Bed bugs don't discriminate by star rating. Five-star resorts get them from international travelers. Budget motels get them from high room turnover. The only difference is how quickly the hotel responds. A 5-minute room check on arrival is the single most effective way to avoid bringing them home.
Bed bug infestations at home typically cost $500–4,000 to treat professionally. The inspection below costs you nothing but 5 minutes.
Step 1: Don't unpack. Leave your luggage in the bathroom (tile floor, no fabric, bed bugs don't hide there) or on the luggage rack away from the bed. Never put luggage on the bed or floor near the bed.
Step 2: Pull back the sheets. Strip the fitted sheet at each corner and examine the mattress seams. You're looking for tiny dark fecal spots (they look like dots of black ink), shed skins (translucent amber casings), and live bugs (flat, oval, mahogany-brown, apple-seed sized).
Step 3: Check the headboard. If it's removable or liftable, look behind it. If not, run your fingers along the back edge and check for dark spots. The headboard is the #1 hiding spot in hotel rooms because it's rarely cleaned and provides crevices right next to the sleeper.
Step 4: Inspect the nightstand. Pull out the drawer (if any) and look at the back of the drawer and inside the frame. Check the clock radio, phone, and any items sitting on the nightstand — bed bugs hide in screw holes and seams of electronics.
Step 5: Check upholstered furniture. Lift seat cushions on any chairs or sofas. Inspect seams and piping. Bed bugs frequently harbor in upholstered furniture near beds.
Do not sleep in the room. Request a different room — and not an adjacent one (bed bugs can travel through wall voids between rooms). Request a room on a different floor or section of the building.
Document everything. Photograph the evidence. This protects you if you need to file a claim later for treatment costs or ruined luggage.
Report to management. A responsible hotel will relocate you immediately and bring in a pest control company. If they dismiss your concern, consider checking out entirely.
Inspect your luggage. Before moving to the new room, check your bags carefully. If luggage was on the floor or bed near the infested area, bed bugs may have already hitchhiked in.
Even if your hotel inspection was clean, the post-trip protocol is good practice — especially after traveling through airports, trains, or staying in multiple lodgings.
Unpack in the garage or laundry room — not the bedroom. Inspect your luggage seams and pockets with a flashlight.
Wash and dry all clothing on high heat — 130°F for 30 minutes kills all bed bug life stages. The dryer heat is what kills them, not the washing.
Vacuum your suitcase thoroughly, paying attention to seams, zippers, and pockets. Empty the vacuum outside immediately.
Consider luggage encasements — for frequent travelers, zippered luggage liners that seal your bag prevent bed bugs from getting inside during transit.
For a complete travel prevention protocol, see our bed bug travel prevention guide.