Turn on every light in the hotel room. Having the most light possible will make it easier to spot signs of bedbug infestation.
Remove the bedding from the bed one layer at a time and examine the edges and seams, particularly those at the head of the bed, for signs of bedbug infestation. Telltale signs to look for include adult bedbugs, which are about 3/16 inch long with reddish-brown, flat, oval-shaped bodies; their young, called nymphs, which are smaller and lighter in color than adults; the molted skins of nymphs, which look like tan flakes; and black or red dots of dried bedbug feces or blood left behind from their feeding.
Pull the mattress about 4 inches away from walls and the headboard of the bed. Use the flashlight to examine the upper and lower seams of the mattress and the box spring for bedbugs, nymph skins and spots of blood and bedbug feces, paying particular attention to the areas near the head of the bed.
Move the headboard about 2 inches away from the wall, if possible, and use the flashlight to continue looking for bedbugs, nymph skins, and dots of blood or feces on the back of the headboard and on the wall behind the headboard. If the headboard is mounted to the wall or otherwise immovable, shine the flashlight along the edges of the headboard and into available space between the headboard, searching for the telltale signs of bedbugs.
