Hollie Honeyman’s holiday to Butlin’s in Bognor Regis turned into a nightmare when she woke to find she had been bitten by bed bugs. The 25-year-old was celebrating a friend’s birthday during a four-day trip when she discovered bed bugs crawling on her bed and curtains. What followed was a harrowing experience that caused her to cut her vacation short and discard much of her clothing.
According to Hollie, the bites—more than 100 large, red, and inflamed spots—spread across her face, neck, back, and arms, worsening by the hour. Despite Butlin’s offering to move her to another room, she found herself too anxious to stay and decided to leave a day early. The severity of the bites meant she endured intense itching and pain, leading her to spend an entire day disinfecting her car and disposing of contaminated belongings.
Returning home only intensified her distress. The bites became infected with pus, requiring medical attention and prescription steroid creams. Hollie revealed, “I’ve been so paranoid that the bugs followed me home. I even have trouble sleeping because I feel like they’re still on me.” This traumatic experience has left her vowing never to return to Butlin’s.
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While Butlin’s offered a £400 refund, Hollie felt it was insufficient and declined the offer, believing more compensation is warranted. A spokesperson for Butlin’s expressed sincere regret for her ordeal, emphasizing the company’s strict cleaning standards and commitment to pest control, and stated they were engaging directly with Hollie to address her concerns.
Hollie, from Sittingbourne, Kent, who has fond memories of visiting Butlin’s as a child, warns others to be cautious, especially families with children. Her partner, Ben Clegg, also experienced delayed reactions from bites on his back, highlighting the overall stress the infestation caused.
Her story sheds light on the importance of stringent hygiene checks at holiday resorts and the lasting impact such experiences can have on guests. Hollie’s ordeal serves as a stark warning for travelers to remain vigilant and demand higher standards in accommodation cleanliness.