There’s a New Way to Ensure You Don’t Stay at a Hotel with Bedbugs—Here’s Where to Look Before You Book
You collapse onto the hotel bed after a long flight. The sheets look crisp. The room smells clean. Everything seems fine—until a few days later, when mysterious itchy welts appear and you realize you may have brought home more than souvenirs.
Bedbugs are every traveler’s nightmare. They’re tiny, stealthy and notoriously hard to detect. And once they hitch a ride home in your suitcase, they can turn into an expensive, stressful problem.
Food and travel writer Aly Walansky has been traveling a few times a month for decades, and bedbugs are one of her greatest fears. “I don’t care if I’m at a fancy hotel opening or a top-tier hotel that has been around for generations—I have a routine of checking a room every single time I check in,” she says. “I’ve luckily never encountered bedbugs, but it really is hard not to be triggered when you hear the horror stories from other travelers who haven’t been so lucky.”
Until recently, avoiding the critters meant crossing your fingers and doing a quick mattress check. Now, there’s a public database designed to help travelers spot potential trouble before they book. Read on to find out what it is, as well as learn some important bedbug-detection techniques, so you can avoid the creepy-crawlies on your next trip.
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Why are bedbugs such a problem?
Bedbugs are a persistent problem for one simple reason: They’re incredibly good at what they do.
“Bedbugs are small, stealthy and difficult to detect with their ability to hide in tight spaces,” says Christopher Grinstead, an associate certified entomologist and the general manager of EcoShield Pest Solutions. They can survive for months without feeding and spread easily through luggage, clothing and personal items.
Cleanliness alone doesn’t prevent them. “Even if a hotel has quality cleaning services, they may not be able to eliminate bedbugs because they do not feed on dirt and food waste,” Grinstead explains. In other words, a spotless room doesn’t guarantee safety.
Jerry Wang, owner of DIYPestWarehouse and a chemical specialist with 15 years in the pest-control industry, adds that bedbugs commonly hide in places cleaning crews may not reach. “Bedbugs will often hide behind headboards and below mattress seams,” he says. “It’s almost impossible to reach every square inch, crack and crevice.”
They’re also nocturnal. “Bedbugs are ghosts in the night,” says Grinstead, noting that they’re most active between 1 and 4 a.m., when people are in their deepest sleep. That makes them especially hard to spot during a quick daytime inspection.
What’s the new website that identifies bedbug-ridden hotels?
To help travelers make more informed decisions, pest-control company Orkin offers a Bed Bug Registry, a public database that tracks reported bedbug activity in hotels and other accommodations (such as apartment complexes) across the U.S. and Canada.
The registry compiles reports submitted by travelers who say they’ve encountered bedbugs. Think of it as Waze but for bedbugs instead of traffic. Users can search by state or ZIP code and view listings that include dates of reported incidents and, in some cases, details about how hotel management responded. The site also features sections highlighting recent reports and repeat locations.
Submitting a report requires providing contact information, the date of the incident and a description of what happened. Users can also upload photos. The site notes that reports are not independently verified but says it will attempt to contact properties for responses. Hotel and apartment owners can dispute claims by submitting extermination documentation.
How does it work, exactly?
Travelers can search the registry before booking to see whether a property has prior reports. They can also file their own reports if they believe they encountered bedbugs during a stay.
But experts caution that crowdsourced databases should be used thoughtfully. “As someone who has been in the pest industry for many years, I do not feel this type of website is an accurate source and can do a lot of damage to a hotel’s reputation,” says Grinstead. He notes that many things cause bites—and bedbug bites can take up to 72 hours to appear, making it difficult to determine exactly where exposure occurred.
Wang sees the value in a site like this but agrees it’s not foolproof. “It’s useful because it gives travelers a big heads-up if a particular hotel consistently receives reports of bedbugs,” he says. “But this can happen to any hotel.”
How accurate is the site?
Because the registry relies on traveler reports, accuracy depends on the quality of the information submitted.
“It is useful when travelers share pictures of the actual bedbug at the location,” says Wang. However, many reports may simply be statements without photographic evidence. Misidentification is also common; people sometimes mistake other insects, such as carpet beetles, for bedbugs.
Both experts suggest looking for patterns rather than focusing on a single, old complaint. Multiple recent reports tied to the same property may be more concerning than a one-time post from years ago (and some reports on the site date back to 2015).
Grinstead also recommends checking additional sources, such as Google or Yelp reviews, to see whether complaints appear repeatedly and how hotel management responds.
What are the signs of bedbugs?
If you decide to inspect your room after check-in (and that’s a really good idea), experts recommend being more thorough than a quick sheet flip. “When checking for bedbugs, many guests flip over the sheets and the pillows and call it a night,” says Grinstead. “Sheets are not the first place I’d look.”
Here’s what to watch for:
- Dark spotting along mattress seams or near the headboard. These can be fecal stains.
- Tiny white eggs tucked into seams or crevices.
- Live bugs, which are small and flat—about the size of an apple seed.
- Blood spots on sheets or mattresses.
- Bugs hiding behind the headboard, along the seams of upholstered chairs or under couch cushions.
Wang recommends lifting the bed sheet and examining the mattress where it touches the headboard. “That location is where bedbugs congregate if they exist in the room,” he says.
What should you do if you find bedbugs in your hotel room?
Discovering bedbugs can feel alarming, but acting quickly can help prevent a bigger issue. Here’s what to do during and after your trip.
Before you unpack
Grinstead advises inspecting the room before bringing in luggage. Keep your suitcase near the door or on a luggage rack rather than placing it on the bed or upholstered furniture. Another popular travel hack? Putting your bag in the bathtub. (Yes, you read that right!)
“If you leave your luggage on the bed, that’s just screaming for bedbugs to come visit,” Wang says.
If you spot signs
Take clear photos of any suspected bugs or evidence and notify hotel management immediately. Grinstead recommends addressing the issue privately with the manager on duty and requesting a room far away from the original one. If the response feels inadequate, consider changing properties.
When you get home
If you suspect exposure, unpack away from living spaces—such as in a garage or bathroom. Wash all clothing in hot water, and then dry on high heat; this will kill bedbugs and their eggs. Vacuum luggage seams and pockets thoroughly, and monitor your bedding and furniture at home for signs over the following weeks.
“The earlier you can spot the signs,” Grinstead says, “the easier it is to treat.”
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Sources:
- Aly Walansky, food and travel writer; interviewed, February 2026
- Christopher Grinstead, ACE, associate certified entomologist and general manager of EcoShield Pest Solutions; interviewed, February 2026
- Jerry Wang, chemical specialist and owner of DIYPestWarehouse; interviewed, February 2026
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