While Democrats gather in Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2012 Democratic National Convention to fight for President Obama to be re-elected, they may also have to fight off some unwanted pests at local hotels--bed bugs.
An increased number of hotels that are being used by people, who are in town for the Democratic National Convention, have reportedly had bed bug problems in recent years. Nine of the hotels being occupied have had issues with bed bugs, according to the Washington Times.
Some convention attendees were concerned about the bed bug reports, but local health officials insist that they have taken precautions to eliminate the creatures so that hotel guests won't be attacked and bring bed bugs home.
"We did inspect all of the hotels and we do respond to complaints," Stephen Graham, an environmental supervisor for the Mecklenburg County Health Department told The Washington Times. "We're required to inspect them once a year, and we inspected them all after the start of the new fiscal year [July 1]."
Some hotel guests took to sites like as BedBugReports.com and BedBugRegistry.com to report about their hotel experiences and to warn others of bed bug infestations. Thirty hotels in Charlotte are included on the Bed Bug Registry, including nine hotels that will house about 10 of the state delegations for the duration of the convention.
The Charlotte Marriott City Center has received five reports of bed bug sightings since July 2011. Some said they received bites days after their stays as the bugs came back home with them. One person claimed that the hotel refused to reimburse a guest who spent money to dry clean their clothes after picking up the bugs.
The Washington Times reports that the hotel wrote a response to the issue saying" "The Charlotte Marriott City Center maintains strict cleanliness standards, which includes constant monitoring and routine assessments of guestrooms and public space," the person wrote, adding that the hotel only refunds costs if a third-party inspector finds bedbugs. "We pride ourselves on providing quality conscientious attention to the property and guests."
The Charlotte-Center City Holiday Inn, which will be hosting the Illinois delegation, has received three reports by users who stayed at the hotel recently. They claim that they woke up covered in bites during a single night.
Some of the other hotels like the DoubleTree by Hilton Charlotte Airport hotel, which will host the Connecticut delegation, only had one report from over a year ago. Drury Inn & Suites Northlake, which will host Ohio delegates, had an anonymous report from someone who stayed in April.
A survey by the pest control company Orkin showed that beg bug problems have increased in Charlotte. The March survey showed that Charlotte was the 33rd city with the most bed bug reports in 2011. Tampa, where the GOP Convention was held didn't make the top 50 list.
It is advised that everyone should check their mattress, box spring and headboard for signs of bed bugs or their fecal matter which appears as tiny black dots. Guests should request a new room if they notice these signs and keep their luggage in the bathroom so that they don't bring the bugs home with them.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
