0:00:02 > 0:00:06We save up all year for our two weeks in the sun.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09But, like anything, holidays can go badly wrong.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12A delayed flight, shabby accommodation,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14it could all ruin your precious break.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17I feel really deceived because we thought
0:00:17 > 0:00:20that the rep was there to help us.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22And then there are the scams.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Tricks and cons that are waiting to catch you out.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28You don't realise something untoward is going on behind your back.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33If you know what to look out for, you can avoid the holiday from hell.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37- So we're here to make sure you.. - ..Don't get done in the sun.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Coming up on today's show...
0:00:50 > 0:00:54We meet holidaymakers whose idea of a four-star hotel
0:00:54 > 0:00:56was very different to the one they actually got.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I got an ear infection, which didn't surprise me.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Basically, he said, "You got that from the pool."
0:01:01 > 0:01:05I'll be hitting the Spanish streets, prescribing the right medicine
0:01:05 > 0:01:08for Brits who find themselves ill overseas.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Do the doctors or hospital benefit from doing that?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13The answer is yes.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Choosing the right hotel can be a bit of a minefield.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29But at least we've got star ratings to help us out.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33So if you're backpacking and all you need is a bed for the night,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36then a one-star should be fine.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38And if you fancy a bit of luxury,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41there's nothing quite like a bit of five-star treatment.
0:01:41 > 0:01:47Unfortunately, though, things aren't always what they seem.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50The star-rating system of hotels
0:01:50 > 0:01:53is something we all take a little for granted.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58We think we know how it works and what you're going to be getting for your money, right?
0:01:58 > 0:02:01My perception of a four-star would be to be
0:02:01 > 0:02:03pretty clean, tidy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Something four-star in my head is quite high really.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Meet Eric and Linda Fairbairn from East Yorkshire.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Both work full-time, so they love a well-deserved holiday.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17And when they go to one of their favourite holiday destinations,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21like Lanzarote, they always choose a certain star rating.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23We've stayed at some really nice four-star hotels.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The facilities are really good.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29They have nice pools.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31The food is good.
0:02:31 > 0:02:37In August 2012, the couple deviated from their norm of booking in the local travel agent,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40and went on the internet to see what options were available.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Eric found several travel agent websites
0:02:42 > 0:02:45offering a hotel he liked the look of.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47And so he gave one of the companies a call.
0:02:47 > 0:02:53He rang Media Travel to find out the basics about the holiday.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55And the chap he spoke to recommended it
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and said it was an excellent place to go.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Eric booked a two-week holiday to a four-star hotel
0:03:02 > 0:03:06called the Blue Sea Corbeta in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10at a total cost of £1,187.40.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14And both he and Linda thought it was money well spent.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20Eric told him that we wanted no less than a four-star hotel,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23because we felt it important.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25They bought the holiday over the phone
0:03:25 > 0:03:29with an agent called mediatravel.co.uk
0:03:29 > 0:03:32which is a subsidiary of a company called Truly Travel Ltd.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37Neither of which are to be confused with similar sounding companies.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41They were under the impression that they'd booked a package holiday with them.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43And all they had to do was enjoy.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Got off the plane. Blue sky.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Sun's out.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Looking forward to getting to the accommodation.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53As we're walking in, on the sign outside on the signage,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56it's got the Corbeta, three-star.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00I asked at the reception, "Where's the Blue Sea Corbeta?"
0:04:00 > 0:04:02"Well, you're here."
0:04:02 > 0:04:06"The Blue Sea Corbeta's four-star. Have you lost one of your stars?"
0:04:06 > 0:04:08There was no answer to that.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13But it was the couple who were going to be the ones left speechless next.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17First impressions of the room, when we finally found it,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20was a nightmare. I thought the floor was sloping or I was sloping.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22But it was the doors that were sloping.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25The fridge door was just rust, thick ice.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28The cupboard doors and the drawers were hanging off.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32There was a little stove that had two rings on
0:04:32 > 0:04:33that didn't work.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35And it just looked absolutely filthy.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40I don't think anybody would have been used to anything like that.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Especially when you're expecting four stars.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Sadly, the rundown feel continued.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50All the paint was bubbling off the side of the pool so that,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53when you sat on it, you got cream paint
0:04:53 > 0:04:54stuck all over you.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59And, when you got to look a bit deeper, it was very dirty.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02After a few days, I got an ear infection.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04I had to go and find a doctor in town.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Basically, he said, "You got that from the pool," which didn't surprise me.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10The amount of paint I'd taken out of my shorts from the pool,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13there might have been paint in my ear for all I know.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16The couple decided to try and grin and bear it.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20But the question is, how could they have been sold a four-star hotel
0:05:20 > 0:05:22that looked flash on the website,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26but it then advertises itself on the ground as a three-star?
