Christine Bingaman of Arkansas filed a class-action lawsuit against the “Arizona Biltmore Hotel and Resort, a Hilton Waldorf Astoria luxury property that is known for its charm” and is popular among tourists and locals alike. Why did she file the suit? Well, it turns out that despite the fact that the hotel “promises a world-class experience,” Bingaman claims she encountered bed bugs during her four-night visit to the property in May 2018.
Christine Bingaman of Arkansas filed a class-action lawsuit against the “Arizona Biltmore Hotel and Resort, a Hilton Waldorf Astoria luxury property that is known for its charm” and is popular among tourists and locals alike. Why did she file the suit? Well, it turns out that despite the fact that the hotel “promises a world-class experience,” Bingaman claims she encountered bed bugs during her four-night visit to the property in May 2018.
According to her lawsuit, “on her first night, she experienced an itchy sensation all over her legs…on her second night she saw a bug run across the sheets in her room.” Fortunately for her, she was able to “catch the bug and put it in a plastic bag and looked up pictures of bed bugs.” Upon showing the bug to the hotel staff, she was transferred to another room.
Despite being transferred to a different room, however, she expressed concerns about her personal belongings to staff members. She knew from hearing stories about bed bugs that they often “latched on to clothing and luggage and could travel with you.” Due to her concerns, she allegedly “met with several managers at the hotel who confirmed the bug had been a bedbug and acknowledged her concerns about her personal property.” During those meetings, she was instructed to leave behind any personal items she didn’t feel comfortable returning home with and would be compensated for anything she left behind. However, according to the suit, she was never compensated.
As a result of the lack of compensation, Bingaman is suing the hotel for fraud, emotional distress, and false advertising, among others. The suit also argues that hotel staff doesn’t receive the proper training to identify and treat bed bug issues. In fact, the hotel had previous problems with bed bugs before Bingaman’s incident. According to attachments her lawyers included with the suit, previous customers who had stayed at the hotel had “found bed bugs in their rooms as well.”
In response to the suit, a spokeswoman for the resort issued the following statement:
“We are not able to comment on a pending litigation. Arizona Biltmore takes the issue of bed bugs very seriously as the safety and comfort of our guests and staff are of paramount importance. The hotel employs a comprehensive detection program which maintains the highest levels of vigilance.”
When describing the resort’s bed bug procedures, another spokeswoman said:
“Our housekeeping and maintenance departments collaborate with outside specialists to perform regularly scheduled inspections. In the unlikely and unusual event, a guest suspects a problem; the guest is relocated, the area in question is isolated to determine whether a problem exists and, if warranted, the situation will be immediately remedied.”
Sources:
Lawsuit claims bedbugs found at Arizona Biltmore Hotel and Resort
Lawsuit: Luxury Arizona Biltmore Resort Has a Bedbug Problem
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