The Bedbug Letter to Choice Hotels

Sooooo, before I print this and mail it to Choice Hotels, do any of you have any edits you think I should make? Perhaps stronger language, not so polite??! I also sent "customer comments regarding my recent stay" via their website this evening.


January 12, 2010

Choice Hotels International
Guest Relations Service Center
P.O. Box 1748
Minot, ND 5801

Re: Unsatisfactory Comfort Inn Stay

To Whom It May Concern:

Unfortunately, I find I must write this letter to document a more than unsatisfactory recent stay at a Comfort Inn in Indiana. I found myself in a situation that would be every hotel guest’s worst nightmare – unwanted and unwelcome guests were waiting in my hotel room on the evening of January 5th, 2010.

Some background: I make two annual trips to Ohio to visit family and friends. Over the past year, I have been staying at the Comfort Inn brand, as I found it satisfactory and usually quite clean. I have stayed at the Plainfield, Indiana, location several times now. My perception was that it was newer and very clean.

Last Tuesday this perception was shattered to smithereens. I woke around midnight, quite warm, and so I arose to turn down the room heat. As I walked into the bathroom, I could see in the large mirror that there were numerous bugs on my pajama top. Needless to say, I rapidly pulled off my pajamas, including my underwear. You can imagine my dismay, chagrin, and utter disgust when I found a bug INSIDE my underwear. I walked back to look at the bed, and lo and behold… bedbugs, all over the pillows and the sheets. Mind you, not just a few, but probably upwards of 15-20. Hindsight is 20/20, and I now wish I would have taken a photo. But I’m sure you can imagine my scattered and fragmented mind at that point in time.

After ensuring there were no more bedbugs on me or in my hair, I dressed and went down to the front desk. The night clerk was on her cell phone and there was a customer walking away from the desk. I waited until that customer was out of earshot, then I calmly told the night clerk my predicament. She offered me another room – upon my inspection, this room was quite unsatisfactory. There was a rag laying on the floor when I walked into the room, another rag laying on the bathroom floor, newspaper spread out all over the bathroom vanity, along with a ceiling fixture laying on the bathroom vanity and obviously in the middle of repair.

I went back to the front desk and told her this room was not satisfactory, upon which she asked to see my room with the bedbugs. I took her upstairs and her only response upon seeing the bedbugs on the bed was “Eww”. At that time I told her I would be checking out and would like a refund.

My pajamas were still lying on the bathroom floor, so I inspected them and was sure to remove every bedbug I could see before I put them into the laundry bag provided in my hotel room. I threw the bag into the back of my car and left it there for the next 3 days; since we were having subzero temperatures, I assumed any remaining bedbugs would be killed by the cold. On the contrary, upon dumping my clothes into the utility sink at my mother’s house 3 days later, there was still one surviving bug. We washed my pajamas in hot water, but to this day they still sit in the back of my car as I am afraid to wear them again.

When I went down to the front desk to check out, the night clerk had me sign a memo to the manager indicating the bedbug situation in my room. She said she was putting the memo on his desk so he would see it first thing in the morning. I thought he might call me to apologize, but he did not contact me.


Page two
Re: Unsatisfactory Comfort Inn Stay

I ended up staying at a Hometown Suites by Hilton for the remainder of the night. It was quite a sleepless night, as I woke up almost every half hour and checked my new bed for any signs of bugs. Upon my return trip to Ohio on January 11/12, I stayed at a Quality Inn in Kansas City and again, found it difficult to sleep. I left a light on in the room, and every time I awoke, I would check the bed sheets to be sure there were no bugs.

Bottom line: It’s going to take some time for me to feel comfortable in ANY hotel room again. I have always checked the bed before I would make myself comfortable but I have never seen anything. Trust me, I did check the bed at the Comfort Inn in Indiana before I retired on January 5th, but I did not see anything before I turned out the lights that would merit any concern on my part.

I was shocked and disappointed in the Comfort Inn brand, and I hope that you will take the necessary steps to ensure this terrible experience does not happen to future hotel guests at any of your hotel brands.

Best regards,


Susan D. Garten

Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite!