0:05:26 > 0:05:30In reality, the couple thought it was more like a one or two.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Where has the star-rating system gone wrong?
0:05:33 > 0:05:36I asked the consumer watchdog Which?
0:05:37 > 0:05:40How useful is the star-rating system these days?
0:05:40 > 0:05:43The fact is, anybody can set up a star-rating system.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46From proper organisations,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49through to chains of hotels, through to an individual hotel.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53So one star-rating system doesn't equal another star-rating system.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Which? thinks there needs to be an industry standard and consumers agree with us.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02So, what, an individual hotel can say it's a four-star?
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Any hotel can set up a website, can slap any number of stars on there.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Unless you have a real understanding of what that star system is,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12you can be taken in by, frankly,
0:06:12 > 0:06:17misleading advertising around the quality of that hotel.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21I agree. And in Eric and Linda's case, they think their star rating
0:06:21 > 0:06:24was so off the mark that they had, effectively, been lied to.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30I don't know how they rate their stars.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34I think somebody needs to actually go and stay there,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38who gives them the stars because they've got it totally wrong.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42So, what's the Association of British Travels Agents' take
0:06:42 > 0:06:45on the couple's confusion over the different star ratings?
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Why isn't there a universal star system,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52so that everybody knows what they're getting?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55We did push for a number of years for at least there being
0:06:55 > 0:06:58a consistent star system throughout the European Union.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59That proved very difficult.
0:06:59 > 0:07:05The problem is, you have to get different countries all to agree on the same standards.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08What does it mean if you don't have an ironing board in the room?
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Does it mean an extra star or lose a star?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13I mean, things as simple as that do make a big difference.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16And that's the main reason why tour operators
0:07:16 > 0:07:19usually ignore local star-rating systems,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22because they don't think they're consistent, and use their own.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27Of course, there's an element of subjectivity about what exactly is a four-star hotel.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31But, clearly, if somebody is saying to you it's a four-star hotel,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34you should be expecting a fairly high level of service.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Well, Linda and Eric did, but look what it got them.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And if ABTA took on the ratings system and gave up,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43it doesn't fill you with much hope.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Plus, with tour operators and hotels making up their own,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49you'd just better hope your customers agree with you.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51You just want a four-star holiday.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Having had previous four-star holidays,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56this was a big major let down for the pair of us.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00And once back in the UK, after a rather trying holiday,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04the couple contacted Media Travel to complain about the hotel.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08But they were in for another surprise. Media Travel told them
0:08:08 > 0:08:12it wasn't their responsibility to answer their complaints.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16If you're booking through a company, you expect for that company
0:08:16 > 0:08:19to take full responsibility of what you've paid for.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24You don't expect there to be four or five different other companies involved.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Later on, we'll find out who was actually responsible for Eric and Linda's holiday
0:08:29 > 0:08:35and discover they're not the only ones expecting four-star but getting sub-par.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Chips, rice and cauliflower. Don't expect anything else.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41This is all you get, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48We all have our favourite ways to unwind on holiday.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51This is mine.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Mmm! Bliss! Whatever yours is,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58it's unlikely to involve a visit to the doctor's.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Rani Price, please.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04But, unfortunately, illness and accidents can come out of the blue
0:09:04 > 0:09:08and there's nothing stopping that happening on holiday.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11The British Foreign Office conducted a survey in 2012
0:09:11 > 0:09:15and it showed that up to 70 Brits are hospitalised every week abroad.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20So, do you know what to do if the worst should happen?
0:09:20 > 0:09:24The big worry, you get on holiday, someone gets sick, what are you going to do?
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Um, straight to the doctor's, I suppose.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32So you'd think that going to the doctor is big business abroad.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35And tourists can seem like easy targets for scams
0:09:35 > 0:09:38and doctors fiddling the system to make a fast buck.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43To find out more, I've come to meet a British expat doctor in the know.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- Dr Paul? Hi. - Nice to meet you.- And you.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- Would you like to come through? - Thank you very much.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53First things first. Are we right to worry about the quality of the healthcare
0:09:53 > 0:09:56we could potentially be receiving whilst abroad?
