On an upcoming trip to Hawaii, I have selected the least expensive rate for many hotels which happens to be the ground floor. I've heard from a few posters that the ground floor tends to be more bug laden. Can anyone help me understand if this is a certain, or just an extra chance. If it's a certain, what are some steps I can take to keep the bugs out of my bed, hair and luggage?

Thanks!

Oh my gosh! The bug problem isn't THAT bad! I've been to Hawaii five times, multiple islands, without ever encountering a bug in my room. And I've stayed in almost every category of room, including ground floor.

We stayed at a B&B on Kauai on the ground floor, with no A/C. We had a ceiling fan. Only problem was we couldn't open the curtains/windows for some outside breeze if we wanted some sort of privacy at night.

As for bugs, the geckos should take care of them -- of course, my wife was scared to death of the geckos.

These are some of my favorite threads...I get such a kick out of people who think that warm places are just covered with bugs!

Here in Florida, I've actually heard people say they'd never buy an apartment on the ground floor as there could be bugs. I've got news for them, bugs are not lazy creatures and virtually all of them know how to climb. The whole idea is preposterous, in my opinion.

My house was on the ground floor in Florida and we did have an occasional uninvited guest, a tiny gekko at times ( we liked them and carried them back out) and there was a once in a while visit from a tiny tiny frog. But we never had anything horrifying come in..
Don't the hotels spray regularly for these sorts of issues?

OK - maybe you are a city girl or something. But I can think of no bugs, insects, spiders, or reptiles that could not make their way to upper floors . . . .

the b-52 cockroaches here can fly up to any floor they want! being on ground floor, they can just walk right in, everywhere has them, no getting around them. and the b-52's are bigger than geckos so that is no help. just go to wal-mart when you get here and spray the room, you'll be fine (they don't bite, just a little tickle!)

Bugs do not discriminate. I live on the 33rd floor and I see bugs outside my window sometimes. every so often, I get a mosquito in my condo!

Please don't misunderstand. If you are on the ground floor, this doesn't mean you will have a dirt floor and have bugs getting into your luggage.

janis has it right. Bugs aren't limited to ground floors. Hawaii's resident roaches get up to 3-4" in length and can startle the bejeezus out of you, if you didn't alredy know they can fly for short distances.

Depending on where you're going in Hawaii, the other bugs you might run into are tiny black ants, which sometimes inundate entire areas during/after wet periods.. e.g. between Kailua-Kona and Keauhou on the Big Island. If you practice common sense (i.e. don't leave food out for them to find) you won't have any problem.