Bed bugs do allegedly bite at London hotel

LONDON, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- London's Hyde Park hotel is being sued by a New York couple who allege they were bitten by bed bugs while staying at the British locale last year.

The Daily Mail reported New York lawyer Sidney Bluming and his wife, Cynthia, are suing the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group over the alleged attack, which left them covered in itchy swollen bites.

The couple's suit, that is seeking millions of dollars from the hotel group, also alleges the Blumings were then forced to fumigate their home and dispose of numerous belongings due to the attack.

"People associate bed bugs with more of a lower end class of hotel. Clearly, that is not the case here," said Michael Weinstein, the couple's lawyer. "The Mandarin is as premier and luxurious as any hotel could make themselves out to be."

The hotel chain, that is facing charges ranging from fraud to negligence, has confirmed that an incident of infestation did indeed occur in May 2006 at the time of the Blumings' visit.