Bedbugs in Italy! Is there anything to pack just in case?!
 

I don't know about anybody else, but last year in Italy we had what we know now were bedbugs in a couple of our rooms! Yuck! These were at nice hotels!

We are leaving for Italy again in 4 days and it suddenly occurred to me that someone might have a suggestion for this problem....

Is there anything that would get rid of them if you got into a room that had them and then couldn't move to another room?

Is there anything you can pack with you in case you run in to something like this?! I am especially interested in natural or homeopathic suggestions!

Could you please post the names of the hotels where you found bed bugs? (A friend of ours experienced that problem in Rome last May, but he doesn't remember the name of the hotel.) It would be helpful for others to know. Thanks!
:)<-

Maureen B,

I have to say that we did not actually see the bed bugs....it's just that we had all of these bites when we would wake up in the mornings. When we got home and were talking to a friend that found bed bugs in London, we realized this MUST be what had happened to US!

I do hesitate to mention the hotels names as we otherwise had a lovely stay. Since I can't be 100% positive, I would hate to ruin the reputation of these places. From now on, if we experience the bites, we will know to check thoroughly for bedbugs...I will definately tell all Fodorites exactly which hotels we stay in from here out if we experience this again!

I WILL tell you that we did NOT have this experience at Castello della Casteluccia outside of Rome, in Lazio. There is no doubt in my mind that they did NOT have bedbugs. Our stay there was SUPERB!

SO...this trip around, we are trying to be proactive and be prepared for this!

Rosemary Oil
Teatree Oil

After your shower before bed put a bit on as if it was an expensive perfume :)

You can also get it in a shampoo. Great for children when 'bugs' are going around in kindergarten.

It is <i>not</i> a cure, but a preventative.

Have fun!

Not sure how effective against bedbugs, but I know people travel with silk 'sleep sacks' (you can purchase from travel shops). These are like real lightweight sleeping bags that you get into so that is what is against your skin. Popular with younger travelers and people who stay in hostels.

take_time_2_travel you made this huge accusation and then you retract to say that you weren't 100% positive.

If you want to be very helpful to Fodorites, I suggest that you post the names of the hotels you suspect of having bedbugs.

Una S, This is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

Frankophile, Ouch! I guess I am always amazed at some people's helpfulness and others' anger! I did not make a &quot;huge&quot; accusation and then retract it. I completely believe we had a bedbug problem, but since I did not see them with my own eyes, I refuse to slander them. I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, yet be pro-active this time around. As I said, I know more this time, will be on the look-out, and will let others know exactly what hotels if it happens this time!

You might do a 'search' on Fodor's and maybe The Thorn Tree (travel talk forum on Lonely Planet). I'm sure there are suggestions on how to cope, but I also remember reading what to look for (on the sheets, whatever) to try to spot the problem ahead of time.

&quot;I don't know about anybody else, but last year in Italy we had what we know now were bedbugs in a couple of our rooms!&quot;

&quot;I have to say that we did not actually see the bed bugs....it's just that we had all of these bites when we would wake up in the mornings.&quot;

tt2t, there is no anger here. But you did say you were sure about the bedbugs then you said you weren't sure later on, right?

Even if you refuse to name the hotels that may have had the bedbugs, can you at least say which cities these hotels are in???

FrancoPhile03

Franco,

The cities were Venice and Florence.

...On the quotes...I will word more carefully in the future. Can you accept this as an apology? If I had to start over, I would say, &quot;Based on our symptoms and conversations with friends who HAD experienced bedbugs, we are fairly certain that....&quot;

Suze,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will give it a go. :)

tt2t, no problem. Thanks for posting the cities. Why I asked is because I saw a bedbug comment about a San Gimignano hotel on Trip Advisor.

Please don't kill the messenger, but bedbugs are currently a growing problem in both the US and Europe, and they are not limited to hotels.

The title of this post might more accurately have announce: &quot;Bedbugs in the world!&quot;

An infestation also has very little to do with the cleanliness of the hotel or apartment, since they can travel from room to room and from place to place attracted by human or animal presence, not by unclean conditions.
Many apartment buildings can have this problem which may (or may not) be the result of the sale of &quot;reconditioned&quot; matresses by &quot;reputable&quot; companies. And many people may have dormant bedbugs in their living space without knowing it.
To better inform yourselves, here's a website that gives accurate information, or you can google it.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ent...ruct/ef636.htm

bellastar, Right you are! I have seen information on the growing problem as well. Thanks for the link.

The best prevention is to not stay in a hotel where this problem is known to exist. It would be really helpful to others if you would post the names of the hotels where you experienced this problem.

take_time_2_travel, I doubt if anyone actually SEES bedbugs, unless they know where to look. I saw a show where they said you find them by looking between the mattress and boxsprings, between the mattress and headboard.

If you had &quot;all of these bites&quot; on you when you woke up in the mornings, it had to be from bed bugs. If you ask for help on this forum, you should provide help, too, by naming the hotels.

Bedbugs . . . I was attacked by them once, and by god, I'm not afraid to name the names, It was at the Campement in Momogaga, near San Pedro, in eastern Cote d'Ivoire. So if any of you were planning a visit -- you're welcome!

Got a feeling the bedbug phase will turn out like the dust mite rage, and the day care scandals of the eighties, and the recovered memories of the nineties . . .

TRY: Fabric softener sheets, in bed w/you. But I'm not one to be overly concerned. I'm a meticulous housekeeper, I live in a lovely part of the first world, and I wake up itchy and bitten several times a year. Whoever these little guys are, they love me, and they don't touch my husband. Anyway, bellastar said it perfectly: the title of the thread should be &quot;Bedbugs in the world!&quot;

Okay..here goes!

MaureenB, I am going to do as you originally asked, even though we didn't actually see the bedbugs. According to what you said, bed bugs are rarely seen even if you look for them. So...

Venice: Locanda Ca’ del Brocchi

Florence: Porta Faenza

As I said earlier, we otherwise enjoyed our stay at these places. I would even consider going back. However, I believe I would try some of the &quot;preventative&quot; measures suggested here. My parents were in a room at the Porta Faenza also and had no trouble.

Thank you, take_time_2_travel. You've helped others with the information.

Have you notified the hotels?