'My skin was on fire': Mum claims Holiday Inn stay left her with over 100 bedbug bites - and sent her to A&E

A British mother has claimed that a Holiday Inn stay has landed her in A&E after being bitten by bedbugs.Nicola Jenkins, 46, booked four nights at the Holiday Inn Express Exeter East for a business trip, and checked in on October 12. However, on the second night of her stay, the mother-of-two alleged she woke up covered in red bites across her face, neck, arms, back and stomach.She said: 'This was the first time I'd stayed [at this Holiday Inn]. I stayed there on the Monday night and I was fine, but then I woke up on the Wednesday and was scratching a little bit.'I got into the shower and could see these red bites all over me. I knew it was bedbugs because I'd been through it before, but nothing like this.'There were more than 100 bites on my forehead, cheeks, neck, around my waist, my arms.' Nicola Jenkins, 46, had booked four nights at Holiday Inn Express Exeter East for a work trip On her second night at the Holiday Inn, the mother-of-two claims she woke up with red bites across her face, neck, arms, back and stomachHorrified by the situation, Ms Jenkins checked her quilt and said she discovered one of the insects crawling on top of her duvet.She then inspected her sheets for more unwanted guests, and claimed she found a shocking 40 bedbugs lying dead in her bed.Ms Jenkins recalled: 'I got dressed and lifted my quilt up and got a video of one of the bedbugs on the bed.'[Given] the number of bites I got, there was definitely more than one bug. I saw about 40 dead bugs in the bed.'I went to reception and they put me in another room but said they couldn't reimburse me because work has paid for the stay. She gave me a free cup of coffee.'The utility company supervisor told the front desk about the infestation – and was offered a room change, refund and free hot drink. In the end she moved to a different hotel.However, her symptoms rapidly began to worsen, and Ms Jenkins, from near Caerphilly, Wales, described how it felt as though her 'skin was on fire'. She said the itching became so intense that she rushed to A&E on the Monday night, October 19, after her arm became 'bright red and swollen'. After inspecting the bed sheets, she alleges she found 40 bedbugs lying dead Ms Jenkins described how it felt as though her 'skin was on fire'Ms Jenkins added: 'My skin was on fire constantly. It was like a burn. I could feel all the bites under my skin.'I was meant to have a baby shower at the weekend but couldn't even go to that.'It's been the worst stress I've ever had in my life. I ended up going to the pharmacist because the itching was so bad and there were more bites coming out on me.'The pharmacist gave me antihistamines, they confirmed it was definitely bedbugs.'They're open wounds now, I don't want them to get infected. I didn't leave the house all weekend.'[I ended up going to hospital because] I couldn't sleep and my skin was on fire. My whole left arm was swollen and bright red. The doctor gave me a course of steroids.'The doctor said it was a severe case of bedbug bites.' She ended up in A&E with the bites and was given a course of steroidsMs Jenkins was given a course of steroids and her symptoms improved, but has sworn off staying in a Holiday Inn ever again and has declined a free stay offered at one of the chain's hotels after her workplace filed a complaint.She said: 'I'm shocked something like this is happening in their hotel. I'll never in my life go to a Holiday Inn again.'The hotel emailed my boss, admitted there were bedbugs and offered me a free weekend in one of their hotels, which I won't be accepting.'A spokesperson from Holiday Inn Express Exeter East said: 'We are aware of the guest's concerns and understand how upsetting this must have been.'We take matters of cleanliness and guest wellbeing seriously and are looking into the concerns raised.'We are in contact with the guest directly.'