What should I do if I find bed bugs in my hotel room?

Photograph them, keep your luggage off the bed and floor, and go to the front desk. Ask for a room that is not next to, above or below the affected one.

Will a hotel refund me for bed bugs?

Many will, if you report it during the stay with photos. If the hotel refuses, escalate through the booking site with your evidence.

How long after staying in a hotel do bed bug bites appear?

Usually within hours to a couple of days. Some people never react, so check your luggage even without bites.

What to do if your hotel has bed bugs

192 hotels scanned · 95 cities · data refreshed 2026-11-13

Finding bed bugs in a hotel room is more common than most guests think, and what you do in the first half hour decides how the rest goes: whether you get moved, whether you get your money back, and whether they come home with you.

It is not a rare event. 10 of 192 (5%) hotels we scanned had at least one review mentioning bed bugs — see hotels with bed bugs. Here is what to do, step by step.

The first 30 minutes: what to do right away

Photograph what you found, close up and with something for scale, then go to the front desk rather than calling.

Ask for a room that is not next to, above or below the affected one — bed bugs travel through walls and wiring.

Put worn clothes into sealed bags, and wash and tumble-dry them on high heat as soon as you can.

Do not unpack, and do not move your luggage to another room until you have checked it. Ask the hotel to move you and to bag your things for you if they offer that.

Bitten by bed bugs in a hotel: what to do about the bites

Bed bug bites often show up hours or even a day or two later, in lines or small clusters on skin that was uncovered in bed. Many people do not react at all, so no bites does not mean no bed bugs.

Wash the bites with soap and water and try not to scratch. A pharmacist can suggest something for the itch. See a doctor if the bites become infected, if the reaction is severe, or if you feel unwell.

Photograph the bites with the date, and keep any receipts for treatment — you will need both if you ask for compensation.

How to get a refund from a hotel with bed bugs

Report it during the stay. Hotels and booking sites are far more willing to refund a problem they could check than one you mention after you leave.
Ask in writing for what you want: a room change, a refund for the affected nights, the cost of laundry or dry cleaning.
Escalate through the booking site if the hotel refuses, using your booking and your photos.
Ask your card issuer about a dispute as a last step if you paid for a service you could not use and the hotel will not resolve it.
Keep everything: photos, emails, names of staff, receipts for cleaning and treatment.

Can you sue a hotel for bed bugs?

In many countries guests have brought claims against hotels over bed bugs, usually for bites, medical costs and damaged belongings. Whether a claim is worth it depends on the law where the hotel is, the evidence you have, and the harm done.

The evidence that matters is the same as for a refund: dated photos of the bugs and the bites, your written report to the hotel and its answer, and receipts. This is general information, not legal advice — a local lawyer or consumer-rights body can tell you where you stand.

How to stop bed bugs coming home with you

Keep your suitcase zipped and on the luggage rack until you leave. At home, unpack straight into the washing machine, wash on the hottest setting the fabric allows and tumble-dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes.

Vacuum the suitcase inside and out, especially the seams, and store it away from bedrooms.

Next time, run the five-minute bed bug check before you unpack, and check the reviews before you book. To warn other guests, see how to report a hotel for bed bugs.

Browse researched hotels

Cities where every listed hotel has a full HotelShortlist review dossier:

Alytus Athens Barcelona Birštonas Bona Breuil-Cervinia Cervinia Cortina d'Ampezzo Davos-Klosters Dubai Gstaad Holzgau Jamaica Jennersdorf Kaunas Kitzbühel Kraków Kretinga Lisbon Madonna di Campiglio Magland Megève Milano Méribel Palanga Paris Pärnu Riga Rimini Rubuliai San Vigilio Sanya St. Anton am Arlberg St. Moritz Tartu Tauperlitz Trakai Trento Utzmannsbach Vilnius Vysoké Tatry Wagrain Warsaw Zakopane Zermatt Łódź Žiaukos

How we counted

We scanned the English-language guest reviews of 192 hotels in 95 cities for mentions of bed bugs and other pests (cockroaches, mice, ants, fleas and similar). Reviews that deny a problem ("no bed bugs") are excluded, and each hotel counts once however many reviews mention it.

A mention is a guest’s report, not an inspection result — it may be old, and the hotel may have dealt with it since. This page shows totals only and never names a hotel. If you represent a hotel and believe a figure is wrong, write to members@hotelshortlist.com and we will review it.

Questions

What should I do if I find bed bugs in my hotel room?: Photograph them, keep your luggage off the bed and floor, and go to the front desk. Ask for a room that is not next to, above or below the affected one.
Will a hotel refund me for bed bugs?: Many will, if you report it during the stay with photos. If the hotel refuses, escalate through the booking site with your evidence.
Can you sue a hotel for bed bugs?: In many countries, yes, depending on local law, your evidence and the harm done. This is not legal advice; a local lawyer or consumer body can assess a claim.
How long after staying in a hotel do bed bug bites appear?: Usually within hours to a couple of days. Some people never react, so check your luggage even without bites.

More guides

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