My children were bitten by bed bugs. However, it is perfectly possible for a hotel which exercises the most rigorous standards of health and safety to be infested, and the presence of bed bugs is no indication of any lapse in cleanliness on the part of the hotel. Bed bugs are notoriously shy creatures, and in the daytime they hide in mattress seams, floorboards, even behind wallpaper. This makes it extremely difficult to identify their presence, and there is no proven method of prevention, so that hoteliers can neither prevent them from taking up residence in a room, nor will they necessarily be aware of it when they have done so. An estimated 50 per cent of people do not show signs of having been bitten, so even if an infestation does occur, it may go on for some time before being uncovered. Whether or not you have a right of redress against the tour operator will depend largely on whether you booked a package holiday or not. If not, the tour operator's obligation is likely to extend only to selecting a reputable hotel to which to send you; and, as I say, the presence of bed bugs is no indication that the hotel was not a good, or clean, one. If, however, you booked a package, the tour operator will be liable to compensate you if it can be shown that the hotelier failed to take reasonable steps to check for the presence of bed bugs. I would write to the tour operator asking to see a copy of the hotel's policy on bed bugs, and evidence that bed linen and beds were checked when the previous guests vacated the room. If the tour operator is unable to produce these documents, you may have a good claim for up to a couple of thousand pounds; but if all seems to be in order, I would just put your experience down to bad luck. In the meantime, I am sure you will continue to reassure your children that their horrid experience is most unlikely ever to be repeated. Sarah Prager is a member of the travel and tourism legal team at 1 Chancery Lane (0845 634 6666; 1chancerylane.com)