LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas Strip is home to the best resorts attracting guests from all over the world, but over the last several weeks NewsNation affiliate KLAS has found that bed bugs have been located at seven hotels.
As outlined in a Southern Nevada Health District complaint, one of those hotels is Circus Circus.
According to records, a Circus Circus executive was notified of bed bugs in a room after a guest is bitten in January 2022. The room was inspected and bed bugs were found, placing it and nearby rooms out of service for a two-week treatment.
A few months later in June, health officials received another bed bug complaint for another Circus Circus room. It’s then treated.
Along with Circus Circus, KLAS learned through a public records request that health inspectors discovered bed bugs at these six other Strip properties over the last year and a half: Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Palazzo, Tropicana, MGM Grand, and Sahara.
All but two declined KLAS’ repeated attempts for comment.
In a statement, MGM International Resorts says in part, “We have comprehensive procedures in place to address and resolve any issue that may arise.”
Bed bugs were found in an MGM Grand room in January 2022, and it was then treated.
The Tropicana Las Vegas was also hit with bed bugs this year in February, and they told KLAS in a statement, “While highly unlikely, in the event of a complaint, we immediately isolate the affected room and its surrounding areas.”
Two Caesars Entertainment properties also had bed bugs.
A SNDH report says in January a person was bitten while staying at Caesars Palace. The room was then treated. At Planet Hollywood, bed bugs were found in June.
A guest staying at the Palazzo told health officials they were bitten in January 2022.
According to a complaint, a Sahara hotel guest squished a bed bug in October of that same year. The room tested positive, and it was cleaned.
Bobby James of Top Line Pest Control takes care of bed bugs at off-the-strip hotels.
“We got thousands of people coming into Vegas every day, so bed bugs catch a ride with somebody. They jump off into a hotel,” James said.
James suggests guests inspect their room once they get inside, especially around the bed.
“Hotels don’t come with bed bugs in them. People bring them, so when they put a luggage on the bed, we don’t know where they came from,” James said.
James says some signs are dark-colored spots, feces, and carcasses.
The Southern Nevada Health District told 8 News Now if a hotel takes care of bed bugs in a room once it learns of them, it does not assess a fine.
Hotels are only fined if they have ongoing complaints and don’t provide adequate pest control.