0:09:56 > 0:09:59You get poorly, are you going to be well looked after then?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02I would say, probably in the majority of cases, you are, yes.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Occasionally, people will over-investigate you.
0:10:05 > 0:10:11You'll come in and say, "I have got a bit of chest pain."
0:10:11 > 0:10:15And they will say, "Oh, really? Better do an ECG."
0:10:15 > 0:10:17"We'd better do this test and that test."
0:10:17 > 0:10:21And, at the end of it, they say, "No, it was just indigestion."
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Rather than the heart attack they were suggesting it might be.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Do the doctors or hospital benefit from doing that?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The answer is yes. If it's reasonable,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36and it can be argued to be reasonable, then insurers will pay.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41And so I see 5,000 euros' worth of bill of tests.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43But maybe you didn't need them.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45And, as you say, we all end up paying for that
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- as travel insurance goes up. - Ultimately, we all pay.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Insurance premiums rising is one thing,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53but over-treatment to line the pockets of private doctors
0:10:53 > 0:10:57could prove a horrible way to spend your holiday.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Well, let's give you an example.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02You're on holiday with your family and your little five-year-old,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05who's been in the pool five million times,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08and he's now got an ear infection and he mustn't fly.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Not only that, he needs some antibiotics.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13And not only that, he needs them injected.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16So he needs to come in every single day for five days.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19And so you're back and forth to this clinic.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- It's not much of a holiday, then, is it?- Exactly.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And the private doctor can bill your insurance company
0:11:25 > 0:11:29for a more expensive course of treatment than you actually needed
0:11:29 > 0:11:32when some tablets would have done the trick.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34There have even been stories of un-needed operations
0:11:34 > 0:11:37all due to this over-treating scam.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39And should you need to go to hospital, beware,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43because ambulances can work differently abroad.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48And if you've got a private ambulance, they will have a fee.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53Often they will be not associated necessarily with the hospital
0:11:53 > 0:11:56or with the doctor, that will be a separate company.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00They will probably want paid immediately in cash.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Right.- I have known, and I know this sounds remarkable,
0:12:03 > 0:12:08but I have known people ill in an ambulance and that ambulance stopping
0:12:08 > 0:12:13at ATM machines for people to take out money to pay for the ambulance.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16And the cost is high. The cost for a private ambulance is several
0:12:16 > 0:12:19hundred euros, even to take you five miles.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23You have to ask yourself, "Do I actually need an ambulance?"
0:12:23 > 0:12:26"Or would a taxi do the trick?" All sound advice.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Thanks, Dr Paul.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32No-one wants to get ill on holiday but at least Paul's told us
0:12:32 > 0:12:35what we need to know in case it happens to you.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Later on, I'll find out all you need to know to ensure your medical bills
0:12:39 > 0:12:43are covered, so you don't go home with a whopping bill
0:12:43 > 0:12:45or a pointless plaster cast.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48I didn't get a European Health Card, which I should have done.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54When you're deciding which hotel to stay in,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57the number of stars it has can help you make your choice.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01But, as we've seen, it's not always that simple.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04As there's no actual universal star-rating system
0:13:04 > 0:13:07that exists in Europe and beyond.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09And this can mislead consumers in a big way.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Meet 25-year-old Katie from Hertfordshire.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18She fancied a last-minute birthday getaway with a friend to Turkey.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22It was an all-inclusive four-star hotel
0:13:22 > 0:13:27for a week and it was supposed to have everything we would need there.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31The holiday cost her just shy of 700 quid.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35And with the four-star all-inclusive tag, she had it all planned.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38We wanted to get pampered whilst there, enjoy ourselves
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and just know we could chill out at this hotel, not have to go anywhere.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Everything was catered for.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47So, would her hotel be the four-star quality she was hoping for?
0:13:47 > 0:13:50The £700 price tag for the whole holiday
0:13:50 > 0:13:53would certainly make me suspicious.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58But on their arrival at the Sun Love Hotel in Marmaris,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Katie and her friend were tired after the flight
0:14:01 > 0:14:04and just wanted to check in and chill out.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07So we went inside and it was, like, dirty sheets,
0:14:07 > 0:14:09ripped sheets, no toilet roll.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12No towels, except for a dirty towel that was down the side.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14There was a TV that didn't even work.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16There was no kind of... You couldn't...
0:14:16 > 0:14:19In an all-inclusive you'd expect a kettle. There was nothing like that.
