Park Tower Inn Pigeon Forge Tn Bed Bugs (2024)

FAQs

How do I know if my hotel has bed bugs? ›

Pull back the bed sheets and blankets and check the mattress and box spring seams for bugs, especially at the head of the bed. Adults, nymphs, and eggs are visible to the naked eye. Also keep your eyes peeled for exoskeletons (casings that the bugs leave behind when they molt) and dark, rust-colored spots.

But how common is it to actually come across these pesky blood-sucking insects when you travel? A new survey from The Sleep Doctor released this week shows that one in seven (or 14%) of U.S. travelers reported a bed bug encounter in the past year, and 20 percent of those sightings happened in five-star hotels.

Orkin released its annual list of the U.S. cities with the most reported cases of bed bugs, using data gathered from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022 of cities with the most bed bug treatments. Two cities in Tennessee earned spots on the list: Knoxville, coming in at No. 30, and Nashville, following closely at No.

Protect your luggage

Potter says it's prudent to store your suitcase on a hard surface, such as a dresser or luggage rack, which bedbugs are unlikely to be able to reach. If you're staying for only a night or two, avoid unpacking your clothing or spreading items around the room.

Being directly exposed to high temperature steam (over 120 degrees Fahrenheit) can kill bedbugs instantly. You can also vacuum them up, bag them, and carry them outside immediately, which is just as effective.

Unfortunately, the risk is not completely gone. For one thing, you (and the hotel staff) may have missed a subtle sign of infestation; and for another, bed bugs can travel through the walls from room to room.

When turning over a room between guests, housekeeping staff should inspect for bed bugs. This will help catch a bed bug problem early, before a new guest checks in.

Although most people do not realize they have been bitten by a bed bug until bite marks appear (which can be as long as 14 days after the bite), finding a bite mark is the easiest way to identify a bed bug infestation.

Because they don't have wings, bed bugs move by crawling from one object to another. They don't transport directly from person to person, but can easily attach to clothing or luggage and be transported without notice. This is why bed bug activity peaks in the summer and fall.

Which US state has the most bed bugs? ›

Topping the list of the worst states for bed bugs is Oklahoma. Mattress Next Day reports a whopping 4,114 searches for bed bugs per 10,000 residents. The high incidence of creepy crawlers in Oklahoma can be due to a variety of factors, with population density, hot climate, and housing conditions being likely culprits.

Bed bugs have a cryptic lifestyle, meaning they spend the majority of their time hiding together in cracks and crevices where they will not be seen or dis- turbed. However, they become active at night, between midnight and 5:00 am.

Effectively repellent essential oils include cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, clove oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil, thyme oil, tea tree oil, and, finally, eucalyptus oil. In my experience, all or any of these oils have laid claim to both killing as well as repelling bed bugs.

Communicating With Hotel Management About Bed Bugs In Your Hotel Room. Inform hotel management about the issue as soon as possible. Be calm but firm, and show them the evidence of the infestation. Ask to be moved to a room that is not adjacent to or directly above/below the infested one.

Wash everything on a high temperature or sanitary cycle for at least 30 minutes. Placing everything in the dryer on the hottest setting for 30 minutes will also kill bed bugs and larvae. Immediately after you're finished putting clothing in the washer, tie up and throw out the empty garbage bag in an outdoor trash bin.

Gently lift the sheet and mattress pad inspecting along edging, seams and other small areas a bed bug might hide. Continue your inspection with the headboard. In most hotels the headboard is attached to the wall. Use your flashlight to look in the crack between the wall and the headboard.

Bed bugs traveling from room to room

If the conditions are favorable, they'll continue breeding wherever the infested items are moved. Ultimately, it can take mere minutes to travel from room to room, with bed bug infestations growing in a matter of weeks or months.

Do a quick check of pillows and upholstered furniture for signs of bed bugs. If you can, check behind headboards and open the drawers of the nightstands and look inside. For short stays, consider keeping your clothes in your luggage. Keep bags closed when not in use.