How to avoid bedbugs in your hotel room

“Don’t let the bedbugs bite”—it’s a common refrain most of us don’t think twice about anymore. But according to a recent Dateline NBC report, even the cleanest places can have a problem with bedbugs.

Think you’re getting a pest-free stay with that five-star hotel? Think again. Here’s how to ensure you won’t bring any unwanted “souvenirs” home.

Do some research ahead of time. The bloggers at Bedbugger.com recommend searching Google with your hotel name and “bedbugs”, as well as reading property reviews on [% 72034 | | TripAdvisor %] and HotelChatter. This way you’ll get a sense of properties to avoid before you’ve even left home.

Once you’ve arrived at your hotel, inspect the furnishings thoroughly. If you find incriminating evidence (bugs’ blood or fecal stains on the mattress and sheets, or the bugs themselves on headboards and other furniture), request to be relocated to another room. If the alternate one is unsatisfactory, you may want to ask for a transfer to another hotel.

Don’t put your luggage and bags on the hotel bed or furniture for extended periods of time (e.g., while you’re sightseeing, at extended business meetings, or out for the day). If the furnishings have bedbugs, they’ll probably make their way into your bag and hitch a ride back home.

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(Editor’s Note: SmarterTravel.com is published by Smarter Travel Media LLC, a member of the TripAdvisor Media Network.)