0:14:19 > 0:14:25This certainly doesn't sound like four stars by anyone's standard.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32As we've seen, there's no universal star system.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35The difference between a one and a five-star may be obvious,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38but everything in between can be a bit of a gamble.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Maybe the Association of Independent Tour Operators
0:14:41 > 0:14:43can provide the answers.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Let's talk about the hotel-rating system.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49It's a bit of a dog's dinner, really, isn't it?
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Absolutely. You can't even get the UK tourist boards
0:14:52 > 0:14:55to agree on what a star-rating system should be.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59And I heard a very funny tale about hotels in Cyprus.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Apparently, the only way you can get to be a five-star hotel
0:15:02 > 0:15:08is if you have A - a spa and B - 250 car-parking spaces.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11So you can be a brilliant four-star hotel there,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14but if you don't have those two attributes,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16you won't make it to five-star.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18But there is some hope.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22In order to provide some uniformity, many of the big suppliers
0:15:22 > 0:15:25have created their own rating system for hotels they work with.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29I'm checking out three big players on the internet to see how they rate
0:15:29 > 0:15:33their hotels. First up, lastminute.com,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37who, although they're simply an agent for the hotels, use stars from one to five.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41But what do those stars actually mean?
0:15:41 > 0:15:45You have to look really hard in the small print.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50"Please note that all ratings shown on the website are our ratings and not official ratings."
0:15:50 > 0:15:57At least we know all their four-star hotels should be the same quality.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01On Thomas Cook's website, it isn't stars on offer but what look like little suns.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04We spoke to Thomas Cook and they told us,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08"Tour operators' universal ratings are usually based on the views
0:16:08 > 0:16:14"taken from customer feedback and of senior managers in both the UK and overseas."
0:16:14 > 0:16:16At least they're putting it on the line
0:16:16 > 0:16:19what their ratings... where they come from.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Next, opodo.co.uk.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24In their T and Cs, they say,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28"We offer star ratings as a general guide. You should be aware
0:16:28 > 0:16:31"that these are not necessarily the official local rating
0:16:31 > 0:16:36"and that standards can vary between hotels and accommodation of the same class
0:16:36 > 0:16:40"in different countries and even in the same country."
0:16:40 > 0:16:45At least they warn you about the potential discrepancies in the star ratings.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49We asked opodo.co.uk for their take on the current system.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51They told us that,
0:16:51 > 0:16:56"The system can be open to abuse as hotel ratings can be improved
0:16:56 > 0:16:58"simply by adding facilities
0:16:58 > 0:17:01"rather than adding quality for the customer."
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Not good news for us holidaymakers.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08But these days, more of us are cutting out the big agents and booking direct.
0:17:08 > 0:17:14Then your best resource for up-to-date information is often other customer reviews.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16And the biggest independent review site is Trip Advisor.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20But are customer reviews any more reliable?
0:17:21 > 0:17:25There are people who say this is a system that is open to abuse.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28You've got competitors writing dismal reviews.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31You've got owners writing glowing reviews.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34How do you try and combat that?
0:17:34 > 0:17:38We have a dedicated team of people making sure that
0:17:38 > 0:17:40all of the reviews that make it on to the site are checked.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43If it's found not to meet our guidelines,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45it will be removed from the site.
0:17:45 > 0:17:51But, nonetheless, fake and non-genuine reviews do get through.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Of course. When you've got 100 million reviews on the site,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59there will always be room for one or two to slip through the cracks.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Most hotels have hundreds of reviews written about them.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06So if you can see that one hotel has 99 glowing reviews
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and then one really bad negative review,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12you'll use your common sense and you'll say, "Hold on a minute."
0:18:12 > 0:18:15"That one doesn't quite fit in with all of the others."
0:18:15 > 0:18:20"I'm going to discard that one from my research and focus on what the masses think."
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Katie didn't buy her holiday in Marmaris with one of the major operators.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31And she could probably have done a bit more research before booking.
0:18:31 > 0:18:37There was, like, the counters with the holes in for the food to go in,
0:18:37 > 0:18:42I think there was just some chips, some rice and some cauliflower.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45And that was it. No drinks, nothing.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47We were like, "What do we do?"
0:18:47 > 0:18:49The guys that were already there were just like,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51"Don't expect anything else."
0:18:51 > 0:18:54"This is all you get, breakfast, lunch, dinner."
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I was like, "What, chips, rice and cauliflower?"
0:18:56 > 0:18:58They're like, "Yep." I was like, "Great."
