0:00:02 > 0:00:06We asked you who has left you feeling ripped off when it comes to your holidays
0:00:06 > 0:00:10and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12When we got to the hotel it wasn't to standard.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14We felt totally ripped off.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15And we paid to move somewhere else.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19It happens all the time that somebody else has paid less
0:00:19 > 0:00:22for the holiday that I paid more for.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24So whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Your stories, your money.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Hello and huge thanks for joining us once again on Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44We're totally delighted to have your company where as ever,
0:00:44 > 0:00:49we're investigating more of the stories that you've asked us to look into on your behalf.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Now, the only difference is - and you may have noticed it,
0:00:51 > 0:00:52is that in this series,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56we're doing it in glorious sunshine as we're focusing on everything
0:00:56 > 0:00:58to do with holidays and travel.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00And as I'm sure most of you will agree,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03a key part of any holiday is where you're staying, so today,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06it's hotels that we're putting under the spotlight,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08as you'll see in more ways than one.
0:01:08 > 0:01:09Now, I have to admit that for me,
0:01:09 > 0:01:14as long as a place has been properly cleaned and the sheets are lovely and fresh, then, on the whole,
0:01:14 > 0:01:15I'm pretty happy but
0:01:15 > 0:01:18we've been doing some tests to see
0:01:18 > 0:01:21just how clean your average hotel room really is.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And I think we're going to be in for a few surprises, aren't we, Julia?
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Possibly even shocks.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Just wait till you see what we found.
0:01:28 > 0:01:29And perhaps most surprisingly,
0:01:29 > 0:01:35it seems whether you've paid £35 or £140 for your room,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38cleanliness isn't guaranteed and in case you're wondering,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41all our tests were in hotels in the UK.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Coming up - as our test results are checked in a lab,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48how clean is your hotel room?
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Bacteria are invisible to the naked eye
0:01:51 > 0:01:55and so some things may look clean when they're not.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And what determines how many stars a hotel deserves?
0:02:00 > 0:02:05Why you could be heading for disappointment if the ratings don't mean what you expect.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Five-star, for me, meant luxury.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12Beautiful food, excellent service, be treated like an absolute queen.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Now, whether the hotel you choose to stay in is simply a place to lay
0:02:19 > 0:02:22your head at the end of the day, or is a key part of your trip,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26one thing you're going to expect as a given, is that at least it's clean.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29I know I certainly do and that's the same whether it's a budget option
0:02:29 > 0:02:31or indeed a five-star hotel.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34But I'm afraid just because a room looks spotless,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36it doesn't mean that it's been thoroughly cleaned.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40There may be all sorts of things that the naked eye can't see and in fact,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44the signs of previous occupants may unfortunately still be there.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48So if you've ever wondered what secrets your hotel room might be hiding,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52we've done some tests to see what not just former guests have left,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55but more importantly, what the cleaners might have left behind.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02Now we all have our own ideas of what makes a decent hotel room.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04If there's enough room for all of us, and if it's comfy,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and if it's got good reviews.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08If they've got tea and coffee facilities.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10- Location.- Price.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13We're not looking for the Ritz, you know.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16But there's one thing that all of us would say is pretty much
0:03:16 > 0:03:17non-negotiable.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Cleanliness is very important.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21It's OK to be basic but as long as it's clean.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Cleanliness is important. The most important thing.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26I always look for cleanliness straightaway.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31So do I! And no matter what we're paying or what standard the hotel is,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35we all want to stay in a room that's scrupulously clean.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39But there are over 700,000 individual hotel rooms in the UK.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43And there could be more than you realise
0:03:43 > 0:03:47lurking in even the ones that looks spotless.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Delia Cannings is something of a cleaning guru.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53What we have been doing this morning
0:03:53 > 0:03:57is looking at the impact of acid descalers on toilets.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00She trains people how to clean hotel rooms
0:04:00 > 0:04:02to the highest possible standard.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04And as someone who really knows,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08she says the industry as a whole doesn't always get it right.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Sometimes, there is a priority of cleaning for presentation
0:04:13 > 0:04:16as opposed to cleaning for hygiene.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20We want you to walk in and we want you to be wowed and it looks lovely,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23it looks wonderful, it smells wonderful.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Is it clean? The expectation of the guest is that they're staying in a
0:04:27 > 0:04:31clean environment and will leave that environment as healthy
0:04:31 > 0:04:32as they walked in.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36But as we'll see, there's more to cleanliness than meets the eye
0:04:36 > 0:04:37and Delia has concerns that
0:04:37 > 0:04:40sometimes the working conditions of hotel cleaners
0:04:40 > 0:04:42can make it difficult for them to
0:04:42 > 0:04:45always do the job as thoroughly as they would like.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50It has been known, in some organisations,
0:04:50 > 0:04:55for the people doing the cleaning to be paid by the room,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57as opposed to by the hour.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Now, that is a real issue and it is being addressed.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04It's the exception, rather than the rule, but it happens.
