Rachel Hoffman

Housekeeper Denise Cannon makes the bed as part of her regular cleaning routine at Stoney Creek Inn. Stoney Creek, like other hotels in the area, is subject to regular inspections by the Buchanan County Health Department.

Housekeeper Denise Cannon pulls out a crease in a bed, tidies up the nightstand and places fresh linens in a guest bathroom at Stony Creek Inn.

It’s a common, ritualistic cleaning that goes on daily at St. Joseph’s 11 hotels and motels. But city lodging inspectors later come in looking for more.

During surprise annual visits since 2008, health inspectors have ordered mattresses be destroyed due to bedbugs, found mildew growing in guest bathrooms and discovered emergency lighting not functioning, a News-Press review found.

However, those incidents are more the exception.

Overall, inspector Kendra Bundy says hotel owners and managers are eager to do well and quickly correct problems. Higher standards are especially the goal with increased hospitality and revenues likely next summer with the start of the Kansas City Chief’s training camp.

There are about 1,150 hotel and motel rooms in St. Joseph.

A News-Press review of lodging records found three common violations: dirty or stained mattresses, unclean heating/cooling vents and mold/mildew buildup along bath tubs and showers.

A common complaint from hotel patrons to the Health Department is allegations of bedbugs.

Out of 13 complaints that the Health Department has investigated since 2008, five have been regarding bedbugs — and three of those have been substantiated. Ms. Bundy said bedbugs are a national lodging issue that are often hard to prove.

Bedbugs are commonly brought into the hotel through the traveler’s luggage. Less commonly it’s due to the hotel’s cleaning practices.

“In either event, the responsibility falls on the hotel,” said Ms. Bundy, who has inspected lodging in St. Joseph for the past three years. To investigate for bedbugs, she slowly strips bedding material and checks along the bed seams for blood droplets left by bedbugs. Like the “fly in my soup” claim, she said, some guests may plant bedbugs to skip on the hotel bill, but “there’s not a specific way to verify that’s happened.”

Laxman Patel, owner of Super 8 and Comfort Suites, said he benefits from a strong relationship with the Health Department to offset such dishonest claims. He said the claim is made by about 2 percent of his customers.

“They complain about health issues, anything to get the refund or free night’s stay,” Mr. Patel said.

At Ramada Inn, according to health records since 2008, there were five complaints — two involving bedbugs. Manager Nancy France said mattresses are cleaned daily and flipped every other week.

“We do everything we possibly can to check it out,” said Ms. France, who adds that special measures are taken if bedbugs are found. “We destroy the mattresses, we destroy the furniture, we scrub those rooms. There is nothing left.”

Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.

CORRECTION: A photo caption incorrectly referred to the agency that does hotel inspections, due to a photographer's error. The City of St. Joseph Health Department does the inspections.