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Katie spent over £200 on phone calls to her agent
0:19:02 > 0:19:04to get the company to move them.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06And they ended up in a three-star hotel
0:19:06 > 0:19:09that was nicer than the four-star they had just left.
0:19:09 > 0:19:14And this is the industry's problem in a nutshell. No consistency.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Luckily, something's being done by a pan-European organisation
0:19:18 > 0:19:22that has both the industry's and consumers' interests at heart.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27HOTREC is the European Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31It represents the interests of the hospitality sector.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33We took the initiative in 2007
0:19:33 > 0:19:38to launch a common hotel specification system.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42In 2010, the system started to be properly implemented.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46And we have already 12 countries adhering to this system.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51Rolling out the Hotelstars Union system is no easy feat.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Hotels are judged on over 270 criteria
0:19:54 > 0:19:56in order to get their new rating.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58But it's for the benefit of us all.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02The industry was calling for these changes because, of course,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05the industry realises that having a harmonised system
0:20:05 > 0:20:08offers a lot of advantages to European consumers.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Because, like that, consumers have a guarantee of a certain level
0:20:12 > 0:20:16of expectation for each star system when they travel abroad.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Sounds fantastic. And the organisation's hard work
0:20:20 > 0:20:24couldn't come a moment too soon for disgruntled customers.
0:20:24 > 0:20:30Coming up, we find out what both our holidaymakers' travel agents have to say for themselves.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37There are loads of things to look forward to on holiday,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39but getting ill isn't one of them.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41And it can happen to any one of us.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45So you need to know what you're doing or else you could come unstuck.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49We found out earlier that getting ill overseas can be a costly business
0:20:49 > 0:20:54and a waste of your time, because some private doctors are out to maximise their profits
0:20:54 > 0:21:00by over-treating tourists and sending an inflated bill to their insurance company.
0:21:00 > 0:21:05But without health insurance, you are still covered if you hold an EHIC.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08We should all come on holiday with a European Health Card
0:21:08 > 0:21:09because that entitles you,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13in the European Community, to reciprocal healthcare.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15And they are free from the NHS.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19But do the holidaying Brits know this?
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- Do you have your EHIC card?- I have an E111 and I have my travel insurance.
0:21:22 > 0:21:28Well, I'm sorry to tell you that the E111 hasn't been valid since 2006.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31The European Health Insurance Card has replaced it.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Yeah, and we also have the E111 cards as well.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It's better safe than sorry.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42There we go again. It's not E111.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45It's EHIC. Holding an EHIC card
0:21:45 > 0:21:48entitles you to free healthcare abroad, as countries within the EU
0:21:48 > 0:21:52have an agreement to treat each other's citizens
0:21:52 > 0:21:54should they fall ill or have an accident.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56- Everyone in the family needs one. - OK.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00And it needs to be in date because they only have a five-year life.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03But not everything is covered.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05If you needed mountain rescue to get you off a hillside
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and to a hospital, the EHIC wouldn't cover this cost.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10And that could cost you.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16A good-quality travel insurance policy will enable you
0:22:16 > 0:22:22to get back to the UK even if that requires a private air ambulance.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26A private air ambulance could cost up to ten grand or more
0:22:26 > 0:22:29to repatriate you from Spain to the UK.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32But there are other, less extreme events
0:22:32 > 0:22:34where an EHIC only protects so far.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36They give little Johnny his pills and say,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39"Here's the medicine for his ear infection."
0:22:39 > 0:22:42"But he mustn't fly for three days."
0:22:42 > 0:22:44And you're going home tomorrow.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46So if you'd had some private insurance,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50you can stay with your son, because he's not allowed to go and fly for three days.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53The rest of your family can go back on their normal flight.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56You can have your hotel room paid for.