0:05:04 > 0:05:10And, of course, if you've got people who are having to do more rooms
0:05:10 > 0:05:12to make a reasonable living,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15then the attention to detail is going to be lacking and, sadly,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17the standard will suffer.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Recent reports into the treatment of cleaning staff in the hotel industry
0:05:22 > 0:05:24found that some hotels do still
0:05:24 > 0:05:27enforce strict targets for how many rooms
0:05:27 > 0:05:29must be cleaned during a set timeframe.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37And one study found that a branch of a well-known chain even withheld
0:05:37 > 0:05:40some pay if cleaners didn't clean enough rooms
0:05:40 > 0:05:42during their five-hour shift.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I don't think you can blame the person that is cleaning for
0:05:46 > 0:05:48the standard in the room.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51There will be exceptions, of course, but on the whole,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54people go to work to do a good job.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56People care about what they are doing.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01If they are rushed, and if they are not given the correct tools,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03the time, and the training,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05it's going to impact on the overall finish.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09That's not the fault of the person that's doing the job.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12I think we need to look a little bit higher up the chain.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Of course, many hotels have standards that staff must work to -
0:06:15 > 0:06:20for example, both the AA and Visit England have guidance laying out
0:06:20 > 0:06:21what they expect from their members.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24But guidance like this can sometimes understandably
0:06:24 > 0:06:28place emphasis on the visual appearance of a room. For example,
0:06:28 > 0:06:32part of the AA's guidance says that rooms of all star ratings should be
0:06:32 > 0:06:36cleaned daily and be looking clean and smelling fresh.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39However, microbiologist Dr Margarita Gomez Escalada
0:06:39 > 0:06:41from Leeds Beckett University
0:06:41 > 0:06:43says that when it comes to cleanliness,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46looks can sometimes be deceiving.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48I think visual checks, in the most part,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51are a good way to check levels of cleanliness,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53particularly looking for dust.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56That indicates things have not been cleaned well enough.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01However, I think, in some places, particularly high-traffic places,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04visual checks may not go far enough.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08One thing we need to remember is that bacteria are invisible to
0:07:08 > 0:07:13the naked eye and so, some things may look clean when they're not.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17And that can especially be the case with the parts of a room that guests
0:07:17 > 0:07:20touch the most - high-traffic areas that, as Delia knows,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23won't always show up dirt or bacteria.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28So, the toilet flush is an important area to clean.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33The light switches, the door handles are a very important place to clean.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37And Delia has very particular views
0:07:37 > 0:07:40on how exactly such areas should be cleaned.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Work from the outside.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Clean the edges there.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48Turn the cloth over, work around coming back to the buttons.
0:07:48 > 0:07:54We just take a dry cloth now and wipe it - leaving it perfect.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Buttons and switches, in general, are contact points.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03But the remote control and the telephones - they're real hotchpotches of activity.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Huge amount of skin gets trapped around the digits.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Remote controls should be cleaned thoroughly
0:08:11 > 0:08:14every time a guest departs a room.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Little bit more attention around the keys.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20And not just cleaned - it needs to be sanitised.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24When you're cleaning in a bathroom area of a room,
0:08:24 > 0:08:29the dirtiest area of all is usually the handle.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31This is the bit that's heavily contaminated,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33so give that a real good wipe,
0:08:33 > 0:08:39ensuring whoever touches that next is touching a clean surface.
0:08:39 > 0:08:44The question is, are all hotels living up to these exacting standards or could some of them
0:08:44 > 0:08:47be harbouring those dirty secrets?
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Well, with the help of Dr Escalada,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52we conducted an investigation of our own,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56testing a range of hotels on the cleanliness and hygiene standards.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01First, she trained members of the Rip-Off Britain team.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06So, for the swabbing, over the flat surface, you need the template,
0:09:06 > 0:09:07you need some swabs.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12They're being taught the intricacies of collecting swab samples
0:09:12 > 0:09:15for analysis at her university lab.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20Our aim is to look more closely at apparently spotless hotel rooms
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and find out just how clean they really are.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29The areas of the hotel that we're going to swab are the light switch,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32the bathroom door handle, a glass, the desk,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35the remote control and the bedspread.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38The reason we've chosen these to swab is because
0:09:38 > 0:09:41these are high-traffic items,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44meaning that we're most likely to be in contact with them when we
0:09:44 > 0:09:49go into a hotel room and, also, some of these could be overlooked.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Press down on the template, choose the area you're going to swab.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58Just cover as much surface as you can.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00If an area has been properly cleaned,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02hardly anything should show up at all.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06So, we'll be looking to see if bacteria levels indicate that it's
0:10:06 > 0:10:08been missed out of a cleaning regime.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13Simply put, the more bacteria on the swabs, the dirtier it is.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15- There you go.- Thank you very much.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18So, the team sets off on its mission to test five hotel rooms,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21ranging from a basic budget option
0:10:21 > 0:10:23through to the top-of-the-tree five-star.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27But how many will pass our undercover cleaning test?
