This is what I have used to find good hotels when I was chemically sensitive and mold sensitive.
The tips are especially important when you are booking something in another country and need your first bet to be a good (enough) one.
Never override your own senses/reactions with “the rules” but this has been helpful with knowing where to start.
Lots of failures and trial and error for me.
– Go as new as you can for mold prevention. In tropical countries, it’s even more important to choose new. Brand new if you can find it. But if you are chemically sensitive you need to test out multiple hotels to gauge the best year for you.
-Brand new concrete buildings in developing countries have very little offgassing and don’t need much time to fully offgas.
– In countries I really want to go to, I’m watching for opening dates of hotels I have my eyes on.
– Big brands can be better mold-wise. Marriot, Hilton, Hyatt, and some European brands too can be better built. Though I would not choose an older big name over a newer local hotel.
-I avoid BnBs that are rented out by people with MCS, the chances of them having mold are close to 100%
– High-rise buildings bring in more experts like engineers and architects and are often less moldy. Very small buildings may just be built to more local standards which can be poor in developing countries. Look for something that looks like it took some engineering.
– Concrete high rises are usually better than wood built in terms of mold. It helps to know the building types and styles that are used locally and how they hold up to the local climate. This may not be the best building style around.
– Heating and cooling usually help concrete to not go musty.
– Ducted AC usually goes moldy. Mini-splits do get some mold in them too if used a lot and not maintained. Two years is often the limit on mini splits for me, though you can open them to check if the coils are moldy. Mini-splits are less likely to have been kept on when the room is empty.
– True indigenous-style buildings can be good but often the traditional building styles are lost or this type is hard to find. Usually, you can find these locally and not so much online. Though they often are musty, they are less likely to have toxic mold in the way that modern wood built homes do.
– Have a few places picked out so that if the first option is really bad you have multiple backups. Camping backup, car to sleep in, and a list of hotels and bnbs that look good that are very close by.
– The bet for the first stay should be the safest bet possible, whether that’s a place to camp, a car or van you can sleep in, or a brand new hotel. Once you are there you will learn more about what will work.
– I do not spare any expense on that first landing place, otherwise, you can lose a lot more money from things going wrong, you crash out or you don’t get better. All of that costs far more than a safe first bet and then taking the time to check out local options in person before committing.
The rest of this article can be found in Substack, there are 12 more tips.
Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.
Andrew Greenhut
I’m sensitive to polyurethane, so pretty much all hotels have foam-based beds and furniture. I find it’s wise to bring an air filter with me, or alternatively bring a box fan and a sheet of activated-carbon (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0835QCV9L?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1) You can use velcro tape to attach the activated carbon to the fan, and it’s relatively cheap to replace over time.
Another product I like is an activated carbon facemask. It adds another layer of protection (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FK1DC43?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2)
Bronwyn Scott
I think this must be out of date. We just went to stay at a Residence Inn and it was horrible. It was definitely part (what I call) the Kirkland Laundry Detergent smell, but I suspect it was covering up pesticides, and who knows what else. I got quite a bad reaction, and had to leave.
We’ve just booked with an airbnb place. Some of the bedding was lightly scented, but I wrapped myself up on the couch. The next day, we got our own bedding. (We’re escaping painting in our own house). We arrive, and the whole thing smells like this Kirkland Laundry detergent again. Of course, the owner has no idea. However, I suspect someone was allowed to come in and do laundry!!
I’m just beside myself. Places won’t let you in to smell, because “their insurance won’t let them”. I can’t find any good words to look for lodging. It seems like high perfume is in, and being used wide spread to cover up pesticides (probably for covid and bed bugs).
I honestly don’t know where we are going to go, nor do I think I’m going to be able to travel anymore.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
This article has been updated recently. I do say in the article there is no hotel brand that is consistently good.
N
I so understand and have been in the same situation for many years. We desperately need a travel hotel/air bnb site or book with lists of what is safe out in the world. It will obviously be a short book that will save tons of us.– and need updates annually.
Mr. S.
Thanks for this, Corinne! Problem is, airbnbs/hotels/motels/bnbs *ARE* often highly scented with many diffusers, “fresheners,” etc in addition to room sprays and sometimes have scented laundry detergent. Fragrance is by FAR the biggest problem for me in hotels & airbnbs (offgassing/paint/etc is less frequently problematic; IDK how much mold bothers me). I have unrelated disabilities and accommodation needs, so it’s impossible to take all the steps you listed like checking them out IRL in advance. Some (scent-y) Airbnb hosts say they refuse to host folks who ask about scent becuase they think we’re “picky” and will leave them a bad review (the ableism is WILD!). How can I avoid scent/fragrance in travel housing without an excessively high risk of HT or mold? Could low scent airbnbs that do NOT have MCS owners work, or would that risk HT?
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
I have found lots of hotels that don’t use diffused scents, air fresheners nor scented laundry detergents, that is the norm now in the US and Canada and even in developing countries that cater to international markets. though with c-vid there was a spat of using scented lysol sprays but I’m assuming that has calmed down now. Airbnbs are much more likely to use scented detergent and are more likely to have febreez or plug ins. It’s not likely that either will have completely 100% unscented cleaning products across the board though.
Mr. S.
Super helpful, thanks so much!!
Mark Brown
So happy to find this. I feel you really understand the issue. I travel a lot despite having a severe problem with mold and other chemicals, and at my home in Mexico, I sleep outdoors on a covered terrace. As travel is one of the biggest pleasures in my life, I spend an inordinate amount of time looking for new hotels with balconies, as balconies provide a safe escape if there are any chemical issues in new buildings. The New Hotels Guide (https:/ /new-hotels-guide. com/) is somewhat useful, and covers cities all over the planet. I also often travel with a hammock tent, for use in emergencies in countries where it’s safe to camp/sleep outdoors. Thank you for your website.
Arlene O'Connor
Thanks for sharing your tid bits on sleeping outside incase you are getting sensitive to the chemicals that are inside. I really feel crazy that I have to go to such legnths as to sleep in the car. I get skin c*****s if exposed to mold/chemicals. I don’t really know and neither do the d************t that I have seen so far. I think it is pesticides and insecticides and definitely mold.
Courtney
https://environmentallysaferhomes.com/
They have a wide number of different dwellings for buying/selling and housing requests.
For short term- rentals or vacation (airbnb/vrbo, bed and breakfasts, motels and hotels.
For long-term- apartments, homes, tiny homes, apartments, and houseshares.
They also offer land listings and vehicle listings.
The parameters they encourage are good for the chemically sensitive as well as EMF sensitive.
Corinne Segura
Unfortunately, places where MCS people live are more likely to have mold. So I actually avoid those places.
Deborah
This is so, so true unless they have moved to a good home or built one. So many people don’t understand the relationship between mold and MCS symptoms.
Jacqueline A
New hotels can be very problematic because of the off-gassing of new carpet. Be cognizant of new carpet, paint and fragrance that runs through the hotel too. Las Vegas is famous for circulating dirty casino air through their hotel rooms.
Raman
This is a great list
Anna
Travel is a nightmare for me, I’m not sensitive to mold but sensitive to chemicals and cigarette smoke. I ended up just always sleeping in my tent and only on my own camping cot if indoors. I’d never sleep on hotel or bnb bed. They’re full of toxic chemicals and have nauseated smells, not to mention all the biological filth from previous people.
Jacqueline A
That’s awful. I get it. Always. searching for a safe environment. It’s exhausting. Just know you’re not alone and there are more of us every day.