How to check a hotel room for bed bugs and the ‘tell-tale’ sign to watch out for

There’s nothing worse than discovering you’re sharing your hotel room with an army of bed bugs.

The unpleasant pests leave itchy red bites and they can travel back to the UK in your luggage, infesting your home.

Luckily, the bugs leave plenty of tell-tale signs for holidaymakers. An expert has shared how to spot them.

Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms said: “Nothing ruins a trip like spotting bed bugs halfway through your stay.

“Spotting them early will not only save you hassle when you get home but it will also allow you to have an enjoyable trip.”

Signs of bed bugs

Blood

The expert said: “As soon as you enter your hotel room pull back the bed covers and search for any specks of blood.

“Bed bugs tend to hide around the seams of mattresses so be sure to check there too. The blood may be red or it might have turned a rusty colour depending on how long it’s been there for.”

Eggs

Bed bug eggs are around 1mm wide, only about the size of a pinhead. Turn off the lights and use a torch light to see them more easily.

Musty odour

If a hotel room has a musty odour, it might be harbouring bed bugs. Nic warns tourists to check the room thoroughly if it smells bad.

Dark spots on walls

Bed bug droppings may show up as dark spots on the walls, carpets, headboards or other furniture.

Despite their name, bed bugs can also infest other soft furnishings such as sofas and curtains, so make sure to check the room thoroughly.

Shedded skin

Nic said: “Bed bugs shed their skin and it's usually left near wherever they’re hiding. Moulted skin will often look like the bed bug itself but slightly larger.”

What to do if you find bed bugs

If you do see signs of bed bugs in your hotel room, speak to the reception straight away so you can change rooms.

Tourists should never put their suitcases on the bed as this may allow bugs to spread into luggage.