0:10:27 > 0:10:28Well, later in the programme,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31we'll be back at the lab to see exactly what we found.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35We'll be showing super-cleaner Delia our results as well.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Well, I guess that's the biggest shock of the lot.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43And we guarantee that YOU will have the same reaction.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51A touch of luxury, outstanding customer service,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53the best of the best -
0:10:53 > 0:10:56booking into a five-star hotel really does, I suppose,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58conjure up a different messages for all of us.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00But on the whole, I think we agree
0:11:00 > 0:11:02that we'll usually be willing to shell out
0:11:02 > 0:11:04just that little bit of extra money
0:11:04 > 0:11:06to stay somewhere that is extra special.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Unfortunately, however, you very often tell us that
0:11:09 > 0:11:13the five-star establishment that you had thought you had checked into
0:11:13 > 0:11:16turned out to be far from the stellar experience
0:11:16 > 0:11:18that you were expecting.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Now, that's partly because with no set standard
0:11:21 > 0:11:24either in the UK or abroad for that matter,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27determining what exactly deserves to be called a five-star
0:11:27 > 0:11:31or, indeed, any number of stars is not as simple as you might think.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Because that five-star experience generally costs more,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I think we all assume we'll be getting nothing but the best
0:11:41 > 0:11:42and a superlative experience
0:11:42 > 0:11:45is exactly what Alison Jones and her fiance Michael
0:11:45 > 0:11:47were looking for when they booked in to
0:11:47 > 0:11:50the Hilton Hurghada resort in Egypt.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53After seeing it advertised on Teletext Holidays
0:11:53 > 0:11:55as a five-star all inclusive resort,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59they paid £1,578 for a two-week trip.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02We were looking for a special holiday
0:12:02 > 0:12:05and we saw the Hilton, five-star,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08and we thought, "Wow, it's going to be amazing. Absolutely amazing."
0:12:08 > 0:12:10We were so looking forward to it.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12We were so excited.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17To have that sort of holiday is a once-in-a-lifetime for me.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20And those five stars meant a lot to Alison.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Five-star was...for me, meant luxury.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30Beautiful food, beautiful surroundings, excellent service,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34top-of-the-range, all inclusive, be treated like an absolute queen.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40But Alison feels there was quite a gap between what she expected
0:12:40 > 0:12:43and what she got and, from the photos she took, it does seem that,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47at least, some parts of the hotel had seen better days.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50It was pokey, dirty,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53old-fashioned, needed painting.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55I was really, really disappointed.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00The "wealth of premium amenities" described on the Hilton website
0:13:00 > 0:13:03didn't live up to Alison and Michael's expectations
0:13:03 > 0:13:04and even their room -
0:13:04 > 0:13:07billed as "having stunning views of the Red Sea"
0:13:07 > 0:13:11and "the perfect place to unwind" - they felt was a let-down.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13It was not what I expected at all.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18It was dark, small - so we complained.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20And then they moved us to another room a few blocks up.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24When we arrived there, it was bigger,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28it was a better view, better balcony, um...
0:13:29 > 0:13:33..but, again, it was dirty, it was dingy.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35The couple complained and moved rooms a second time
0:13:35 > 0:13:37but they weren't happy with that one either
0:13:37 > 0:13:39and asked to change rooms yet again.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45In my eyes, they didn't do enough to change things.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50They left us moving rooms three times in three days.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53I don't expect that at the Hilton on my holiday,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55to unpack and pack three times.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00But when they also had serious concerns over the cleanliness
0:14:00 > 0:14:04of the pool area, the restaurant toilets, and there was a leak in one of their rooms,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07it felt to the couple that this was more like a three or even two-star
0:14:07 > 0:14:11experience than the five-star one they'd so looked forward to.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14So they had a meeting with the hotel's manager
0:14:14 > 0:14:16to voice their complaints.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19We said to them, "Five-star means luxury.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23"It means the best quality, the best service."
0:14:23 > 0:14:25He said that's what he provides.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27Keen to prove that,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29the manager waived their bar bill
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and offered them a free meal to make up for their disappointment.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35But though this gesture did go some way to appeasing the couple,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38they couldn't help feeling this was the sort of service
0:14:38 > 0:14:40that they'd expected all along.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44The last meal that we had, the one which they cooked specially for us,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47they brought out this beautiful fish - stunning.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49Absolutely beautiful.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51I expected that every single day.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54So, were they simply expecting too much
0:14:54 > 0:14:57and does five-star always mean everything you might think?
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Well, we put that to the company with which the couple had booked -
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Teletext Holidays -
0:15:03 > 0:15:05which said that though sorry the experience
0:15:05 > 0:15:07"didn't meet with expectations",
0:15:07 > 0:15:11as the couple hadn't raised concerns with the company at the time,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14it had been "unable to assist".
0:15:14 > 0:15:18It went on to explain that the star ratings it displays are based
0:15:18 > 0:15:20on suppliers' own ratings.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23We also contacted Hilton Worldwide
0:15:23 > 0:15:26which told us it was "extremely sorry"
0:15:26 > 0:15:28the couple hadn't enjoyed their holiday
0:15:28 > 0:15:32but "the hotel responded promptly and appropriately"
0:15:32 > 0:15:33to the issues raised.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Taking "immediate steps" such as upgrading their room
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and providing additional dining options.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42It said it's "stepped up inspections"
0:15:42 > 0:15:46following Alison's comments about cleanliness and hygiene.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Which - though it takes extremely seriously -
0:15:49 > 0:15:52doesn't reflect the typical experience of either this resort
0:15:52 > 0:15:55or of those across the Hilton portfolio.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00But it added that it, too, relies on local tourism authorities to give
0:16:00 > 0:16:05their own star ratings and in this case, the Hilton Hurghada resort
0:16:05 > 0:16:08was "rated five-star by the Egyptian Ministry of tourism".
0:16:11 > 0:16:13But it's clear from both those responses
0:16:13 > 0:16:16that what constitutes five-star in one country
0:16:16 > 0:16:19may not necessarily make that grade somewhere else.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22In fact, Teletext Holidays does allude to that
0:16:22 > 0:16:25in the small print of its website where it says...
