Some Guesthouses Dont Change Bedsheets?

[nokia]

I spent some time travelling from south to north last month, staying mostly in guesthouses below 400baht/night or hotels 500-600 baht. I suspect that some guesthouse do not change their bedsheets whenever there is a new customer who stays only for 1 night. My legs had some itchy sores which looked liked mosquito bites, but the sores dont heal after applying ointment. It got redder & more itchy each day, and I had to see a doctor for oral medication. Any comments?

[nonthaburial]

The first one that springs to mind is "dont stay at such upmarket establishments"

[bendix]

The second one is that I think you're starting to take the piss.

[Samuian]

common all over SEA and as the first poster wrote "first class establishments" like this it's a FREE extra, no charge!

In "low budget" accommodation it is also common that they never (ever) change the sheets or do basic cleaning!

So you can count on all the "freebies" that are around, mite, bedbugs, fleas, skin diseases from the ones who stayed in this bed before you...

If, you bring your own sleeping bag, a bed cover will do, bugs will be kept at bay!

And "oral medication" is getting a bit too far ointment should have done the job... ahhh well...

Edited November 27, 2007 by Samuian

[nokia]

common all over SEA and as the first poster wrote "first class establishments" like this it's a FREE extra, no charge!

In "low budget" accommodation it is also common that they never (ever) change the sheets or do basic cleaning!

So you can count on all the "freebies" that are around, mite, bedbugs, fleas, skin diseases from the ones who stayed in this bed before you...

If, you bring your own sleeping bag, a bed cover will do, bugs will be kept at bay!

And "oral medication" is getting a bit too far ointment should have done the job... ahhh well...

Ah well, lesson learnt. I think few guesthouses ever do daily cleaning unlike hotels. A personal sleeping bag will be a first layer of defence, as long as it's kept clean.

So travellers out there, it doesnt matter what guidebook you're using, Lonely Planet, Rough Guide,Frommer's,

Fodor's etc, if u plan to stay at any guesthouse, stay at your own risk.

Cheers!

[Jingthing]

Bedbugs are actually found in all classes of hotel beds. A not so well kept industry secret.

Don't believe me? (Eat the rich?)

"The bedbug does not live off of trash or organic debris," Meek says. "Its sole food source is blood. It is not attracted by filth or odors of filth such as the housefly or some cockroaches. The level of cleaning doesn't make it more attractive to them or help them reproduce."

In other words, you can find bedbugs in the best of places. And its tendency to hide in suitcases makes it a world-class hitchhiker. International travelers report bedbug bites from the best hotels in the world.

http://www.webmd.com/news/20031003/bedbugs...09%09%09%09%092

Edited November 27, 2007 by Jingthing

[Mighty Mouse]

These li'l pests hide don't just hide in the sheets. They are very comfortable living in the mattress, box springs, and bed frame, as well as crack and crevices in and around the bed. They can also be found in windows and door frames, floor cracks, carpet tack boards, baseboards, electrical boxes, furniture, pictures, wall hangings, drapery pleats, loosened wallpaper, cracks in plaster, and ceiling moldings.

Bed bugs are most frequently found in dwellings with a high rate of occupant turnover, such as hotels, motels, hostels, dormitories, shelters, apartment complexes, tenements, and prisons. Such infestations usually are not a reflection of poor hygiene or bad housekeeping.

Information taken from this site.

[Jingthing]

I wonder if guests at 5 stars are tastier than backpackers? I would imagine so. Richer diet.

[peter991]

Just came back from staying at a Chiang Mai guesthouse. In the room was a sign which stated - sheets changed twice a week. This is to save water, as Thailand is suffering its worst drought in 30 years.

I am sure clean sheets were fitted prior to my arrival.

Peter

[nokia]

It seems that i'm only one mentioned that suffered a rare? attack from the creepy bed bugs...

[Jingthing]

It seems that i'm only one mentioned that suffered a rare? attack from the creepy bed bugs...

