From ants and bedbugs to cockroaches and mice, hotels face a special challenge when it comes to pests. Any type of pest needs four basic conditions to survive, and hotels provide all four - food, water, shelter and warmth.
Despite the efforts of daily housekeeping crews and nightly restaurant staff, hotel rooms and kitchens are nearly impossible to keep perfectly clean. The only invitation a pest needs to move in to the building is a room service plate left in the hallway a little too long, a drip of condensation from an ice-making machine or a place to stow away on a new guest's luggage.
At the same time, hotels can face strict repercussions from the appearance of unwanted pests when spooked guests post bad reviews on travel websites. The problem grows even worse as the weather warms in the spring each year, when hungry pests awaken from winter slumbers.
Fortunately, pest inspection experts say diligent hosts can keep pests at bay by focusing on six major problem areas: guest rooms, food service areas, swimming pools, entrance lobbies, laundry rooms and waste areas.