0:16:32 > 0:16:34And with each country, hotel chain,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38and holiday company likely to have its own individual criteria
0:16:38 > 0:16:41for deciding if a hotel merits one or five stars,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44it's not easy to get a consistent idea of what ANY of those ratings
0:16:44 > 0:16:45actually mean.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Which is why there's now a campaign by the umbrella association
0:16:50 > 0:16:53for the European hospitality industry
0:16:53 > 0:16:56calling for a single and comparable hotel classification system.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00But so far, some of the most popular holiday destinations -
0:17:00 > 0:17:03France, Italy, and Spain, for example, have yet to sign up.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Here in the UK, while there's no one single authority that sets
0:17:07 > 0:17:08and awards star ratings,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11there are various well-known bodies that, again,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14use their own measures to rate and rank hotels.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Kirsty Lloyd-Dukes is from the AA which sets out clearly
0:17:18 > 0:17:22what a hotel has to do to earn five of its stars.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24There are six different areas that we look at -
0:17:24 > 0:17:30service, hospitality, bedrooms, bathrooms, cleanliness, and food.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And we look at a blend of the facilities - so, for example,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36how many beds does it have, what is the quality of the bedding,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38what's the quality of the pillows like,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41what are fittings like in the bathroom
0:17:41 > 0:17:43but we also look at the experience you have in the hotel.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45If you go up to a five-star, wow!
0:17:45 > 0:17:46I mean, you're going to be looking
0:17:46 > 0:17:49for excellence in every single level of service there.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50So, if you're a first-time guest,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52we'd expect you to be taken to your room,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55we'd expect to see a turndown service and really courteous welcome
0:17:55 > 0:17:57throughout, with all your needs looked after.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01But there can be huge differences in how hotel ratings are worked out
0:18:01 > 0:18:03across the globe.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05The AA rating is UK only.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09And unfortunately there is no one international standard for star ratings,
0:18:09 > 0:18:10so I think it'd be really difficult
0:18:10 > 0:18:13to have one global standardisation of hotels.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I think that's because the way of living is very different in
0:18:15 > 0:18:18different countries, so your culture, your way of life,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21how you do things and, also, your standard of living
0:18:21 > 0:18:23can really vary between one country and another country.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27But fundamentally, the same principles should be the same wherever you travel.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29You should expect to have that really excellent level
0:18:29 > 0:18:31of service and facilities in a five-star hotel anywhere.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Well, Alison would agree with that and she believes travel agents
0:18:36 > 0:18:39should be clearer about the inconsistencies
0:18:39 > 0:18:40in star rating systems
0:18:40 > 0:18:44so that holiday-makers don't expect something they may not get.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I think travel providers should make people aware
0:18:47 > 0:18:49about the differences in five stars...accommodations.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55I think that not everybody realises that the starring system out there
0:18:55 > 0:18:57is different from ours.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02But I did expect a five-star system in place for the Hilton hotel.
0:19:09 > 0:19:14Our travel expert Simon Calder has all the secrets to save you money on your travels.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17He's full of tips on everything from how to avoid the crowds
0:19:17 > 0:19:20to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24This time, the USA.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29First, you've got to get there.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32And from Newcastle and Luton, that's now trickier
0:19:32 > 0:19:35with links to New York being axed.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Transatlantic flights from Manchester and Gatwick
0:19:38 > 0:19:40are increasing, as are many airfares.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44So, if a nonstop hop looks too pricey,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47then break your journey along the way.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Simon recommends flights via Dublin or Reykjavik in Iceland.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It won't take much longer and could well be a lot cheaper.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57We checked a London-Orlando trip over half term,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02and the nonstop option was twice as expensive as flying via Ireland.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05And if you build in a city break, you can save even more.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10Stop over outbound in either Dublin or Reykjavik for 24 hours or more,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14and your air passenger duty liability
0:20:14 > 0:20:16drops from £73 to just £13.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22Don't squander your savings on an expensive taxi ride from the airport.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Let's take a New York JFK -
0:20:24 > 0:20:27the leading gateway for flights from Britain.
0:20:27 > 0:20:33The good news is that a taxi to Manhattan has a flat fare of 52.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37But if you arrive into New York in rush hour, that cost can shoot up,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41as prices on the tunnel tolls, which you'll pay on top of the taxi fare,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43are much higher.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48So, instead, take the air-train shuttle from JFK airport to Jamaica,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51not the Caribbean island, the New York subway station.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55That shuttle will cost as little as 8,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57and in rush hour, it'll also be quicker.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01But once you've reached your destination, wherever in America you're headed,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03you'll find that things are not cheap.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08Luckily, Simon has plenty of ideas for seeing the sights without spending a cent.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12And while you won't get into the theme parks of Orlando for nothing,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15America has plenty of world-class attractions
0:21:15 > 0:21:17that won't cost you a dime.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19These include the Getty Museum in Los Angeles,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23the Smithsonian Mall in Washington, DC...
0:21:23 > 0:21:26And walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28And even if there is an admission fee,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31it could simply be a suggested donation.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The Met Museum in New York, for example, says
0:21:34 > 0:21:36the amount you pay is up to you.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39So while the suggested amount is 25,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43you'd be perfectly entitled to hand over just 1 or 2 if you want -
0:21:43 > 0:21:46especially as American visitors to Britain
0:21:46 > 0:21:49get into all of our national museums for free!
