Bed bugs, two room moves, and absolutely no mitigation plan!!!…read more
I have never written a public review before, despite plenty of less than perfect experiences. I worked in the service industry for years and generally believe businesses deserve the opportunity to make things right. The Nugget had that opportunity and chose not to..
During our stay for Hot August Nights, we discovered bed bugs in room 1638. Security responded promptly, confirmed the issue, documented it, and moved us to room 2838. That replacement room had a long standing AC leak, saturated carpet, peeling wallpaper, and visible growth behind the wall covering. Engineering inspected it the next morning and told us we absolutely could not remain there. We were moved again, to room 1242.
The frontline employees were kind, responsive, and genuinely helpful. Management was the problem.
We repeatedly asked what the hotel could do to prevent us from carrying bed bugs into the next rooms or home with us. There was no laundry service, no heat treatment option, no containment procedure offered, and no written policy or protocol available when requested.
We were allowed to move the same luggage and belongings from 1638 to 2838 and then to 1242 with no mitigation whatsoever. If we had picked up hitchhikers in the original room, we could easily have carried them through multiple hotel rooms and eventually home. We are now home and spending our own time laundering and heat treating our belongings because the property offered no assistance with this before our departure.
Manager on Duty Cole Hughes was particularly disappointing. After initially avoiding speaking with us directly, he ultimately offered no meaningful assistance and told us, in substance, that once we left the property the problem would be ours. He then directed us back to Security, whose staff had already done far more to help us than management had.
We requested management follow up in writing while we were still on property. No response. We requested information about what to do if we brought bed bugs home. No answer. We were told Risk Management would contact us in 7 to 15 business days. Before departure, I ultimately obtained the Risk Management phone number from Security myself. I called after returning home and left a message.
This is what bothers me most: the Nugget responded to the rooms, but not to the guests. Moving us was necessary. It was not a complete response to a bed bug exposure.
If this is what corporate ownership has turned guest service into, relocate, document, pass the customer to Risk Management, and wait for them to leave, it is incredibly disappointing.
I am writing this because future guests should know: if you encounter bed bugs here, based on our experience, do not assume the property has a meaningful procedure in place to help prevent you from carrying them elsewhere or taking them home.
Security and Engineering deserve credit. Management absolutely does not.