It is reportedly not that rare, but I have traveled all over the world mostly at 1 star places and never encountered this problem. There is also a big bedbug surge in the US now. Global warming?

Edited November 27, 2007 by Jingthing

[cm-happy]

bedbugs?? AKA bar girls or money boys

[pumpuiman]

I had a bedbug problem while in Fiji. The tell tale sign is that the bites occur in a series...forming a line of red dots.

If you don't have this pattern, I would guess it is some other little vermin causing the problem.

[donna]

ditto pumpuiman. the tell tale sign for bed bug bites is that they are usually in a little 'trail'. you will also normally find blood spots on the bed sheets.

many hotels do not change their bed linen every day, and this includes 5 star establishments. towels are changed on a daily basis, but bed linen is not always changed. of course if it is soiled it is changed, but many hotels do not change daily.

one big hotel in bangkok close to khao san rd had a big outbreak of bed bugs. they had to close down three floors, and apparently the health department requires that they close them down for around 7 months in order to rid the establishment of bugs. (of course, they didnt).

[Samuian]

....the health department requires that they close them down for around 7 months in order to rid the establishment of bugs. (of course, they didnt).

No Ghost busters around in "the devils golden Oyster"?

Maybe in a simple case just some Anti-Pest Agent would do - I know of some sort of fumigation being used in large Hotels.... Floor by Floor...

[nokia]

I had a bedbug problem while in Fiji. The tell tale sign is that the bites occur in a series...forming a line of red dots.

If you don't have this pattern, I would guess it is some other little vermin causing the problem.

Yup, there were 3 sores about 0.5cm each almost in a straight line on my both thighs. but i didnt see any bedbugs( are they smaller than the smallest ant?) And do they travel underneath the skin, otherwise how do they manage to bite in a straight line if they do jump around like frogs?

[rono]

Not all low priced guest houses are like some posters assume. We only charge 300 baht a night but rooms are cleaned every day whether we have a short or long stay guest.

Most guests stay only one night and we do change the sheets when the guest leaves. We know from our guests that many guest houses around us are not to clean and are positive surprised with our clean rooms, they all come back to us.

I advise you check the room before you take it.

rono

[nokia]

Not all low priced guest houses are like some posters assume. We only charge 300 baht a night but rooms are cleaned every day whether we have a short or long stay guest.

Most guests stay only one night and we do change the sheets when the guest leaves. We know from our guests that many guest houses around us are not to clean and are positive surprised with our clean rooms, they all come back to us.

I advise you check the room before you take it.

rono

Your guesthouse is more ethical. Which city r u located?

How do we check the bedsheet for bedbugs when they are microscopic? Bring a magnifying class?

[donna]

the sheets usually have spots on them.

hotels DO change the sheets when guests check out. if its the same guests in house ,they usually dont change them every day.

[nokia]

the sheets usually have spots on them.

hotels DO change the sheets when guests check out. if its the same guests in house ,they usually dont change them every day.

What's the color of the spots? red or black? White sheets used by hotels are easier to spot than the multi color bedsheets used by guesthouses. Some guesthouses are ethical while some others may not be so ethical if they have a high turnover of backpackers who stay only for a day or two. Imagine washing 20-50 kingsized bedsheets daily in a small guesthouse with 1-2 small washing machines. Water, electricity & powder all cost money, esp in the long run.

[asiaworld]

common all over SEA and as the first poster wrote "first class establishments" like this it's a FREE extra, no charge!

In "low budget" accommodation it is also common that they never (ever) change the sheets or do basic cleaning!

So you can count on all the "freebies" that are around, mite, bedbugs, fleas, skin diseases from the ones who stayed in this bed before you...

Not only in SEA .. I have a few friends running the hostels in Europe , and beleive me (psst) most of those "fine backpacker"

establishments get their fair share of bedbugs, even thou, they have to desinfect it 2-3 times a year ..

[Farma]

I had bedbugs a year or so back. The bites showed as small red dots mainly on the back of my lower legs. They itch like mad. The bedbugs were striped brown and look like flat ticks up to 5mm long.

An easy way to check is to lift the mattress or bed base and look along the seams. Look for small white dots the size of sand grains (eggs) or brown bugs the size and color of fleas upwards. They shy away from light.

Don’t be fooled into thinking they’re only found in cheap accommodation. There’s been a bedbug increase worldwide including 5 star hotels. A year or so back major Sydney hotel chains were reporting a big increase in bedbug infestations.

Changing sheets won’t help. Once the room is infected these bugs will hide anywhere including curtains, where carpets meet the wall, chairs, the headboard and mattress.

[chicowoodduck]

I wonder if guests at 5 stars are tastier than backpackers? I would imagine so. Richer diet.

Somehow, I think the little guys aren't picky, just give them some red blood and forget about the source, except if you are royal or a snurf, than it's blue blood all the way!

[nokia]

I had bedbugs a year or so back. The bites showed as small red dots mainly on the back of my lower legs. They itch like mad. The bedbugs were striped brown and look like flat ticks up to 5mm long.

An easy way to check is to lift the mattress or bed base and look along the seams. Look for small white dots the size of sand grains (eggs) or brown bugs the size and color of fleas upwards. They shy away from light.

Don’t be fooled into thinking they’re only found in cheap accommodation. There’s been a bedbug increase worldwide including 5 star hotels. A year or so back major Sydney hotel chains were reporting a big increase in bedbug infestations.

Changing sheets won’t help. Once the room is infected these bugs will hide anywhere including curtains, where carpets meet the wall, chairs, the headboard and mattress.

I would expect to see an army of 5mm ticks/bugs crawling on the bedsheet, but i havent seen any, each time i scan the beds at the guesthouses. Maybe they are nocturnal creatures like vampire bats, they emerge from the mattress base after the unsuspecting victim has dozed off. Then they take deadly bites....yum yum yum...

DId u have to take oral medication or did it heal by itself? They itch like mad for a week or so till i see a doctor for medication.

Some guesthouse change bedsheets periodically but i suspect most guesthouses seldom wash/change the thick blankets. Ah well... Home is the best.

[Ricardo]

common all over SEA and as the first poster wrote "first class establishments" like this it's a FREE extra, no charge!

In "low budget" accommodation it is also common that they never (ever) change the sheets or do basic cleaning!

So you can count on all the "freebies" that are around, mite, bedbugs, fleas, skin diseases from the ones who stayed in this bed before you...

Not only in SEA .. I have a few friends running the hostels in Europe , and beleive me (psst) most of those "fine backpacker"

establishments get their fair share of bedbugs, even thou, they have to desinfect it 2-3 times a year ..

I'd confirm, from running a couple of them, that the 'official' (Hostelling International) youth hostels also get infected, when guests bring them in, from their previous-night's stay elsewhere.

Standard practise is to apologise to the guest(s) affected, inspect the building throughout, close the room(s) affected & strip all bedding for special high-temperature laundry, fumigate the room (with really nasty chemicals), warn neighbouring youth hostels immediately by phone in case they have moved-on elsewhere, notify the whole (national) chain within a couple of days by email, and hope that the problem has been solved. We also did at least one full fumigation every year, just as a matter of good-practise, and were very aware of the potential-problem.

The potential for cross-infection also explains why official youth hostels like you to use the freshly-laundered sheets/sheet-bag provided, and not your own camping-bag, there ARE reasons for all those 'petty' rules !

And 5-star hotels are just as likely to be infected.

[wilko]

Take the bed clothes and put them in a plastic bin liner, tie the top and inject ordinary insect spray. Then wash them, then do it again.

Use an insect spray with a tube for the nozzle and inject into the mattress - if you're in a place for a while this will if not eradicate then at least keep them at bay.

Wear a shirt or something in bed and try not to get too sweaty - they like moisture.

usually the "attack" looks a bit like a fash as they suck blood from the skinn next to the mattress i.e. the bit of you lying there.

A cream will reduce reddening and infection