0:21:49 > 0:21:52But there's one last warning from Simon about hidden costs
0:21:52 > 0:21:54when you're staying in the US...
0:21:54 > 0:21:56When you're choosing accommodation,
0:21:56 > 0:22:01be aware that unexpected extras can push up the costs alarmingly.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03For instance, in New York,
0:22:03 > 0:22:08six separate taxes can increase the quoted room rate by about one sixth.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, UK hotel rooms under the microscope.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25What did we find when we took the results of our cleanliness tests
0:22:25 > 0:22:26back to the lab?
0:22:26 > 0:22:30This is of concern, because coming into contact with this level
0:22:30 > 0:22:33of bacteria could be potentially dangerous.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35We're getting into the realms of unacceptable.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43One weekend last spring, we set up our annual pop-up shop,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45with our experts on hand to share advice
0:22:45 > 0:22:48to stop you ending up feeling ripped off.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49Hello, girls.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- Hello, ladies.- Hi, how are you?
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Nice to see you. Out doing some shopping?
0:22:55 > 0:22:59And this year, we were struck by how many people came to see Simon Calder
0:22:59 > 0:23:03to ask about the risk of terror attacks in popular destinations.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Among them, Catherine from Salford.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Last year, we booked to go to Turkey so that we got a good price,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13but obviously, now all the terrorist stuff's going on,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15we was looking to change.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Let's start with the concerns that you have about going to Turkey.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22They have seen a succession of attacks,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26and there are warnings on the Foreign Office website that you need
0:23:26 > 0:23:30to be very careful that...when you're going to Turkey
0:23:30 > 0:23:34and that there will probably be more attacks on Westerners,
0:23:34 > 0:23:35typically holiday-makers.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38That is really worrying - of course it is -
0:23:38 > 0:23:41but I would say it is a tolerable risk.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42What does that really mean?
0:23:42 > 0:23:47Well, life is all a matter of risk management. Of course it is.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48You drove here today?
0:23:48 > 0:23:50OK, you were taking a risk.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52I cycled. That was taking a big risk.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Flying is no risk at all these days, thank goodness.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Erm, so people like you will quite often say,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01"I'm going to Turkey. Is it safe?"
0:24:01 > 0:24:03And all I can say is,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07"No, it's not completely safe. Nothing is completely safe."
0:24:07 > 0:24:10But it's not surprising that after a spate of terror attacks in France,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Tunisia and Turkey, travellers like Catherine may be worried.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16In fact, bookings in Turkish resorts
0:24:16 > 0:24:19are reported to be down by as much as 50%.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22But Catherine's found that if she DOES switch to somewhere else,
0:24:22 > 0:24:24the price of her holiday could rocket.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28We booked it that far in advance to get the good price,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and now to go to a same kind of holiday
0:24:31 > 0:24:34would cost double the amount.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37The price of everything in, particularly Spain and Portugal,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41has gone through the roof because so many people are saying,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44"Oh, that's a safe haven, we'll go there instead."
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And it doesn't surprise me that you're being asked for more money.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50You've booked in advance. You got a great price, which is good.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53I'm afraid, until things change to the extent that
0:24:53 > 0:24:57the Foreign Office says it's no longer unsafe to go to Turkey -
0:24:57 > 0:24:59very, very unlikely that that will happen -
0:24:59 > 0:25:01you do have to take this choice.
0:25:01 > 0:25:06Do we either go ahead with our plans or accept that we are going to pay
0:25:06 > 0:25:09double for similar standards in Spain or Portugal,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13or go for something much cheaper which is not going to be such a
0:25:13 > 0:25:14good-quality holiday?
0:25:14 > 0:25:18If you're concerned about the threat of terrorism on your holiday,
0:25:18 > 0:25:19the Foreign Office website
0:25:19 > 0:25:22clearly sets out the risk for individual countries.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25I do look at risks an awful lot,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27and I believe there are high risks in Turkey,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30but they're not where you might think.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32It's not from terrorism. Statistically,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34you're much more at risk from road accidents,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38because the driving's terrible and I would never rent a car there,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40or from, sadly, accidents in water.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44And you need to do everything you can, particularly if you've got a young family,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46to make sure that you're absolutely watching them vigilantly.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Sadly, we have seen people who have
0:25:49 > 0:25:52tragically lost their lives to terrorism.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56We will, I fear, see more in future, but for the individual person,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59the risk is almost immeasurably small.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02I know it doesn't feel like that, but it's honestly true.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04So, Simon's confident that
0:26:04 > 0:26:06unless the Foreign Office advises against it,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Turkey remains a great holiday choice,
0:26:08 > 0:26:12with the bonus of lower prices, as demand has fallen.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Looking at the numbers over the years,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16as I've been doing for decades,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19the risk for British travellers abroad
0:26:19 > 0:26:21is lower than it has ever been.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24We are safer than we have ever been
0:26:24 > 0:26:28and I would most certainly take my family to Turkey,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and I would say that I think the risks
0:26:30 > 0:26:32are acceptable for anybody else.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36I share your concerns, but honestly, you get there, you get to the beach,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39you get to this beautiful, relaxed place, and you'll think,
0:26:39 > 0:26:40"What was I worrying about?"
0:26:40 > 0:26:42So, what do you think you're going to do?
