Ellie Davina, a 22-year-old self-employed jeweller from Bradford, West Yorkshire, checked into the Premier Inn Manchester Airport hotel on Runger Lane North for one night on Wednesday, June 17, before her flight to Tenerife. After lying on the double bed for a couple of hours while her friend slept in the single bed, she got up to use the bathroom. Using her phone's torch to find her way back, she discovered bed bugs crawling out of the pillowcase.
Discovery of Bed Bugs
Ellie reported seeing at least 10 bed bugs on the bedding, some as large as her fingernail. She said, 'I pulled the duvet back and they were absolutely everywhere - they were crawling out of the pillow cases. There were about four in the seam of this pillow case, I'd had my head laid there.' She suspects a lump on her leg earlier that evening may have been a bed bug bite.
Hotel Response
Ellie stormed to reception, where she was offered a complimentary breakfast and a full refund of £77. After sitting in reception for over an hour, she was moved to another room but could not sleep, sitting on the edge of the bed until checkout. She claims the receptionist giggled and seemed unbothered. A Premier Inn spokesperson said, 'Bed bugs are incredibly rare in our hotels, and we have rigorous processes in place... our expert supplier has visited the hotel... the impacted room has now been successfully treated and is now clear.' The chain apologised for the 'extremely rare' incident and confirmed a refund had been processed, though Ellie says she has not yet received it.
Impact on Guest
Ellie said the ordeal has made her 'paranoid' about bed bugs. She checked the entire hotel in Tenerife and her own bed upon returning home. She stated, 'Premier Inn used to be the go-to, cheap hotel to use but now I will never go back.' She also noted that the bedding had likely not been changed, as the bugs were crawling out of the pillowcases.
