Rant: Paid $30 for a 'budget' hostel in Barcelona and got bedbugs for free too

I booked this place called Casa Koko near Las Ramblas because it was $30 a night and had good reviews. Woke up the second morning with bites all over my arms and the owner just shrugged and said 'it happens.' Lost two days of my trip dealing with it and had to junk my backpack. Has anyone else gotten screwed by a hostel that looked legit online?

3 comments

3 Comments

jade_jenkins13d ago

Bedbugs are gross don't get me wrong, but junking your whole backpack over some itchy bites seems a bit dramatic lol. You can literally throw your bag in a dryer on high for 30 minutes and wash your clothes and you're good to go. $30 a night in Barcelona during peak season you already knew you weren't getting the Ritz. Sucks that the owner was a dick about it but that's pretty standard for budget hostels in tourist areas.

the_ruby13d ago

You can literally throw your bag in a dryer" lol have you actually tried that with a full backpack that has straps and zippers though? I feel like that's easier said than done without wrecking your gear.

michaeltorres13d ago

Yeah exactly, that's what gets me about people saying "just throw it in the dryer." Like, okay sure if you've got a basic daypack with no frame and minimal straps maybe you can get away with it. But most of us who travel with a proper backpack have things like padded laptop sleeves, hydration bladder compartments, all kinds of plastic clips and buckles that'll either melt or get all banged up. And those metal zipper pulls banging around inside a hot dryer for half an hour doesn't sound great either. Plus if the bag is really infested you'd need to do multiple cycles to actually kill everything, which just multiplies the potential damage. There's a reason people are saying to just bag it up and freeze it or use a heat treatment service instead of trusting a dryer with your hundred dollar bag.