some people will stay away.
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But, looking at it from a hotel perspective, the guest SHOULD OF documented it with the hotel management. GET IT IN WRITING. Everyone has a cellphone, they SHOULD OF TAKEN PICURES and if possible, locate one of the critters and place it in a ziplock bag as proof. How can a hotel deny PROOF? These guests never contacted the hotel until OVER A WEEK later. Which in time, becomes their word against the hotels.

Ron, bedbugs are EVERYWHERE. In NYC, exterminators say over 30 percent of their business is getting rid of bedbugs. They’re in hotels, hospitals, on the subway. I know of several crewmembers who have encountered them on layovers. Word gets out about these “problem” hotels, fast. Documentation is key. And, reporting the problem too. Two issues these guests failed to do.

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:47:38 +0000

No matter what the result is with the small claims court case, the hotel has lost. Sad to say, this little bit of information will live forever on the Internet and some people will stay away.

Just look at some of the other article listed below the story….Bugs in your Luggage! How clean is your Hotel room? A filthy room at the Inn. I am sure the Stanley Hotel wants to be lumped in with that kind of story.

Perhaps if they had tried to work with the person rather than just dump them off on their insurance carrier. Maybe if the president of the Grand Heritage Hotel Groups had even bothered to respond, the customer wouldn’t have continued pursuing this issue.

Customer Service Rule #1 Always respond to the customer. Even if it is to say you don’t have an answer right now.