Update: No, I didn't get bit. I think I woke up in time to catch them before they had the opportunity to dig into me. The clerk DID come up to my room to see for herself, but all she said was "Eww." As if she had already seen them perhaps? She refunded my credit card before I went out at 12:30 p.m. to search for another hotel. I think I should at least get a free night voucher for a future stay? But then, do I ever want to stay at a Comfort Inn ever again, or any hotel for that matter??!

Such a cute old saying, huh? Until a real-life experience gives it new meaning...

While traveling to Ohio last week, I had a close encounter with bedbugs. I stayed at a Comfort Inn in Plainfield, Indiana - this was my 3rd stay at this particular Comfort Inn, a relatively new and very clean hotel. Plainfield is an up-and-coming area with new hotels and new restaurants, many still in the process of being constructed.

Since reading several years ago that bedbugs are a growing problem, not only in hotels but also in dorms and hospitals (!), I make it a habit to check the sheets on my bed before I retire for the night. Last week was no exception; of course, I have never seen or found anything, yet it's still part of my evening routine in hotels.

I woke around midnight, extremely warm, so I arose to turn down the heat in the room. As I walked into the bathroom a moment later and saw myself in the large mirror, I was shocked to see little bugs all over my pajama top!!

I DO wish I would have taken the time
to snap a photo of the bedbugs on my pajama top
and the bed... but needless to say, I was too freaked out!

I did the bug dance, ripping off my pajamas and underwear... and was disgusted to find one INSIDE my underwear... when I went back to look at the bed, the bugs were all over the pillows and the sheets. Not just 2 or 3, no, more like 20 or more.

After I calmed down and double-checked my hair and the rest of me for more bedbugs, I dressed and went to the front desk to inform them of this unfortunate situation. I was offered another room, which proved to be less than satisfactory, so I checked out and spent the rest of my night at Hometown Suites by Hilton at 3x the cost of the Comfort Inn. Even then, I kept waking up and checking the sheets of my large and oh-so-comfy bed at the Hilton.

My pajamas were bagged up in the laundry bag present in hotel rooms and thrown into the very back of my car. I left the bag there from Tuesday evening through Saturday. In sub-zero temperatures. You would think that would kill any remaining bedbugs? OH NO. Upon dumping my clothes into my mother's utility sink, one bug appeared. Of course, we assumed it to be dead. Until its ugly little legs popped out from its body and started wiggling. I heard mom in the basement stomping the living life out of this bug before she flushed it down the drain.

Upon my return to Kansas, I stayed in a Quality Inn in Kansas City. I woke up almost every half hour, checking the bed for any bugs. It may be quite some time before I sleep soundly in a hotel ever again.

Lesson to learn? To be safe, never, ever, put your luggage or anything else on the bed or floor of a hotel room. I was very lucky in this respect - I had put my luggage on a table. Always, always, take a close look at the bed, especially up near the headboard and the wall. Check out this quick slideshow on bedbugs with tips and hints on how to avoid them or get rid of them if you've had an encounter. Here is another extremely informative article on bedbugs by the University of Kentucky. Vigilance while traveling and prudence when acquiring used furniture items are essential.

Tell me if you've ever had an experience with bedbugs, and what type of hotel did you stay - middle of the road, or five star?

Tell me if you check your bed for anything when you stay in a hotel... and tell me if you think I'm doing the right thing by writing a letter to corporate at Choice Hotels!

Freedom Blog Post Update

It's a dreadful thing, but the fact is that there is
too much injustice in the world for us to handle.
~ Tony Letts, Mind Motion

I think Tony really nailed it with his comment on my previous post. It's why I always feel overwhelmed when I receive charity solicitations in the mail and in my email, and see them advertised on TV. WHO do we support? There truly is too much injustice in the world - even Bill Gates with all his money cannot help everyone, although he and his wife sure make a gallant effort, don't they?

I received my Soulgems necklace yesterday, and let me tell you, it is truly beautiful. I already wore it to a bonfire last night. I love it!

The winner of Three Cups of Tea is .... Brit Gal Sarah! I used Randomizer.org and it came up with #3 (there were 2 comments made by the same person, which will count as one for the purpose of the drawing). Sarah, email your address to me and I will get the book out to you next week. (suzgarten@yahoo.com)

As we head into 2010, I want to thank everyone who has followed my blog and commented. I have met some truly wonderful and fantastic people here, and on Twitter and Facebook too. I am most thankful for these new friendships and wish the best for everyone in our upcoming year!