Hotel worker shares how to check for bed bugs before unpacking

‘I check my rooms before I even get unpacked,’ the hotel worker says

A hospitality expert has shared a tip for any travellers checking into a hotel following her own unsavoury experience.

Hotel worker Halee, who has a TikTok account under the name @Haleewithaflair, shared the story on her page in response to a video by another creator. The video showed a couple waking up in a hotel covered in “scars” due to an infestation of bed bugs, and Halee quickly stitched the video with her own.

Halee replied that it has happened to her on multiple occasions, opening with: “And this is how you should check your hotel room before you even unpack.”

She said in the video: “I’ve been working in the hotel industry for 15 years and I own a hotel sales support company. This is how I check my rooms before I get unpacked and settled in.”

Adding that she always carries a torch with her when staying in hotels, she explained: “The first thing you’re gonna want to do is make sure your room is dark. Turn off lights, close any shades, and use the flashlight on your phone.”

She added that travellers should check under the bed and in the dark corners of the room, saying that the bed bugs “usually like to hang out in the corners and the creases”.

“The reason you should check your bed with the lights off is because bed bugs are actually nocturnal,” Halee continued, “so they’re more likely to be out and about looking for their prey.”

Halee also recommended travellers carry out the thorough check before thinking about unpacking their bags, as bed bugs can slip into luggage and stow away in packed clothes.

But it’s not just beds and luggage that bed bugs lurk in. She also recommends checking mini fridges, curtains and ironing boards in hotel rooms. Halee added: “I always run my finger over the headboard to check for dust.”

As a final tip, she confirmed that if a room is kept to a high cleaning standard, it’s unlikely that there will be bed bugs hiding in the bed. But she recommends keeping an eye out for blood spots, as “that’s not a good sign either”.