https://www.thesun.ie/news/4863808/tourists-trip-dublin-ruined-bitten-77-times-by-bed-bugs-hotel-riu-plaza-gresham/HOTEL HORROR Tourist’s trip to Dublin ruined after she is bitten 77 times by bed bugs in Hotel Riu Plaza The GreshamEXCLUSIVE
Danny De Vaal
9 Dec 2019, 7:45Updated: 9 Dec 2019, 10:44
A SWEDISH woman was treated for bed bugs after staying at a lavish city centre hotel in Dublin.
The 54-year-old Swedish Board of Agriculture official was also planning on spending the weekend in Dublin with her daughter when her work commitments wrapped up but she was left in agony after waking up to 77 large red bites on her face and arms.
Sanja told the Irish Sun: “I picked the hotel because it had a great reputation.
“I never expected that something like this was going to happen.
“I have big marks on my face, my neck and my arms.
“I tried to show the managers and they were just like ‘No, no’.
“I travel a lot and I’ve never had an experience like this.”
'I HAD 77 BITES'
Sanja booked the hotel for two nights and checked in on October 30 and stayed until November 1.
She was forced to spend €70 on a visit to the doctor and a further €30 on steroid tablets and cream.
Sanja, who left Dublin last month, said she had to work from home as she had large marks on her face.
She said: “The hotel was aware of what the problem was because there wasn’t a small infestation.
"I had 77 bites on me. I don’t know how many bed bugs there were in total but I saw several. I brought the manager up to the room to show him.”
'WE TAKE MATTER VERY SERIOUSLY'
Sanja claimed the manager told her it looked like “something” but wasn’t sure because he “wasn’t a specialist”.
A spokeswoman for Riu Plaza The Gresham said: “Please let us assure you that the health and safety of our clients is our number one priority.
“We know of the case you refer to and please let us say that we take this matter very seriously.
“After the first notification, the hotel contacted its specialised partner and the result of the analysis conducted was negative.
“No bed bugs were found in the hotel. In any case, and as a gesture of goodwill, the belongings of the guest were treated via our cleaning partner and the luggage replaced.”
The Irish Sun then sent the hotel a video of a bed bug which Sanja filmed and requested a copy of the report from the pest company.
A spokeswoman then told us: “I’m sorry but we cannot share the report from the pest company, opinate about the video, nor give you further details.
“But we can tell you that we have had no other reports of this kind from any other guest staying either in this very bedroom nor in any of the other 339 guestrooms during these dates.
“Despite this, if there is the minimum suspicion, we activate the specific protocol to avoid any possible problem from spreading.”