0:26:42 > 0:26:45If you're willing to go, well, then, I'm willing to go.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Well, there may be almost no corner of the world
0:26:47 > 0:26:49that Simon Calder hasn't explored,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52so no matter what trip you're planning,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Simon may well have been there first.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59- Where are you going?- Well, the plan would be to go to Canada and Alaska,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02but I have fixed holidays,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04so that means that it's the last week of July and the first two weeks
0:27:04 > 0:27:07in August, which is peak time,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10so when's the best time to book to get the cheapest flights?
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Well, you're not going to like the answer very much initially,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15but I will try and help.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20The best time to book for absolute peak season, which is late July,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23early August, is the second that flights go on sale,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27which is typically 11 and a half months before departure.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Thank you very much, that's great. Good advice, thank you.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Meanwhile, our pop-up shop gripe corner offers the perfect
0:27:34 > 0:27:38opportunity to get any of your holiday complaints off your chest.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41What I think is a rip-off is food in airports.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43I travel a lot and they seem to
0:27:43 > 0:27:46charge double the price of everywhere else.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51While travelling on a flight to Lahore,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53there was no harness available for my child,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57and I do want to pursue this, so all flights leaving the UK
0:27:57 > 0:27:59have got harnesses for a child over the year of two.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05What really annoys me is the renewal fees for passports.
0:28:05 > 0:28:06I know you have to renew them.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09You've got to update your pictures, I understand that.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12But it's a law to renew them, but you have to pay for the privilege of
0:28:12 > 0:28:14complying with it - I just find that a bit irritating.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Earlier in the programme, we heard about the battle all hotels face to
0:28:21 > 0:28:24keep themselves scrupulously clean,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27and that means clean not just in a way that you can see,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30but that stands up to even closer scrutiny.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33But that's a tall order with hundreds, sometimes even thousands
0:28:33 > 0:28:37of people passing through every day and not much of a break in between.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40There's no doubt that cleaning staff can be rushed off their feet
0:28:40 > 0:28:43trying to get rooms ready for the next guest.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46So, what does that rapid turnaround mean for how thoroughly
0:28:46 > 0:28:48each room scrubs up?
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Well, in typical Rip-Off Britain style,
0:28:50 > 0:28:52we've done some tests of our own to find out.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59You'll recall we set out to take a snapshot of what might be lurking
0:28:59 > 0:29:02in even the most spotless-looking rooms,
0:29:02 > 0:29:06sending swab samples to a lab to answer one simple question.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09How clean is your hotel room?
0:29:09 > 0:29:11The key is to be consistent.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16Medical microbiologist Margarita Gomez Escalada received 60 swabs
0:29:16 > 0:29:18from our crack team of testers,
0:29:18 > 0:29:22who sampled six high-traffic spots for bacteria.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26The light switch, bathroom door handle, a glass, the desk,
0:29:26 > 0:29:27the remote control and the bedspread.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Our mission, to find out if splashing out more cash for a place
0:29:33 > 0:29:36to get your head down means you'll get a cleaner room.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Margarita's experiment is designed to be a straightforward process from
0:29:41 > 0:29:45hotel room to petri dish, giving an accurate picture
0:29:45 > 0:29:46of every site tested.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51The swabbing process is a very simple, very effective process.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54It involves using a sterile swab,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56picking up the bacteria on the surface.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Then, the swabs are taken back to the lab.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Determining the numbers of bacteria that you find on surfaces
0:30:03 > 0:30:06is very important, because it gives you a really good indication
0:30:06 > 0:30:08of the level of cleanliness of a surface.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14We took swabs at a random sample of five hotels in the same town,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18each of which had a different star rating, from the equivalent of
0:30:18 > 0:30:21a one-star up to a five-star establishment.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24First up, our budget hotel.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Many of the most familiar booking sites and rating schemes don't refer
0:30:27 > 0:30:31to one-star hotels any more, simply calling them budget options instead.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36The one we chose was a small independent on the edge of town,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39with rooms advertised from £38 a night.
0:30:41 > 0:30:42So, what did Margarita make of
0:30:42 > 0:30:45the cleanliness at our bargain-basement establishment?
0:30:45 > 0:30:49So, for this hotel, things like the light switch,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51the door handle in the bathroom, the glass in the bathroom,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54since they have such low level of bacteria,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56show that they have been cleaned.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58She did, however, find a few bugs elsewhere.
0:30:58 > 0:31:05But, on the other hand, we found some more on the desk
0:31:05 > 0:31:06and the bed cover.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12And the one that was the highest was the remote control,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15which was this plate.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19But on the whole, for Margarita, this hotel comes out rather well.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Overall, this hotel is pretty clean.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Such low numbers indicates good levels of cleanliness.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28We showed the results from each hotel to cleaning expert
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Delia Cannings, too.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Looking at the one-star, we've got some very good results.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39So, let's move onto the next rung up, a two-star rated hotel
0:31:39 > 0:31:43advertising rooms from £93.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47The door handle or on the light switch, there was nothing.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51And then there was just low levels in the rest, really.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56And, whilst bacteria were found it slightly more significant levels
0:31:56 > 0:31:59on the bedspread, overall, again, it was a positive result,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01according to our experts.
0:32:01 > 0:32:07So, there's evidence in the two-star of an effective cleansing regime
0:32:07 > 0:32:08and therefore minimum risks.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13All very reassuring so far.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17Next, a hotel rated by all the big-name, online booking sites
0:32:17 > 0:32:19as a three-star.
