Roaches are great survivors like some politicians.

If you’ve ever lived through an infestation of bedbugs, it’s a relief it’s ONLY a cockroach. Bedbugs are the worst thing that can befall you. Seriously. As a child, I lay in bed with the flu, watched this small bug walk across the ceiling, than jump off and land on my pillow with a little “ping”. All night long I heard “pings” on the pillow (how on earth did they know to land on the pillow?). In the morning, I was covered with bites. My mother mustered the forces. All the sheets and bedclothes had to be boiled. She inspected the mattresses, pulling off nests. We had to leave for a day, while something vile was sprayed. We stamped them out, finally. If you stay in a hotel room that has bedbugs, they’ll climb into your luggage. It’s a huge battle eradicating them. Be happy with your roaches.

Ever heard of a piss ant? Some call them fire ants. The worst sound I’ve ever heard was a child screaming because he was covered with them. Those things will cover a foot or leg before you realize they are there.

Looks like you’ve been invaded by another kind of pest - Spammers. See above post.

In Florida, they are Palmetto bugs. While not the best that the tropics have to offer, they are definately part of the day to day. Hurrah for getting a free night’s stay.

Kudos to your friend Gerry for her tact and diplomacy. In an age of tantrums and scenes, as witnessed on reality tv and as someone in a service field, I am grateful for clients/patrons such as she. This allows the receptionist dignity to handle the matter in a courteous manner herself/himself. If we want to see the world be a kinder, gentler place, then we ourselves must demonstrate grace and generosity. Besides, maybe the cockroach had been upgraded from the roach motel after a faux pas there.

FL. has Palmetto Bugs (Look like cockroaches)- taking that down to the lobby and getting an extra night, is exactly the best thing to do :)

I once discovered a huge cockroach in my room at the biggest, most luxurious hotel in Palm Beach - and I was apparently too stupid to take it to the manager. Darn!

Look at what you started, Joni. This feeds into our most basic fear. Hotel rooms are a story and more. The absolute worst I can recall in my experience including foreign countries was, believe it or not, 3 years ago in Austin. Unable to secure my favorite B&B for my return to see a wonderous oncologist, I let an online hotel reservation program help me, and knowing it was “Cedar Season,” I opted for one of the large chains, since my stay would only be overnight. Good gravy, it was raining, non-stop, and cold as Billy-O, but worse was the hotel room. Nary a blanket, much less a mattress covering on the bed. A transparent sheet loosely dangled from the mattress, at 11 PM when I turned back the bedding. In shock, and beginning to chill, I phoned “the desk” and was told no one could do anything, because the “other people don’t like to work when raining start…” so there was only 1 employee on the premises who could not leave the front desk. In desperation, I tried to purchase something warm to drink from a machine - they were all empty. A few people were outside my room complaining, in as much “shock” as I. Desperately tired, I thought of many friends I could phone, but didn’t have the heart to waken anyone, and many were out of town, anyway, so I was tempted to see if I could check in to the hospital for a 23-hour admit. Having the greatest respect for the best physicians I’ve ever experienced in one place, it just wasn’t in me, yet. My departure was scheuled for the next morning, so I thought I could surely survive a few more hours. Those hours ended up being lived out at a nearby restaurant bar! With all that cover-up, one person recognized me! I was mortified at my own stupidity, but the following week severely paid for that misearble hotel with a URI, and the “reservation” group would not budge to my threats, other than to admit they would not refer to that particular hotel again. That franchise, incidentally, was owned by an Austin M.D. HA! I did get my turn!

My favorite Chinese restaurant changed owners after decades of being owned by one family. I decided to try the new owners out to see if they had changed the wonderful soups that I was used to eating there. The waiter brought my lovely bowl of soup and lo and behold, there was extra “meat” floating on the top! Apparently, this critter had been squashed in a stack of soup bowls as it was quite flat and quite dead! I flagged the waiter and quietly asked for another bowl of soup. The new owner came to my table and apologized profusely. They had just had the restaurant sprayed for bugs. This I understood, having owned my own restaurant for many years. It’s a constant battle in the city to keep the critters out of your restaurant! For an entire year, I received a free pound of jasmine tea whenever I ate there. They still make the best soups, by the way.

Many years ago there was a wonderful and popular restaurant named Maxwell’s Plum in NYC. My husband and I were having lunch there at a table for two and parallel to our table was another table for two. As their bread tray was put down by a very professional looking waiter an enormous cockroach surfaced from the bottom of the tray and appeared on top of one of the beautiful rolls. Within a second the very professional waiter removed the bread tray with great aplomb and carried it back to the kitchen as though he was carrying a souffle. I never forgot this experience and we left immediately.