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You've spent months planning your perfect vacation.  A five-star hotel in a tropical paradise.  Your vacation will have everything dreams are made of.  And, just maybe, a little bit more.

If travelers knew that there is a ninety percent chance that popular hotel chains, even presidential suites in five-star hotels are prone to bed bugs, there would be far fewer bodies lining the beaches.  Your favorite hotel may have hosted a bed bug infestation, while patrons slept completely unaware.

So, what would you do if you found out that your hotel had bed bugs?  How would you know?  If you enjoy traveling, you need to know the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation.  That way, you'll know how to prevent these pests from following you home.

Itchy

You will likely feel this sign before you see it.  The itch of a bed bug bite is prevalent before the rash is even visible.  Bed bug bites tend to be itchier than mosquito bites.  When a mosquito bites, you are able to feel the sting of the bite and the sucking of blood.  With bed bugs, it's quite different.  First of all, the bugs only feed while their victims are fast asleep.  Further, there are anesthetics in bed bug's saliva to dull the pain, and anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting.  They are able to bite you without detection, and then leisurely feed until they can take no more.

The rash of a bed bug bite appears about an hour after the initial piercing of the skin.  Some people, however, will not develop a rash until several days after being bitten.  It all depends on an individual's reaction to the chemicals being secreted by bed bugs.

Would you be able to spot a bed bug rash?  The rash begins with a single, small, red, inflamed bump.  It will appear more swollen than a mosquito rash.  Initially, the rash will appear as a single, swollen spot.   Days later, however, the bed bug rash will multiply.  Of course, this means that the original bug has brought his friends back for another feast.  People who move around a lot while they sleep may notice a rash of "in-line" bite marks.  This formation takes place because the bed bugs feed quickly and return to their hiding places as soon as the host begins moving.

If you have a rash that you suspect may be the result of bed bugs, observe it for several days. Bed bug rashes remain itchy, even days after the rash first appears.  The rash itself will not heal as fast as a mosquito bite mark, and may stay swollen for weeks.

Stinky

The presence of bed bugs can sometimes be detected by a particular odor in the room. 

Hotel rooms with heavy bed bug infestations have an offensive, sweetish, musty odor.  This scent is released by the bed bugs through their urine and feces.  Conduct a "sniff test" in your room, paying close attention to the headboard, upholstered furniture, wood chairs and under the mattress.  If you detect a strange odor that you think may indicate a presence of bed bugs, keep traveling.

In hotels with light or minimal infestation, the bed bug odor is not so easily detectable.

Avoiding a Home Invasion

*  The night before you check out of the hotel, remove every item from your suitcase.  Bed bugs are incredibly effective hitchhikers.  They are able to survive for months without food, and could very easily start an infestation in your home if they traveled home in your luggage.

*  Bed bugs are partial to things made of paper, cloth and wood.  These are porous materials in which they can easily hide and create a habitat.  Carefully inspect any and all items made of these materials.

*  Spray a water-based insect killer around your suitcase.

*  Shake out your clothes to remove any bed bugs.

*  Wipe your bathtub dry, and put your clothing and travel items in the tub. Bed bugs won't stay on marble or ceramic tub surfaces, as these offer no comfort to the pests and usually gets wet.

*  Wash your laundry before returning home. 

All of this may seem like a lot of work, but it's nothing compared the trouble you'd go to when exterminating your home.  Once your bedroom has been infested with bed bugs, they will quickly spread to neighboring rooms.  Getting rid of bed bugs is a very tough job and in extreme cases, you may need to throw away your bed and sofa to completely rid your home of bed bugs.

Taking a dream vacation can be even more fun when you travel with a guest. But if you see signs of Itchy and Stinky in your hotel room, send them packing.  You'll be much better off traveling alone.