Malaysian Women Covered In Bed Bug Bites After Staying At A Boutique Hotel In Singapore
The hotel denied claims of an infestation as no eggs were found in the room and accused the woman of bringing in the bed bugs.
By Ivyna Ong — 04 Jul 2022, 10:05 AM
A Malaysian woman's Facebook post recounting her stay at a hotel in Singapore has gone viral for the unpleasant experience of suffering from bed bug bites
Phia Boo and her friend Juliana H Jenos stayed at ST Signature for three days and two nights.
In her Facebook post, Boo shared photos of the rashes sustained and the bed bugs they found. The swollen bite marks covered their bodies from their necks all the way to their toes.
Speaking to SAYS, Boo said that they did not expect to end the trip with bed bug bites all over their bodies "because it was Singapore".
They booked the hotel because it was affordable and because, "We will spend time with friends, so it is unnecessary for us to book [a] 5-star (hotel)."
She shared that during her first night at the hotel, she found two bed bugs: one small bug, and another large one that was squished and filled with blood
Having found the bed bugs and suffering itchy bite marks, they requested to change rooms.
They continued their stay at the same hotel because they were told that the second room was clean and sanitised.
Furthermore, they did not want anymore trouble because they had only one more night left of their trip.
However, even after changing rooms, they woke up to find another bed bug.
According to Asia One, this room change would be the third time during their two-night stay at the hotel. The first room change was because the air-conditioning was not functioning properly.
Boo also shared her disbelief over how the hotel could be "SG Clean Certified" when their hygiene was questionable.
After making a complaint with the management, Boo said that the staff were friendly and helpful as they offered to wash their clothes
However, they were not offered any medical treatment nor were they refunded.
At the end of their trip, they immediately went to a laundromat to wash their clothes to ensure that the bugs were dead as they did not want to bring any back home.
They were disappointed with how the trip went and felt that their time and money was wasted.
Jenos went to see a doctor and got a jab after rashes kept popping up on her body. Boo told SAYS that her friend's condition was more severe because she slept through the night.
She believes it was because she kept tossing and turning that made it difficult for the bed bugs to bite her.
As a frequent traveller who has stayed at multiple hotels and motels, Boo lamented that it was her first time encountering such an issue.
However, it appears as though Boo and Jenos were not the only hotel guests who had an unpleasant stay
Based on Google Reviews and Facebook users who commented on Boo's post, other guests also experienced similar issues with bed bugs at the establishment.
Boo also added that she was disappointed with the way ST Signature handled the situation because of the lack of proper customer service towards them
Boo told SAYS that she received a refund from Airbnb and an apology from the establishment after the incident was reported by local media.
She also mentioned that her intention of sharing this issue with the public was not for the sake of receiving a refund but because she felt bad for her friend, whose condition worsened after the trip. The whole ordeal has also left them traumatised.
She also hoped that the hotel would "do a proper disinfection, fumigation, and sanitisation" to prevent others from experiencing the same problem.
On top of that, she claimed, "The host of the hotel [didn't] even care to pick up the phone (when we called) and check [on] us and offer any medical assistance."
In the wake of her viral post, ST Signature denied claims of an infestation at their hotel as no eggs were found in the room and accused the woman of bringing in the bed bugs
According to Asia One, a representative from ST Signature mentioned that the pest management service is conducted weekly.
If the presence of pests is detected, they said that the room would be treated, fumigated, and left isolated for at least six days before they welcome new customers.
The spokesperson claimed it was the first time they received such a complaint.
"We are disheartened that the guests had an unpleasant experience during their stay in Singapore," they added.
