I usually enjoy staying at Motel One hotels. As a frequent business traveller to Germany, they're…read moreusually well-decorated, comfortable, and reliable. Unfortunately, my most recent stay at Motel One Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (From the 23rd June 2025) was an absolute nightmare due to a bed bug infestation.
After going to bed early due to an early flight, I woke up during the night and noticed dark marks on the pillow. When I turned on the main light, I discovered the bed was infested with large bed bugs (I have photos). At first, I wasn't even sure what they were because of their size, and I worried that they could be ticks.
It was ~1am when I went to reception who gave me a new room, but no guidance on how to handle the situation or prevent spreading the infestation. I'd already unpacked my suitcase on the bed, had clothes on the floor, and had to pack everything up in the middle of the night, exhausted and worried. I took precautions myself by showering, changing clothes I'd worn in the bed bug bed, and keeping my stuff away from the new bed.
The next day, after researching and speaking with colleagues, it became clear they were bed bugs. However, things got worse after I returned home to the UK:
- My partner and I both developed new, painful, itchy bites for a couple of weeks afterwards.
- We endured sleepless nights and a constant sense of disgust and paranoia for thinking more and more bugs were appearing due to the number of bites that kept appearing.
- We had to turn our entire bedroom upside down, wash and steam-clean everything (including hiring a steamer), and I had to dispose of my luggage and clothing from the trip for fear of releasing any more bugs into our home.
Despite all of this, Motel One's response has been to deny responsibility. They claim the room was inspected beforehand and that I must have brought the bed bugs in myself - an outrageous and insulting suggestion. It's impossible for a guest to cause a full-blown infestation within a few hours of arrival, especially for the bed bugs to be the size they were.
I could've accepted this as an unfortunate one-off incident if Motel One had handled it properly with an apology, accountability, and some form of compensation. Instead, their response has been dismissive and defensive, shifting blame onto me.
My warning to future guests: do not stay at this hotel. Clearly, rooms are not properly inspected, and when things go wrong, Motel One will not take responsibility. Instead of resolving the issue professionally, they will try to deflect and blame the customer.
