It is that time of year again, when people begin planning their summer holiday. And when you’ve booked your break, what is the first thing you tell people after where and when you are going? What type of accommodation you’re staying in – “I’m going to Turkey in July and we’re staying in a five star all inclusive resort.” But in reality what do those five little stars actually mean?

Well, according to our research over 50 per cent of you don’t actually know. Many believe that it is the benchmark for accommodation quality. But how can it assess quality when it doesn’t even look at health and safety? In reality, all the star system covers is the facility of the hotel/resort not the standard of it – does it have a swimming pool? How many restaurant does it have? Is there a trouser press in the room? Not, is the swimming pool properly cleaned and maintained? Is the food being served riddled with Salmonella? Are a family of cockroaches calling your hotel room home?

The grim truth is that simply choosing a five star hotel is not enough to ensure your family’s health and safety when on holiday. In fact, in our experience we have found that safety standards in three star establishments can be just as good, if not better in some circumstances, than their top rated counterparts.

It is vital that travellers do their research – speak with travel agents and tour operators, use word of mouth recommendations from friends and carry out internet searches – to ensure they stay in accommodation that has been recognised for its health and safety standards not just its facilities.

Earlier this week, while tucking into my bowl of porridge I was greeted with the news that Britain tops the league of filthiest hotels in Europe. Some people might be shocked by this, assuming that standards in Britain far exceed those of the rest of Europe, even the world. I, however, am not surprised in the slightest!

As a company we have worked with hotels and resorts outside of the UK for over a decade. Advising them on how they can improve standards at their establishments and protect guests from picking up a nasty bug. We have only recently started working with hotels in the UK, why is this? Well until of late, UK hoteliers’ attitudes towards health and safety were slack at best.

The main problem was, and still is, a complacent attitude and over reliance on Environmental Health Officers (EHOs). There is a mindset within some quarters of the industry that says it is easier to deal with the consequences of a health and safety breach or a food poisoning incident after it has happened, than proactively take actions to stop it happening in the first place.  Ignorance is widespread, but ignorance is not a legal defence if someone gets ill or breaks their leg on carpet that isn’t properly laid and decides to sue, nor will it do much for the hotel’s reputation.  The responsibility must lie with UK hoteliers and restaurant owners for ensuring they maintain high standards at their establishment.

This isn’t a problem that is going to go away over night and the UK hotel industry really need to step up in order to compete with its European counterparts – who can offer higher standards of quality in sunnier climes.

It is an issue that I am very passionate about – otherwise I wouldn’t be doing my job. Let’s hope the league table shames UK hoteliers into addressing the problem.

It is a common stereotype that British people like to moan, and figures out from ABTA don’t do anything to dispel this myth.

According to The Guardian newspaper, the association received almost 23,000 complaints from holidaymakers in 2008, a 23 per cent rise on the previous year. Poor accommodation was top of the frustration list, closely followed by poorly run trips, bad food, upset stomachs, a lack of promised facilities (such as swimming pools) and distance to the beach.

When it comes to holiday health and safety, complaining is a good thing. Most people work very hard, especially in the current climate, to be able to afford a holiday and it is simply unacceptable to expect them to stay in a dirty or dangerous environment. By putting pressure on the travel industry with complaints about hotels with poor standards, it should begin to take this issue more seriously.

Unless you have been in hibernation or a coma for the last couple of weeks, you would have undoubtedly heard all about Google’s new Street View tool. But, just in case, Street View provides 360 degree panoramic shots from various positions along a road, usually 10-20 metres apart.

To be honest, when it was first launched it didn’t create a huge debate or buzz around the Check Safety First office and the whole impact of the application just swept over us. But, then while I was doing my regular sweep of the travel blogs, I came across an entry by Joanna Tweedy on TravelMail which got me thinking completely differently on the potential that this new application from Google presents for travellers.

Joanna explains:

“Imagine being able to ’virtually’ stroll the streets around a hotel you’re thinking of booking? Within seconds, you can get a clear idea of whether the description e.g. ‘within a stone’s throw of the main attractions’ is an honest portrayal or absolute hogwash.”

What a fantastic way to use the tool! From personal experience, I know that there is nothing more infuriating than booking a hotel based on some rather beautiful photography only to turn up at the resort to be utterly disappointed. Now you can see the standard of a potential holiday destination without leaving the front room. Anything that enables holidaymakers to make a more informed choice before booking a break away, is fine by us.