Family’s Nightmare at Butlin’s
A family’s £700 Butlin’s ‘Spooktober’ mini-break took a nightmarish turn when their two-year-old son was bitten hundreds of times by bedbugs.
Laura and Adam Perona-Wright, along with their son Vinnie, chose the Minehead resort in Kent for their holiday.
The break was marketed as ‘frightfully good fun’ with spooky-themed activities.
Bedbug Bites
Within two days of arriving at the resort, Laura noticed bites on her son Vinnie’s body. Initially thinking they were from midges, the situation worsened rapidly.
She described how “every area of his little body not covered by clothes was covered in bumps and scratches.” Vinnie was in pain, and it was clear he had been bitten extensively.
Investigation and Discovery
Upon complaining to the resort’s staff and moving out of their ‘Gold apartment’ to allow an investigation, the family received the news that no insects had been found.
Unsatisfied with this response, Laura and Adam conducted their investigation.
Laura described her discovery, stating, “I lifted up the sheets to discover they had replaced the disgusting mattress protector but not even vacuumed the mattress… I found a living and a dead bed bug.”
Bedbug Infestation
It became evident that the bed was infested with bedbugs. Laura recounted, “My poor boy was pickled – he had suffered literally hundreds of bites.”
Vinnie was moved to sleep with his sister Leni, who had not been bitten, though this led to both siblings being kept awake by Vinnie’s itching.
Previous Incidents
This incident follows two previous reports of insect infestations at Minehead Butlin’s in recent months.
In one case, a sofa was found to be infested with fleas, and in another, a guest sustained 150 bed bug bites.
Family’s Frustration
Laura expressed her disappointment with the lack of response from Butlin’s, emphasizing that it was the handling of the situation that was infuriating.
She added that the stress of having to clean and disinfect everything they brought back from the break added to their frustration.
Butlin’s Response
Butlin’s, in response to the incident, stated that they were still investigating but had found no evidence of bed bugs in the apartment.
They expressed their apologies and said they would be in touch with the family to address the issues raised. The resort also mentioned that they have hygiene policies in place to identify and treat bed bugs.
Continued Itchiness
Despite the ordeal, Vinnie continued to experience itching, leaving the family in distress.
Reassurance from Butlin’s
Butlin’s reassured guests that they have strict cleaning and hygiene policies, including measures to prevent bed bugs.
They emphasized their commitment to investigating and addressing any issues reported by guests.