0:32:19 > 0:32:24Part of a chain, it advertised room from a very reasonable £41 a night.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27This hotel fared much less favourably in the lab.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32Margarita found high levels of bacteria on the bedspread -
0:32:32 > 0:32:34and worse was to come.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36And that's the remote control, here,
0:32:36 > 0:32:41which is really difficult to estimate even how many there was.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Those in the know have often suspected that remote controls are
0:32:44 > 0:32:47one of the dirtiest things in a hotel room.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51It's fair to say that the remote control doesn't feature as an item
0:32:51 > 0:32:54that needs to have a specialised clean - and, actually, it does.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58A number of soils will be congregating quite happily,
0:32:58 > 0:33:03invisible, playing mayhem, ready for the next person to touch.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07And, so far, our results seem to back that up.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11Margarita's measuring how many colonies of bacteria
0:33:11 > 0:33:13there are on each sample.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Maybe 1,000 or even above.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20The higher the number, the dirtier the tested surface was,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23and Margarita would say anything over 150 is unacceptable.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27We were measuring for the presence of bacteria,
0:33:27 > 0:33:31not identifying what they were, so these could be any kind,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34from germs that are harmless to ones that might make you really ill.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Either way, they're evidence that somewhere
0:33:37 > 0:33:39hasn't been cleaned properly.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43This is - which is even worse - is the light switch,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47and there are so many bacterial colonies on this plate
0:33:47 > 0:33:51that they have formed a film over the agar,
0:33:51 > 0:33:54and it's so very high that it's impossible to estimate.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58The high levels of bacteria indicate, for sure,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01that these areas have not been cleaned.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04And Delia isn't impressed either.
0:34:04 > 0:34:05The three-star...
0:34:07 > 0:34:09..is shocking.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11We're getting into the realms of unacceptable.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16Next, we pushed the boat out and booked a four-star,
0:34:16 > 0:34:22town-centre hotel with rooms advertised from about £107 a night.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24But what did that buy us in terms of hygiene?
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Well, apart from the door handle,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30all the other areas we tested in this hotel
0:34:30 > 0:34:34had high levels of bacteria that Margarita found worrying.
0:34:35 > 0:34:40And there was one particular sample that looked quite innocent...
0:34:40 > 0:34:41This is the swab...
0:34:41 > 0:34:43..but actually yielded results that worried her
0:34:43 > 0:34:46more than anything so far.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50The level of bacteria we found in the glass - too high.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55In fact, the number of bacteria that Margarita grew from the four-star
0:34:55 > 0:34:59hotel's glass tumbler in the bathroom was off the scale.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02And for Margarita, that's significant.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06The fact that there's so high levels of bacteria in the glass
0:35:06 > 0:35:08is concerning, actually.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12Because you use the glass to consume water and thus you're potentially
0:35:12 > 0:35:15ingesting the bacteria on the glass.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18And that could potentially make you sick,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20because it's really high numbers.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23And that could be very serious for some of us, in particular.
0:35:24 > 0:35:30This is of concern because, particularly for risk groups -
0:35:30 > 0:35:35the very old, the very young, those with low immunity -
0:35:35 > 0:35:38coming into contact with this level of bacteria
0:35:38 > 0:35:41could be potentially dangerous.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45You often hear people question the cleanliness of hotel room glasses,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48and, while we didn't find that a problem across the board,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51it certainly seems this hotel's four-star rating
0:35:51 > 0:35:53hadn't bought us the highest standards.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Surely, still,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01a five-star hotel where rooms costing from £188 a night
0:36:01 > 0:36:05would take the top spot in our secret cleaning competition?
0:36:05 > 0:36:08It was the last set of samples Margarita received from us
0:36:08 > 0:36:11and they definitely stood out - but not in a good way.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16The last hotel, from all the hotels that we sampled,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19is the dirtiest across the board.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22Almost all the samples here had either high
0:36:22 > 0:36:24or very high levels of bacteria.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Two of them in particular,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30with the first a spot no guest is likely to be able to avoid.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34The bathroom door handle, the levels are pretty high and it stands out.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38Door handles are a very important place to clean.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40As you leave the toilet,
0:36:40 > 0:36:44the handle is the area everybody has touched and not everybody's
0:36:44 > 0:36:48hand-washing technique is robust, and therefore the chances
0:36:48 > 0:36:51of contamination on the handle are high.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57And what about the bedspread on our five-star, luxurious, king-size bed?
0:36:57 > 0:37:01The bed was by far the worst.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06There is no way to count that.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09The covering blanket on the five-star bed was the only bedspread
0:37:09 > 0:37:13in our overall test where the count was off Margarita's scale,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16suggesting that the overall cleanliness of that
0:37:16 > 0:37:19apparently-spotless, freshly-made bed rather depends on how often
0:37:19 > 0:37:21the cover on top is washed.
