‘Strange smell’ in hotel room could indicate the room has bed bugs

Bed bugs are unwelcome guests in any hotel room,but there are few signs British tourists can look out for.

Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms, said: “Nothing would ruin your holiday more than finding out you’ve been sharing the bed with some unwelcome guests.

“We recommend checking both your bed and your room on arrival at your hotel when going abroad to make sure everything is clean and up to your standards.

“There are a few tell tale signs to look out for that can indicate there are some bed bugs lurking around your room. If you do notice things like dark patches on the wall and blood spots on the sheets then be sure to take this up with the hotel manager right away.

“They should be really accommodating and offer to move you so nothing has a negative impact on both your holiday and more importantly your health.”

READ MORE: ‘Our dream £3,000 family holiday was filthy and everything was shut’

Musty odour

Nic said a hotel room that “smells a little strange” could indicate the room has bed bugs. A strong, musty and unpleasant odour could signify the bugs.

The smell is strongest when there are large amounts of bugs present and tourists should err on the side of caution if the room is smelly.

The smell is caused by the bed bugs’ scent glands and may be noticeable when a guest enters their room.

‌

Dark spots on walls

Bed bugs can leave stains on the walls and any dark spots on the wall could be their excrement.

When the bugs get squashed, they tend to release a lot of blood which may leave red marks around the mattress.

Tourists should check both sides of the mattress before getting in bed, especially around the seams as that’s where the bugs tend to hide.

Bug shells

Bugs tend to shed their skin once they grow. These are generally husk-like shells that may crunch if squashed.

The shells are generally found amongst fabric so tourists should check the mattresses and headboards for any evidence.

Eggs are also a sign of bedbugs and are usually about 1 mm wide and a pale yellow colour. Any evidence of bedbugs should be reported to hotel staff immediately.