Honeymoon Couple Join Action After Caribbean Hotel Illness
19/08/2009
A newlywed couple whose honeymoon was ruined after the groom was left hospitalised by a series of hotel illnesses have joined a group action against major UK tour operators.
Francis Mayes, 49 was one of three individuals hospitalised by an outbreak of salmonella and amoebic dysentery at the five star Gran Bahia Hotel in Cayacoa Samana, Dominican Republic, in May this year.
Mr Mayes and his new wife Beverly have now joined a group of nine other individuals who have instructed specialist hotel illness solicitors at Irwin Mitchell to take action against Thomson Holidays, First Choice and Portland Direct.
After just ten days of the Mayes' stay at the hotel, Mr Mayes was admitted to hospital, complaining of crippling stomach pains. Tests later revealed that he had contracted both salmonella and amoebic dysentery. Even following treatment and returning to the UK in June, his condition continues to cause him severe weight loss and constant pain.
Another of the group Keith Butcher (51) is taking action against Portland Holidays Direct after needing hospital treatment for diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps just a week into his two-week holiday - illnesses which hotel management and his tour representative suggested were down to “overeating” or pre-existing conditions.
Mr Butcher instead attributed the illnesses to poor hygiene standards within the hotel.
"I saw staff clean the toilets and not bother washing their hands before touching the same surfaces as the chefs,” he said.
"Despite the hot weather, food was left uncovered. We saw freshly cooked food just heaped on top of the old food, and people had to eat with filthy cutlery.
"I find it shocking that a travel firm would send its customers to a hotel that clearly has so little regard for their health and well being. I am shortly being made redundant, and this was the last holiday that my wife and I will have for a long time. We are extremely upset that it should turn out to be such a letdown."
Clare Comiskey from Irwin Mitchell is representing the group and advises other holidaymakers not to tolerate tour operators allowing their health to be put at risk:
"We see cases of holidaymakers made seriously ill time and time again at the same resorts, year on year, with no positive action taken by tour operators to rectify this. Basic hygiene standards are the bare minimum that travellers should be able to expect of their accommodation. That Mr Butcher's condition was put down to 'overeating' is shocking.
"It is simply unacceptable for the hotel and tour operator to refuse to take responsibility, and instead attempt to pass on the blame to Mr Butcher. If a negotiated settlement is not reached in this case, formal legal proceedings against the offending firms are inevitable. We hope that this will not be necessary."
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