Couple sleep in Brisbane Park Regis lobby after cockroaches, bedbugs infest room

A couple’s romantic Brisbane getaway has turned into a nightmare after a disgusting find forced them into the lobby for the night. SEE THE PICTURES AND VIDEO.

A tourist couple’s surprise Brisbane holiday has turned into a creepy-crawly nightmare after they discovered their hotel room overrun with cockroaches and bedbugs, leaving them having to sleep in the lobby.

The Melbourne couple were trying to enjoy a romantic night away on what was to be their last holiday together before they began a long-distance relationship.

They say they made the grim discovery late on Saturday night in their room at the North Quay Park Regis, and had no choice but to sleep in the lobby after being unable to contact any member of staff at the property.

“We left (the apartment after being there for some time) and went to get some dinner together,” Benjamin, who did want to provide his surname, told The Courier-Mail.

“We then came back to chill on the couch and eat some chocolate.

“While watching TV, we had left the chocolate packet open.

“My girlfriend went for a shower, but when she came back to the sofa she said, ‘What the hell is that?’.

“I looked down and saw there were actually two cockroaches on the chocolate eating it.”

Benjamin and his girlfriend said they found many cockroaches, including this one, in their living area, and a bed bug on the top of their pillows. Picture: Benjamin

Benjamin and his girlfriend said they found many cockroaches, including these, in their living area, and a bed bug on the top of their pillows. Picture: Benjamin

Benjamin said they then found multiple cockroaches and tried to catch them using some of the in-room glassware.

But things got worse when the couple went to bed and discovered what appeared to be a bed bug crawling on their pillows.

This triggered the couple to reach out to hotel staff to get assistance, but they say they were unable to get hold of anyone, and had no luck with representatives at the booking website either.

“We were freaking out,” Benjamin said.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, no way’.

“Luckily our stuff wasn’t in the room, it was all in the kitchen area. Yeah, so then after that, I started calling (hotel staff).

“We tried calling out of hours, [but just got] some placeholder customer service rep that doesn’t work for the company.

The North Quay Park Regis. Picture: Russell Shakespeare

“They said they can’t help as the property isn’t answering.

“We called Booking.com, they couldn’t help or find any property that would take us in at 2am.

“I called four hotels that have 24-hour reception – they were all booked up.”

Benjamin and his girlfriend said they then resorted to sleeping in the lobby.

“I ended up getting 30 minutes of sleep with all the people coming in and out of the hotel from partying,” Benjamin said.

Having called after-hours customer services, Booking.com, and several other hotels in the city, the pair said they had no choice but to camp in Park Regis’s reception. Picture: Benjamin.

Hotel management group StayWell Holdings’ general counsel Richard Doyle said the hotel’s after-hours staff tried to contact the on-site caretaker but were unable to reach the caretaker at 2am.

“We accept this as a failing on our part,” Mr Doyle said.

“The guest was unable to be relocated within the hotel as all of our other rooms were full. “Our staff normally assist guests to find alternate rooms where there are issues, though this is difficult when issues arise at 2am.

“I accept that the onsite staff member did not provide this assistance this time as they were unable to be contacted and that this was a further failing on our part.”

Benjamin said he and his girlfriend received a full refund after they spoke with a staff member who went with the pair to see the room on Sunday morning.

Benjamin and his girlfriend said they found this bed bug on the top of their pillows. Picture: Benjamin

A Park Regis spokesperson said the hotel took cleanliness seriously and was shocked by the complaint.

“The hotel prides itself on offering quality, affordable accommodation,” the spokesperson said.

“It is unfortunate that the time of complaint was 2.30am, and the hotel was fully booked, meaning the guests were unable to be moved to another room.

“We have had no instances of bed bugs or cockroaches prior to this incident, including from guests who stayed in the same room the previous evening; however, we have had the whole hotel fumigated in response.

“Bedbugs travel in luggage or clothing, and are known to appear in the cleanest of locations.

“They often travel with people on planes, trains, and in cars.”

The room will be unavailable until all issues are resolved and a full investigation by a specialist contractor is conducted.