2025-08-12 – News – www.theguardian.com
I arrived at a Safestay hostel in London at midnight to find my bed infested, but the platform hasn’t replied to my complaint
I used Booking.com to book a bed at Safestay Holland Park hostel on a work trip to London this month. Arriving at midnight, I discovered bedbugs crawling on the mattress, pillow and walls. Staff moved me to another building, which was also infested. I spent the night awake at reception.
Exhaustion forced me to take a dawn train home, costing a new ticket and my freelance fee as I was unable to work. I also had to buy new clothes and do multiple wash cycles to avoid bringing the infestation back with me.
