How to Check for Bed Bugs in Hotels and Airbnbs

Do this BEFORE you unpack. Leave your luggage in the bathroom (hard tile floors, minimal hiding spots for bugs) while you check the room.

2. CHECK THE HEADBOARD. If it's wall-mounted, try to look behind it (use your phone flashlight). If it's a free-standing headboard, check the back and all joints. Bed bugs love headboard gaps.

3. CHECK THE NIGHTSTAND. Open the drawers, look inside, check the back of the unit and the screw joints. Lift the Bible/info book and look under them.

4. CHECK THE LUGGAGE RACK. Ironically, the luggage rack is one of the most common spots to pick up bed bugs. Inspect the webbing or slats before placing your suitcase on it.

5. LOOK AT THE SHEETS. White sheets make bed bug evidence easier to spot. Look for small bloodstains (from crushed bugs) or dark fecal spots.

This takes 5 minutes. It could save you thousands of dollars and months of dealing with an infestation at home.

Even in a clean hotel room, smart luggage habits add an extra layer of protection:

HARD-SHELL SUITCASE: Bed bugs can hide in fabric suitcase seams, pockets, and folds. Hard-shell luggage has fewer hiding spots. If you use a fabric suitcase, inspect it thoroughly before bringing it inside your apartment.

GARBAGE BAG TRICK: Place your suitcase inside a large garbage bag while in the hotel room. It's not glamorous, but it creates a barrier between your luggage and any bed bugs that might be traveling the room.

KEEP LUGGAGE OFF THE FLOOR AND BED: Use the luggage rack (after inspecting it) or the bathroom counter. Never put your suitcase on the bed — that's a direct transfer route.

SEAL DIRTY CLOTHES in a plastic bag inside your suitcase. Bed bugs are attracted to worn clothing (they detect CO2 and body odor). Sealed bags prevent bugs from accessing your clothes.

LAUNDRY BAG: Keep a dedicated plastic laundry bag in your suitcase. All worn clothes go in the bag, sealed.

WHEN YOU GET HOME: Unpack directly into the washing machine, not onto your bed or floor. Wash everything on hot and dry on high for at least 30 minutes. Inspect your suitcase outdoors or in the bathroom before storing it.

You pulled back the sheet and saw dark spots on the mattress. Or worse — a live bug. Here's what to do:

1. DON'T PANIC AND DON'T KILL IT (if you can help it). Take a photo. A clear photo of a live bed bug or evidence is your documentation if you need to dispute charges, request a refund, or file a complaint.

2. NOTIFY THE FRONT DESK IMMEDIATELY. Request a different room — preferably NOT an adjacent room (bed bugs can travel through wall voids between connected rooms). Ask for a room on a different floor.

3. INSPECT YOUR LUGGAGE before moving it to the new room. If your bags were in the room, check them carefully — seams, zippers, pockets.

4. IN THE NEW ROOM, do the full 5-minute inspection before unpacking.

5. FOR AIRBNBS: Contact the host immediately and document everything with photos. Contact Airbnb support to report the issue and request a refund or rebooking. Leave an honest review mentioning bed bugs — future guests need this information.

6. WHEN YOU GET HOME: Take extra precautions. Unpack in the bathroom or garage. Wash and dry ALL clothing on high heat, even items you didn't wear. Inspect your luggage with a flashlight. Consider storing your suitcase outside the apartment (storage unit, building storage room) for a few weeks as an extra precaution.

Hotel stays are the most-discussed source, but they're not the only one. In NYC, be especially cautious with:

USED FURNITURE: Never bring a mattress, box spring, bed frame, couch, or upholstered chair from the curb into your apartment. Even 'clean-looking' furniture can harbor bed bugs deep in seams and joints. If you buy used furniture from marketplace listings, inspect every seam and crevice before bringing it inside.

SHARED LAUNDRY: NYC apartment building laundry rooms are potential transfer points. Transport your laundry in sealed bags, and fold clean clothes at home — not on the laundry room table.

OVERNIGHT GUESTS: That friend who crashed on your couch might have brought bed bugs from their apartment. If a guest who has (or has had) bed bugs stays at your place, inspect your couch, guest bedding, and sleeping area afterward.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: While rare, bed bugs have been found on NYC subway seats and bus seats. This is extremely low-risk for a single trip, but if you ride daily and sit in fabric-upholstered seats, it's worth being aware of.

MOVING: Moving trucks and moving blankets shared between customers can transfer bed bugs. If possible, use new boxes (not recycled ones from other moves) and inspect the truck before loading your belongings.