There is no winning with bed bugs. They can appear on any mattress, at any hotel (even the expensive ones), and bite you when you least expect it. They’re often microscopic, and signs of their presence are difficult to detect. Even after you’ve fled an infested hotel, the bed bugs can travel on your clothes or shoes, affecting every part of your trip. Despite precautions, though, you may bring them home, where they will colonize your own bedroom. If you do find bed bugs in your hotel room, you can wrap your clothes in plastic and dry clean them, of course. But the moment these creatures arrive in your house, you’ll probably have to call an exterminator.
Tragically, this decision turned fatal in February 2025, when two tourists in Sri Lanka apparently died from pesticide poisoning, (via CNN). Ebony McIntosh, a U.K. national, was only 24 when she fell mysteriously ill. Her friend, Nadine Raguse, from Germany, was 26. They had both been staying in a hostel in the capital city of Colombo, where there had reportedly been an outbreak of bed bugs. After a fumigation session, the two women, along with several other guests, became violently ill and passed away at a local hospital.
Many travelers tend to think of hotels as a “safe space,” but it’s wise to remember that even a hotel room comes with its own risks. In general, there are a few safety tips that can help prevent bad encounters, especially in dodgy accommodations. But the issue of pest control raises its own special concerns.
What to do in case of fumes
