Ingrates Sue Waldorf Over Bedbugs, Despite Complimentary Spa Treatments

If you're still wondering whether bed bugs are "scaring tourists away," this might help: Crain's says a Michigan family will file a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court today, suing the posh Waldorf-Astoria Hotel after finding bedbugs in their room that followed them home in their luggage "and infected their two daughters at home." It's the second time in a month that the famous hotel has been slapped with a bedbug-related suit.

David and Christine Drabicki's lawyer told reporters this morning that his clients woke up in their hotel room "to find bedbug bites all over them." He said the hotel gave them a room change and complimentary spa treatments, but the pests snuck into their luggage and followed them home (the Post calls the critters, "a creepy souvenir") and required them to vacate their Plymouth, Michigan, home for six weeks to have it fumigated.

Two weeks ago, a Long Island woman also sued the hotel for more than $13,000 after her "creepy souvenir" attacked her six-year-old daughter, causing "permanent scarring to her face, legs, stomach, groin, and body" and "psychological and emotional injuries, anxiety, and disordered sleep."

A Waldorf rep told Crain's:

"The Waldorf Astoria takes allegations of bedbugs very seriously because the safety and well-being of our guests is of paramount importance. While we typically do not comment on pending litigation, we will share that the hotel took the guestroom in question out of service and had it inspected by an outside specialist. The official inspection reports stated there was no evidence or indication of bedbugs."

[shernandez@villagevoice.com]