I think this is a great idea. I've only recently started learning what its like to work in some of these hotels (my husband changed jobs). I understand some are better than others, I'd like to know which ones next time I travel.

Hi everyone, I've been working with Ben on this project to create standards so Hotels can be certified as ethical. Thanks to everyone for your input, it has been really valuable to get community feedback. Since Ben started discussion on this topic, we've officially launched the project, called The First Star.

The First Star is all about trying to introduce good ethical practice into the luxury hotel industry. We believe a luxurious hotel stay shouldn't come at the cost of hotel workers, the environment, or basic human rights principles. And we think people who stay at these hotels agree with us.

The first step in creating an ethical luxury experience is to find out what is really going on downstairs in the kitchens, laundries, luggage rooms, energy systems and supply chains of five and four and half star hotels. And we make this promise to the community of travellers, workers, investors and host communities; if we know, we will let you know. That way all of us can decide if the hotel we stay with, work for, invest in or are neighbours of, are worth the cost.

So, over the past few weeks workers have been letting First Star know what is going in their hotels.

As far as is possible, we will make this a transparent and live appraisal of where the luxury hotel industry is at in terms of their treatment of staff, the environment and basic human rights principles. After all, if the unexamined life is not worth living, surely the unethical hotel is not worth staying in.

Come and visit The First Star at http://thefirststar.com.au and let us know what you think!