kudos to this forum...seriously

[Janet H]

There are a couple of well known websites that document "sightings" and I check them. I too have had some bad experiences and bedbugs are no small deal. Once you've had your stuff in an infested room you don't dare bring it anywhere else. You can bring those nasty critters home. I travel a lot (about 6 hotels per month) and have had several occasions now where I've checked into infested rooms - some of those rooms where at top shelf hotels. It's a growing problem.

I have a check-in drill now that includes leaving my gear in the bathroom (hard surface) and pulling back the bedding, inspecting, etc. If I find a problem I ask for a room on another floor and far away and then do the drill again. Once, I spent the night in my car in a hotel parking lot after the 3rd room failed to pass muster. This all seems paranoid but I'm not a germaphobe - I just don't want to bring these things home.

[wildwest450]

My wife is a bedbugaphobe, she won't stay anywhere without putting our luggage in the bathtub and flipping the mattress over to check. We've known a few people that have got them from Nashville area hotels, very nice places, it's not a cleanliness issue. Once you bring them home, it will cost you thousands to get rid of them, not fun.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by Janet H

There are a couple of well known websites that document "sightings" and I check them. I too have had some bad experiences and bedbugs are no small deal. Once you've had your stuff in an infested room you don't dare bring it anywhere else. You can bring those nasty critters home. I travel a lot (about 6 hotels per month) and have had several occasions now where I've checked into infested rooms - some of those rooms where at top shelf hotels. It's a growing problem.

I have a check-in drill now that includes leaving my gear in the bathroom (hard surface) and pulling back the bedding, inspecting, etc. If I find a problem I ask for a room on another floor and far away and then do the drill again. Once, I spent the night in my car in a hotel parking lot after the 3rd room failed to pass muster. This all seems paranoid but I'm not a germaphobe - I just don't want to bring these things home.

9/11 killed air travel and according to your experience, bed bugs have killed hotel travel. I guess I got an RV at the right time! Too bad I can’t bring it abroad!

[wahoonc]

My wife and I both travel for a living. We were averaging around 500 hotel stays a year between the two of us, and usually not together. We are down quite a bit from that, she is currently not working and I am in a different position that has me down around 150 nights a year in hotels.

I have only encountered bed bugs once, and it was in a Crowne Plaza. My bride has seen them several times and gotten them more than once, not fun to deal with!

We bought our RV to enjoy weekends away at the lake and to make travel more comfortable for the longer trips. We do travel with a pet which is a plus for him and us. Pet friendly hotels have gotten greedy, last one I checked into wanted an additional $25 PER NIGHT. We were considering a 3 night stay. Took the RV instead and parked next to my out of state office. Last trip up there I installed a 30 amp RV circuit. so now I am good to go!

I didn't buy the RV to save money, so much as to expand my choices and MY comfort.

Aaron

[Janet H]

That's a lot of hotels!