Over the last two years hotels in the UK have seen a 278% increase in the levels of bed bugs but 2024 is set to be the worst yet according to recent research. 

A bed bug outbreak in Paris made national headlines at the back end of 2023 after travellers posted photos and videos showing the insects on the local transport system and at Charles de Gaulle airport.

Concerns were then raised about the level in the UK with the likes of microbiologist and founder of Bed Bugs Ltd, David Cain, saying he believed there was already a similar issue with bed bugs in London as there was in Paris.

Mr Cain said he had witnessed an "exponential growth” in bed bug cases over the last 20 years to the point now where they are “out of control”.

Glasgow Times: Bed bug levels in UK hotels are set to reach their worst levels yet in 2024 according to recent research.Bed bug levels in UK hotels are set to reach their worst levels yet in 2024 according to recent research. (Image: Andrew Nuss/Purdue University)

He added: "They’re not just in people’s beds: they’re on public transport, in doctor’s surgeries, cinemas, restaurants – all over the place.

“People are still encountering bedbugs in virtually every major city in the world. They’re just not hashtagging them like in Paris.”

Bed bugs in UK hotels set to reach worst levels yet in 2024

Despite a 278% increase in the level of bed bugs in UK hotels over the last two years, according to research by Spotta, 2024 is set to be the worst year yet.

Data compiled from 2.5 million stays in hotels across the country found there has been five time the number of bed bug cases in UK hotels across the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

The rising number of bed bug cases is causing an increase in anxiety levels among travellers looking to book their Easter of Summer holidays.

Almost a quarter of people (22%) have been put off booking hotel accommodation this year due to the recent bed bug outbreaks in the UK and abroad, according to the research by Spotta.

While the idea of being bitten puts more than half (51%) off sleeping in a hotel bed or Airbnb bed (44%).

Glasgow Times: Almost a quarter of people (22%) have put off booking hotel accommodation in 2024 due to the recent bed bug outbreaks in the UK and abroad.Almost a quarter of people (22%) have put off booking hotel accommodation in 2024 due to the recent bed bug outbreaks in the UK and abroad. (Image: File image/Alamy/PA)

There are now calls for industries to make it easier for people booking to know whether or not their bed sheets are insect-free by introducing a ‘Bed Bug Protection Promise’. 

This promise would act in the same way as hygiene ratings in restaurants for example giving customers information on the cleanliness of the place they are hoping to stay before they check in.

How to know if you've got bed bugs

There are seven key signs to look out for that could mean that you have bed bugs, according to the experts at Bed Kingdom:

  • Unusual smell
  • Bites 
  • Blood stains 
  • Dark, brown marks 
  • Eggs 
  • Shell casings 
  • Live bed bugs 

How to get rid of bed bugs

You can use simple home remedies like baking soda to get rid of bed bugs, according to cleaning company Daily Poppins.

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While the experts at Bed Kingdom added other ways to get rid of the bed bugs include:

  • Wash any affected bedding or clothing on a hot wash.
  • Use a tumble dryer in a hot setting (for a minimum of half an hour)
  • Place any items that can't be washed in plastic bags and leave them in the freezer for 3-4 days
  • Don't use an insecticide (as some of them can contain harmful chemicals)
  • Clear out any rubbish from your bedroom
  • Give your house or affected areas a really good vacuum

Daily Poppins expert, Nigel Bearman, said lavender oil was another good product to use for getting rid of bed bugs.