Hannah Stephenson, 31, woke up covered in itchy red lumps after staying a single night at the Travelodge on Newmarket Road in Cambridge on July 26. She counted around 100 bedbug bites on her hands, arms, chest, back, legs and neck, with 37 on her left hand alone.
First-time bedbug encounter
Hannah, who has travelled the world, said it was her first experience with bedbugs. After a day sightseeing with friends, she stayed in Cambridge rather than taking a taxi to her home in Bassingbourn to save money. She woke up to see blood smears on her bedsheets and tiny moving specks on her pillow – bedbugs.
Speaking to the BBC, she said: 'It was just a lovely wholesome time of Cambridge sightseeing and pubs, and now it is tarnished by these bedbug bites. It wasn't until I saw the blood and the bugs that I realised what had happened.'
Impact on daily life
The blogger complained to the receptionist, who advised her to email customer service. As of Friday, she was still covered in bites, leaving her self-conscious. Some people assume she has chickenpox or another skin disease.
'There are certain social events I haven't gone to, as I was so embarrassed at the way my arms were looking and the way my face looked,' she added. She also mentioned having a panic attack and having to buy new clothes to cover the bites.
Compensation and response
Travelodge offered Hannah £2,000 in compensation. Inspectors found her room was riddled with bedbugs, and the room is now being deep-cleaned.
Travelodge told Metro: 'We are deeply sorry for Ms Stephenson's experience and recognise how distressing an incident like this can be. The safety of our customers is our priority and we maintain stringent, expert-led measures to prevent and manage pest issues, including training our housekeeping colleagues to be vigilant and to spot early signs wherever possible.'
Bedbugs are small parasitic insects that feed on the blood of sleeping mammals. Symptoms of bedbug bites include red blood spots, water-filled blisters, pus-filled spots and swollen, raised lumps. They tend to heal within a week or two, though rare skin infections are treated with antibiotics. Bedbugs can go nearly a year without eating, allowing them to hitchhike on clothing, furniture, luggage and second-hand bedding.
