Anonymous

June 19, 2025 7:30 pm checkin. When we arrived at our room, I, as always, inspected our beds to check for bedbugs. I first noticed crumbs, trash and childrens art supplies scattered randomly around the suite. Realizing the room, if cleaned, was obviously not inspected properly, I did a thorough inspection of our mattresses and headboards. I found a bug on the mattress which was the bed my girls were going to be sleeping on and a rather large stain on the mattress as well. Upon further inspection I found what appear to be eggs and droppings(per Google) along the seam of the mattress itself (this was found once I removed the sheets to check the mattress properly. I contacted the front desk and they apologized, said they “don’t know much about this” but offered to have our room cleaned the next day. Obviously, if there are bed bugs, cleaning the room the next day and choosing to stay in the same room until then, was just asking for trouble. Even if they had cleaned it the next day, that wouldn’t remedy a bed bug issue. So when I refused that offer they said they could move us rooms but the only available room was a standard room (we had a suite because we needed to sleep 5) so I didn’t feel comfortable with this option either since one of our guests would have to stay on the floor and obviously I am not trusting any of the rooms have been cleaned or inspected properly after our first rooms issue. They said to go take a look at it and they would reduce our rate for us down to the cost of the standard room. Almost as if this was compensation for our troubles, but obviously if we were getting a standard room vs a suite it should have been reduced regardless of the bed bug issue. After looking at the standard room and finding what Google images identified as bed bug droppings on the sheets of the new room, we declined that offer as well. We ended up getting the room refunded, but then we had to search for quite sometime for a new hotel that would be able to accommodate our 5 guests. We drove 6 hours with our children to give them a weekend away from the heat of Arizona only to deal with this headache and it also being busy season in San Diego it was a nightmare trying to find a new room that we could trust was clean, and we didn’t want to have to drive all the way back home after just arriving. So please choose carefully if you decide to stay at Island Palms Best Western in Shelter Island. The cost of trying to remedy a bed bug infestation is not worth it. And the lack of concern from the staff is alarming to say the least. When I called 10 hotels trying to find accommodations, each individual I spoke with was so appalled and apologetic to hear Island Palms had bed bugs and lacked concern for our situation. It’s very telling when other resorts are more empathetic than the hotel we chose to spend our money at. Stay safe and bed bug free and find better accommodations than Best Western Plus, Island Palms, Shelter Island, California.

• Bedbugs Found
• Requested Refund