Europe’s Top 10 Cities for Hotel Bedbug Complaints

Bucharest is among the top 10 European cities with the most complaints regarding bed bugs and dirty mattresses in hotels, according to a study conducted by MattressNextDay based on 12.9 million reviews on TripAdvisor.

The capital of Romania ranks 10th in the list, alongside highly popular tourist destinations such as Rome, Athens, Paris, and Amsterdam, according to the ranking published by Daily Mail.

Rome tops the list with 31.37 complaints per 1,000 reviews regarding bed bugs and dirty mattresses or beds. The podium is completed by Kavos, a resort on the island of Corfu, with 19.05 complaints per 1,000 reviews, and Athens with 18.96.

The ranking continues with Amsterdam (17.40 complaints per 1,000 reviews), Paris (16.02), Brussels, Venice, Budapest, Florence, and Bucharest.

According to the study authors, Italy is the country with the most cities on the list, with three representatives: Rome, Venice, and Florence. Greece is the only country with two destinations in the top three positions.

"Many travelers assume that bringing home a single bed bug is not a major problem, but this can quickly lead to a much larger infestation even in their own home," said Martin Seeley, CEO of MattressNextDay.

He warns that the insects are hard to detect as they hide in clothes, luggage, and upholstered furniture and can remain undiscovered for weeks after returning from vacation.

"Bed bugs can survive up to a year without feeding, making them difficult to detect and allowing infestations to persist for long periods before being discovered," Seeley explained.

The specialist recommends that tourists carefully check the mattress, especially the seams and tags, as well as the bed frame, headboard, and nearby furniture. Dark spots, rust-colored stains, shed skins, and clusters of small eggs can be the first signs of bed bug presence.

Top 10 European destinations with the most complaints regarding bed bugs and dirty mattresses: