Timeshare ownership and vacation stays are supposed to deliver rest and relaxation. But a recent Myrtle Beach timeshare bed bugs lawsuit highlights how a getaway can go wrong, and raises important questions about the responsibilities that resorts and owners associations owe to the guests who stay with them.
At Linx Legal, we regularly review timeshare-related legal developments to help owners understand the industry they’re part of. Before we begin, an important note: Linx Legal is not a law firm or a tax accounting firm. We do not provide legal or tax advice. This article is an informational review of publicly reported allegations, not legal commentary or a statement of proven fact. The claims described below are allegations that have not been proven in court.
What the Myrtle Beach Timeshare Lawsuit Alleges
According to multiple news reports, a Virginia couple, Joseph Kirby of Arlington and Thuy Truong of Fairfax County, filed a lawsuit after a stay at Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. OceanWatch Villas is part of the Marriott Vacation Club, a vacation ownership (timeshare) program.
The couple rented a room over the Fourth of July weekend in 2024. According to the suit, on the very first night of their stay, Truong awoke in pain from bed bug bites. After discovering the problem, the couple notified resort management and, according to reports, checked out early, and ended up cutting their vacation short.
The lawsuit was filed on April 7, 2025, against Marriott Ownership Resorts and the OceanWatch Villas Owners Association. This is the heart of the Myrtle Beach timeshare lawsuit bed bugs claim: that both the rental company and the owners association were negligent, and that they knew or should have known about the alleged infestation.
The Core Legal Claim: Negligence
The central allegation in this timeshare lawsuit is negligence. According to the plaintiffs’ attorney, the argument is that a reasonable standard of care should include staff being aware that bed bugs can be a problem and taking steps to prevent and detect them.
In legal terms, negligence generally requires showing that a party owed a duty of care, that the duty was breached, and that the breach caused harm. Here, the plaintiffs allege that the resort and the association had a duty to provide a reasonably safe, pest-free accommodation, that they failed to meet that duty, and that the couple suffered as a result.
The plaintiffs are reportedly seeking damages that include financial losses, such as money spent on the accommodation and nonrefundable vacation expenses, as well as medical expenses related to the bites. It’s worth noting that, while bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, their bites can cause allergic reactions and, in some cases, skin infections, which is part of why these cases raise health-related concerns.
What Marriott Said in Response
Any fair review of a lawsuit should include the response from the accused party. In a statement to news outlets, a Marriott Vacations Worldwide spokesperson said the company has implemented comprehensive cleaning and maintenance procedures across its resorts to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for owners and guests. Regarding this specific situation, the company said it believed the matter to be an isolated occurrence.
It’s essential to keep this in perspective. These are competing positions in an active legal dispute. The plaintiffs have made allegations, the company has responded, and nothing described here has been established as fact in a court of law.
A Broader Pattern Along the Grand Strand
This case does not appear to be an isolated headline. News reporting indicates that a number of bed bug lawsuits have been filed against hotels and resorts across the Myrtle Beach area and the broader Grand Strand in recent years, involving a range of separate properties and guests. In those separate cases, plaintiffs have generally alleged similar theories, that they were bitten while sleeping and that the properties knew or should have known about the alleged infestations.
Reporting has also noted a regulatory gap that adds context. According to news coverage, the South Carolina Department of Public Health has limited authority to regulate bed bug infestations within hotels and does not track complaints from hospitality businesses. That lack of centralized oversight can make it harder for travelers to know a property’s history before booking.
Again, each of these cases involves its own set of allegations that have not been proven, and each property is entitled to defend itself.
Why This Matters for Timeshare Owners
You might wonder why a bed bug lawsuit is relevant to timeshare owners specifically. The answer lies in the unusual structure of timeshare ownership.
In many timeshare arrangements, an owners association plays a central role in managing and maintaining the property, and that association is funded by the maintenance fees owners pay every year. When a lawsuit names both the management company and the owners association, as this one reportedly does, it raises questions about how responsibility, and potentially cost, may be shared.
This is a reminder that the maintenance fees timeshare owners pay are meant to fund exactly the kind of upkeep, cleaning, and pest prevention at issue in cases like this. When owners feel those obligations aren’t being met, or when the rising cost of ownership no longer matches the value they receive, many begin to reconsider whether continued ownership makes sense for them.
Linx Legal Reviews and Our Role
Owners researching Linx Legal reviews often want to understand what we do and don’t do. To be clear once more: we are not attorneys, and we don’t provide legal advice or represent anyone in litigation like the case described above. If you believe you have a personal injury or negligence claim, that’s a matter to discuss with a qualified attorney.
What we do at Linx Legal is help owners who want to exit a timeshare that no longer serves them. We understand that stories like this one can be the moment an owner decides they’ve had enough, whether it’s a disappointing stay, escalating fees, or simply a change in how they vacation.
We offer a true white-glove experience from start to finish. The moment you become a client, you’re assigned a dedicated Case Manager who serves as your direct point of contact throughout the entire process. You are never just a number here, and that’s a level of personal attention many of our competitors simply don’t offer.
We have a 99% success rate, a money-back guarantee, and over $153 million in timeshare financial relief provided, all backed by independently verified reviews. Every client gets a dedicated case specialist who guides them from start to finish, with no surprise fees and no pressure. And if we’re ever unable to help with your specific situation, we’ll always point you in the right direction regardless.
If your timeshare has stopped delivering the value you were promised, explore your timeshare exit options, then reach out to our team. We’ll walk you through all things timeshare and help you find a path forward you can trust.
Reach out today for a free consultation to see if we can help.
Linx Legal is not a law firm or tax accounting firm. We do not provide legal or tax advice, and we will never instruct or ask you to stop making payments on obligations related to your timeshare.