0:22:56 > 0:23:02Travel insurance would also cover needing an interpreter during your stay in hospital.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Again, that's not covered by an EHIC.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08This is why you need travel insurance on top.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11But a Foreign Office survey showed nearly half of all Brits abroad
0:23:11 > 0:23:16didn't know they wouldn't be covered for some medical treatment without insurance.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20I get health insurance, or travel insurance, through my bank.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I rely on that. But I didn't get a European Health Card,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25which, apparently, I should've done.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Yes, you should have. But it's good to hear you've got insurance.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Dr Paul can't stress it enough.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Make sure you get some insurance.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Mm-hm.- And when you contract the insurance,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38make sure you're completely honest
0:23:38 > 0:23:42with any pre-existing conditions with regards to yourself.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44I'm going to be a lot more aware when I go on holiday.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48But, whilst I'm here, can you have a look at my ear? I've been swimming.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57I've been stargazing at the muddled universe
0:23:57 > 0:24:00of the star-rating system for hotels.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02The vast majority of hotels around the world
0:24:02 > 0:24:05have some sort of star rating.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10But the thing is, because there's no consistency among countries and tour operators,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14consumers can end up with a ruined holiday on their hands.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18But you can fight back. Here's what you need to know about complaining,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21so you and your hotel don't end up star-crossed.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Stars not to standard. If you arrive at your destination
0:24:24 > 0:24:28and the reality doesn't match what you were sold,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31complain straightaway to either your rep or hotel manager.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Give them the chance to sort the issues out.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36The camera never lies.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41Photograph all the things you have issue with to back up your case.
0:24:41 > 0:24:47Be realistic. If you're paying £250 for a week all-inclusive,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50that is pretty cheap. Can you really expect
0:24:50 > 0:24:53that £35 a day will buy you the real four-star treatment?
0:24:53 > 0:24:57I'm afraid, sometimes, you get what you pay for.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05It's six months since Eric and Linda's Lanzarote holiday.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08They wrote to Truly Travel Ltd to complain,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11believing they'd been misled on the quality of the hotel.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13But were told it wasn't their responsibility
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and pointed them to a paragraph on their booking form.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20On page eight of 19 it says,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24"Truly Travel are acting sub-agents for Globe Travel.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28"Globe Travel are acting as an agent for Medhotels
0:25:28 > 0:25:31"who, in turn, are acting as an agent for the Blue Sea Corbeta
0:25:31 > 0:25:34"with whom your accommodation is booked."
0:25:34 > 0:25:36"Your contract is with Blue Sea Corbeta
0:25:36 > 0:25:39"whose terms and condition apply."
0:25:40 > 0:25:41Blimey!
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Their 19-page booking confirmation basically laid out that,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48although the couple had paid Truly Travel one fee,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50the company was simply an agent
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and had booked the individual elements on the couple's behalf
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and were not responsible for any of them.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Confused? So were Eric and Linda.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01When we booked our holiday through Media Travel,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04we expected that holiday to be booked through them.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07We didn't realise at the time
0:26:07 > 0:26:11that it has gone through various other holiday companies.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15We sent the couple's photos of the hotel to Truly Travel,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19who forwarded them to the hotel supplier medhotels.com,
0:26:19 > 0:26:24who were the company who actually gave the four-star rating in the first place.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27We sent Eric and Linda their response.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29"With regard to the photographs,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32"I have now had the opportunity to examine them carefully
0:26:32 > 0:26:35"and, while there is some wear and tear,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38"they do not particularly, to my mind, demonstrate that the hotel
0:26:38 > 0:26:41"was operating below the required standard.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47"It is regretted that Mr Fairbairn is not in agreement with this. Regards, Sue."
0:26:47 > 0:26:50That is atrocious. What is she looking at?
0:26:50 > 0:26:53It's unbelievable. What were they looking at?
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Katie Sutcliffe's Turkey four-star holiday
0:26:58 > 0:27:01left her over £600 out of pocket
0:27:01 > 0:27:03due to phone calls, paying for her food
0:27:03 > 0:27:07and downgrading to a three-star hotel.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Bookableholidays.com said her booking was direct with the hotel.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14And offered her £75 compensation.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17We asked them to review Katie's case.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20They said...
0:27:20 > 0:27:24"We were surprised to hear that Mrs Sutcliffe's hotel didn't live up to expectations,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27"as this is an extremely popular property and offers tremendous value
0:27:27 > 0:27:30"at just £29 per person per night
0:27:30 > 0:27:33"for a four-star all-inclusive hotel in Turkey.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36"We continually monitor and review all properties with all involved
0:27:36 > 0:27:41"to ensure these standards are achieved so that we can continue to offer outstanding value for money."
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Unfortunately, at this stage, Bookable Holidays
0:27:43 > 0:27:48haven't offered to better the £75 offer of compensation.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Katie is not a happy camper.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54It's an absolute joke. I would never advise anyone to use them.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Neither of our holidaymakers has been left exactly starry eyed
0:27:57 > 0:28:01by the answers their holiday companies have come up with.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04But you have been warned. Do your own research into any hotel
0:28:04 > 0:28:07and don't be dazzled by a star rating.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd