Unfortunately I've stayed in a place with bed-bugs (hostel in Belgium over 20 years ago). We NEVER saw the little buggers, but knew they were there because we woke up with little red bumps from the bites.

We had to stay there 2 nights. I didn't get any sleep the second night because I was swatting at any itch or perceived sensation on my skin all night long.

Mama-mia: Report back on what you find. I'd be interested to know, because I've stayed at Arran House before (back in 1996) and liked it a lot. I've often thought I might stay there again next time I go to London.

Backpacking thru India long ago - cheap hotel we woke up to find big huge black bugs covering the entire floor!

Rooster, to answer your question...I am sorry but I guess I am just stupid enough to think that the person who reported this probelm as being "bedbugs" might have been incorrect. But perhaps this was the only accurate report about that establishment on TripAdvisor.

Perhaps a lot of other people were bitten and didn't report it.

And I guess I should be skeptical of someone like the OP who is convinced that the room they are going to get is going to be the exact same one that was reported about.

I'm sorry if my judgement level doesn't meet expectations but that's the way I see it and my advice to the OP would not change.

Mama-if there is ANY city in Europe where I would expect to find bedbugs in the hotel rooms, it would be London-in my many decades of being in the UK, particularly England, I can tell you, good housekeeping is NOT their strong suit!

But bedbugs infestations are not caused by poor housekeeping. If someone brings them in, it doesn't matter how clean your rooms are; and hotels have hordes of new people coming in every day.

No, disagree. Because of the possibility of infestation, hotels have to be extra vigilant not to let a small problem become a larger one-there are telltale signs of bedbugs-small blood spots on the sheets, for example-a hotel has to then do what it needs to do-changing mattresses, getting rid of the bed coverings, etc., in order for the problem not to spread. England's hotel housekeeping (and Scotland's for that matter) leave MUCH to be desired.

An interesting site, although it may contribute to sleeplessness:

www.bedbugger.com

I have upcoming reservations at the Arran house, and I saw the tripadvisor review. I contacted the Arran myself, regarding my concerns. The manager immediately wrote back, saying they saw it too, and have throughly checked and have found no evidence. They called in the exterminators also. I also contacted the person who wrote the review, and she said they had no bites, until 9 days later! Maybe, the bugs came from some other place. I have seen no other reviews since regarding this troublesome problem, but will keep a keen eye on it before my trip there.

Are bed bugs that difficult to kill? I have encountered them a couple of times during my college years. I buy a conventional pest spray from the supermarket. Close the window and spray half the can in the room and spray everywhere. Close the door and try to stay out for most of the day. Get back in the room and hoover bed and any general area seem to have done the trick.

Don't know if someone else has thought this or made the comment, but I'm always suspicious that a single post with bad information (like bed bugs) comes from a competitor or the jilted mistress of the manager.

>...or the jilted mistress of the manager.

Or the jilted toy boy.

England's hotel housekeeping (and Scotland's for that matter) leave MUCH to be desired.

Really?
I wonder how many hotels in England and Scotland that daft besom has actually visited.
In fact I wonder if he/she has ever visited the British Isles at all/

Take reports of bed bugs seriously, especially in London hotels. I stayed at a hotel in London in November, and, yes, there were bed bugs. They bit me and I did not know it. I was travelling alone and the bites were on my back. My husband noticed them when I got back.

However, the bugs are small, flat and get into everything, including your clothes, and they came home in my luggage. We had the exterminator in ASAP--$ 400.00 later and a new mattress and box spring ($ 1200.00)we have no more bugs...but we were lucky. In just the few hours I was home before the bites were discovered, many of the bugs had come free of the suitcase and got into the bed, box spring, several chairs etc. Thank goodness I felt too tired to unpack my clothes. I had just opened the cases to take out a few gifts. Once we dicovered the bugs, we immediatley put the bags, my purse, outter garments, shoes etc into trash bags and sealed them.

The exterminator found bugs in several locations..they can travel quite extensively. They only eat blood and food is not an attractant. It takes vigilence on the part of housekeeping to detect them and the honesty of the hotelier to admit there is a problem and close the rooms to use, remove bedding etc and have the place properly sprayed. The exterminator, who knew his stuff, said that most hotels used to routinely spray against bugs but have stopped-cost cutting, chemicals are bad syndrome etc. His company had many contracts for hotel spraying, but most have discontinued the practice...which has lead to the spread of bugs, lice, fleas etc. in general. The same spray will kill bed bugs and the other crawlies too.

24hrs will not get rid of the bugs, it may be necessary to remove a great deal of furniture and personal belongings. The inside of closets, bureaus, nightstands need to be emptied so they can be sprayed. Only extreme heat or freezing will kill them, besides the chemicals. I bwashed countless loads of clothes and bedding in boiling hot water-a lot of clothes did not survive the boil. I had to freeze my stuffed animals for a month to kill any bugs or eggs (and were they mad!)

I say all this just to stress, unconfirmed-possible false report or not etc- the price you'd pay if the hotel DID have bugs is not worth it. London is having a bed bug problem and the likelihood is good that the poster was correct. Bites after nine days at home may be the result of bugs brought home in the luggage....oh, did I mention we had to have the car sprayed, too. He picked me up at the airport...

Pandajudy (My stuffed Panda ended up the the freezer, and he's just beginning to speak to me!)

Well. I can see why your stuffed panda is having a slow time thawing up to your relationship.