Pest Management Profile: Hotels and Motels

In this instalment, we step into some of the most complex and reputation-sensitive environments in the Greater Toronto Area: Hotels and Motels.

In a city that serves as Canada’s premier hub for tourism and international business, the hospitality industry operates 24/7. Unlike a restaurant that closes its doors at night, a hotel is an ever-changing ecosystem where guests from around the globe arrive at all hours potentially bringing "hitchhiking" pests along with them. From the luxury suites of Yorkville to the commuter motels along the 401 maintaining a pest-free environment is the cornerstone of guest satisfaction and operational survival. In 2024, Toronto welcomed 9 million guests and Central Counties Tourism's analysis of the hotel industry stated the annual occupancy rate reached 75.8% in 2024 so that would come out to millions of hotel/motel stays.

1. The Local Culprits

Toronto’s status as an international gateway makes its hospitality sector a prime target for specific "traveller" pests, while the city’s climate drives local wildlife indoors.

• The Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius): The undisputed "King of Hotel Pests". These are not attracted to dirt but to blood and carbon dioxide. In Toronto’s high-turnover environment, they are frequently introduced via luggage, public transit, and international travel. They hide in headboards, mattress seams, and within electrical outlets waiting for a host. The BlogTO shared one family experience of finding bed bugs in their hotel room at a local GTA hotel.
• The German Cockroach: While often associated with kitchens but in hotels these pests frequently inhabit "wet zones" like guest bathrooms and laundry rooms. They travel between rooms via shared plumbing and wall voids making a single-room infestation a building-wide threat if not contained.
• Mice and Rats: Older hotel structures in Downtown Toronto or heritage boutique inns face constant pressure from rodents. These pests exploit small gaps in loading docks and parking garages, seeking the consistent warmth, and food waste found in hotel banquet halls and room service corridors.
• Pantry Pests (Beetles & Moths): These pests affect hotels with large-scale catering operations infesting dry bulk goods used for food preparation. This incident would cause the establishment to lose booked revenue from the downtime caused from disposing and replacing all the affected supplies.

2. The Stakes: Regulatory and Legal Compliance

In the hospitality industry, a pest sighting is a potential legal and financial liability.

• Health Protection and Promotion Act: Under Ontario law, hotel operators are required to maintain a sanitary environment. Failure to address infestations can result in orders from Toronto Public Health. Toronto's Property Standards Bylaw Chapter 629 Section 9 states that 'All properties have to be kept free of pests, including rodents and insects'.‍
• Legal Liability & Duty of Care: Hotels have a legal "Duty of Care" to protect guests from harm. In the GTA, there has been an increase in litigation related to bed bug bites. Documented proof of a proactive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan is often the only defence against costly negligence lawsuits.‍
• Occupational Health and Safety: It’s not just about the guests. The front line hotel staff (housekeeping, maintenance, and laundry crews) are affected as well. Constant exposure to pests can lead to union grievances for better working conditions and increased WSIB claims due to staff taking time off for recovery.

3. Toronto-Specific Hospitality Challenges

• The "Global Transit" Factor: Being home to Pearson International Airport means Toronto hotels are the first stop for pests from every continent. A guest arriving from a high-infestation region can inadvertently seed a hotel with a new population in hours. Even the retail and food stalls within the airport could have pest problems that can hop onto travellers as they grab a coffee at Starbucks in Pearson Airport.
• Heritage Structures vs. Modern High-Rises: Toronto’s mix of architecture presents dual challenges. Heritage hotels have "settled" foundations and porous walls that act as highways for rodents. Conversely, modern glass towers have complex HVAC and plumbing stacks that allow cockroaches and bed bugs to move vertically through dozens of floors.
• The 24/7 Operational Barrier: Unlike retail spaces, hotels never close as there are always incoming travellers every hour of the day. Coordinating a "deep treat" or canine inspection requires delicate room-block management to avoid displacing guests or losing revenue on "out-of-order" rooms.

The Impact of Pests on the Short-Term Lodging Industry

1. Direct Impact on Revenue

• Refunds and Comped Stays: A single bed bug discovery usually results in the immediate refund of the guest’s entire stay, plus potential costs for dry cleaning their belongings.
• "Out-of-Order" Losses: When a room (and often the adjacent rooms) must be taken out of service for treatment, the hotel loses 100% of the RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) for those units during the remediation period.
• Property Damage: Rodents gnawing through expensive hotel carpeting or wiring in "smart rooms" can lead to repair bills reaching into the thousands.

2. Brand and Reputation Damage

In the digital age, a hotel’s reputation is its most valuable asset. While a single positive review can significantly drive bookings, a negative one can instantly divert potential guests toward competitors.

• The "TripAdvisor Death Spiral": Research shows that even one mention of "bed bugs" or "roaches" in a recent review can cause a 40% drop in bookings for that property. Travelers are significantly less likely to "risk it" with a hotel than they are with a restaurant. One traveller wrote of their bed bug experience at the Toronto Sheraton Hotel and the review is a top 1 star review on the Sheraton Hotel TripAdvisor profile.
• Social Media Virality: A video of a pest in a "luxury" suite can be viewed millions of times creating a permanent digital scar that no amount of re-branding can easily erase from the internet.
• Loss of Corporate Contracts: Many major corporations and flight crews will blacklist specific hotels if pest issues are reported leading to the loss of guaranteed, long-term revenue streams.

3. Operational and Staff Impact

• Housekeeping Morale: Housekeepers are the most likely to encounter pests. High infestation rates lead to increased staff turnover and difficulty hiring new staff.
• Management Stress: Dealing with "scammed" claims (guests falsely claiming bed bug bites for a free stay) vs. real infestations requires sophisticated training and protocols for front-desk staff.

Get Rid of Your Pests Today!

Do you have a pest problem in your short-term lodging property that needs to be addressed? Whether you are a hotel or motel operator, owner, or manager, Guard More Pest Control will work on solving your pest problem. Contact us at 647-710-0481 or contact@guardmorepests.com today!