0:37:21 > 0:37:28The bed cover showing such high counts is quite alarming,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32because one expects these things to go to the laundry
0:37:32 > 0:37:36regularly and be laundered at high temperatures.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40Margarita says there could be all sorts of explanations for such high
0:37:40 > 0:37:41levels of bacteria.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45There are bacteria that live in the environment
0:37:45 > 0:37:49that could be brought in, so muddy boots could be some of that.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52But also, our skin is covered in bacteria.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56We shed skin cells all the time, so it could be some of that, too.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59With the results of our last hotel in,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03we did some final number-crunching to rank our hotels not in order of
0:38:03 > 0:38:07their star-rating, but by the levels of bacteria instead.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11First, the cleanest room was the two-star hotel.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Followed by the one-star,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16which you might have imagined wouldn't have fared so well.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19They certainly didn't come out with a totally clean bill of health,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22but overall, these two were the most hygienic of the ones we visited.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26In third place was the four-star.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28That was the one with the dirty glass that Margarita was worried
0:38:28 > 0:38:30could even make you ill.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Next to last was the three-star, with high levels of bacteria
0:38:34 > 0:38:37on almost every service we tested in the room.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41But the worst results and the highest level of bacteria in
0:38:41 > 0:38:45our snapshot sample came from that five-star hotel which, of course,
0:38:45 > 0:38:49was also, by some distance, the most expensive hotel room of the lot.
0:38:52 > 0:38:53Five-star...
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Well, I guess that's the biggest shock of the lot.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01It's counts that are unacceptable.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05The cleansing regime clearly is not as it should be.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Our experiments definitely showed that star ratings have no relation
0:39:09 > 0:39:11with levels of cleanliness, for sure.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17I mean, this is very important to say, this is a snapshot.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21This is one sample of one hotel on a particular day,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23but it's really quite interesting.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31Of course, we're exposed to bacteria every day and it doesn't necessarily
0:39:31 > 0:39:32mean it's dangerous.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36In fact, Margarita also checked for faecal coliforms -
0:39:36 > 0:39:39that's the bugs associated with poo to you and me -
0:39:39 > 0:39:40and she didn't find anything significant.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45And as it's those bacteria which are more likely to make you poorly,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47that's definitely good news.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52But what we did find does indicate that some areas of these hotel rooms
0:39:52 > 0:39:55have been missed during cleaning.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58And while, of course, we only took samples at a small number of
0:39:58 > 0:40:02randomly chosen hotels, it's more than likely that similar levels of
0:40:02 > 0:40:06bacteria, invisible to the naked eye, could be found in other hotels,
0:40:06 > 0:40:08too, at home and abroad.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12And it's clear that staying somewhere with a higher star-rating
0:40:12 > 0:40:15is no guarantee that you'll end up with a cleaner room.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19So, what's to be done if you're a hygiene-conscious type
0:40:19 > 0:40:23who doesn't like the idea of being exposed to what the guest before
0:40:23 > 0:40:24has left behind?
0:40:24 > 0:40:28After all, no-one wants to take their own cleaning spray and sponges
0:40:28 > 0:40:31away with them, especially if you've paid for five-star accommodation.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36I think it's a case of being mindful and being aware that it's
0:40:36 > 0:40:39maybe not as clean as you would have in your own house.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44So, maybe not lie on the throw, on the bed cover,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47because it may not be very clean, and do simple things,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51like rinse the glass and rinse the mug before you use them.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54And, like always, wash your hands.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57And for cleaning expert Delia,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00our results have confirmed her worst suspicions that training for
0:41:00 > 0:41:05housekeeping staff must be improved - and fast.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08I think that training and development is crucial
0:41:08 > 0:41:11for the people that are cleaning these bedrooms.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14But most of all, we need to make sure that they have the time -
0:41:14 > 0:41:17sufficient time to do the job correctly.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20The four Ts are so important -
0:41:20 > 0:41:22tools, time, technique and training.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25And when we can get that right,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28that is the first step on the ladder to achieving the success,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30ultimately, we all desire.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44we now have even more ways to get in touch.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48You can join in the conversation on our Facebook page.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Just look for BBC Rip-Off Britain.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53As well as the most up-to-date news,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56you'll also find exclusive behind-the-scenes clips and pictures
0:41:56 > 0:41:58from the show.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03Or you can log onto our website, bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain,
0:42:03 > 0:42:07where there's plenty of advice and fact sheets full of tips on how
0:42:07 > 0:42:08to avoid getting ripped off.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13If you'd like to send us an e-mail, then our address is...
0:42:16 > 0:42:19Or if you want to send us a letter, then our new address is...
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Well, I must say, I am still genuinely gobsmacked with what we
0:42:35 > 0:42:38found in those hotels that we tested and while you could say,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41"Well, it's just a case of what you can't see won't do you any harm",
0:42:41 > 0:42:45but, to me, it seems very, very sloppy and it rather suggests that
0:42:45 > 0:42:48it might be time for the whole industry to try and clean up its act
0:42:48 > 0:42:51as far as the cleanliness of hotels is concerned.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55And you know, one way of doing that just might be to tie it into a
0:42:55 > 0:42:57universal standard for star ratings,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01something that it really does seem is sorely needed to be absolutely
0:43:01 > 0:43:04certain that when you book and then pay for a hotel,
0:43:04 > 0:43:08you can be confident that it will be up to the standard that you expect.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Well, let us know your thoughts on the stories we've looked at today
0:43:11 > 0:43:14and, indeed, on anything else you'd like us to investigate,
0:43:14 > 0:43:15not just holidays.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18We've lots of programmes coming up and even if it's not your case
0:43:18 > 0:43:21we feature, we do read every e-mail and letter that you send
0:43:21 > 0:43:23and each one of them, in fact,
0:43:23 > 0:43:26helps us decide which subjects we're going to cover.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28For now though, thank you very much for joining us.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31We'll see you again very soon, but from us, it's goodbye.
0:43:31 > 0:43:32- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.