Holiday's from Hell - An award winning hotel

02/03/2004

 

Tonight ITV will feature the Alcudia Pins Hotel in Majorca in their 60-minute programme entitled 'Holidays from Hell Awards 2004'. In July 2003 Alexander Harris were called in to offer advice and support to hundreds of holidaymakers who were struck down with debilitating illnesses after an outbreak of Cryptosporidium, at the Alcudia Pins Hotel in Majorca. It is believed that the outbreak arose from the Hotel pool, which was later, drained and cleaned.

Featured on the ITV programme tonight, the Ghouri family flew out to the island in July 2003, to spend quality time together. Staying at the Alcudia Pins, the family of four visited the hotel pool more than three times a day. Just six days into their holiday the children became ill with violent vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite and stomach cramps. Their symptoms were so severe that 8-year-old Alexander and 4-year-old Natasha were both hospitalised in Majorca. Three members of the family tested positive for Cryptosporidium and were only able to fly home to the UK five days after originally planned. They continued to suffer symptoms of the illness for more than 3 weeks after returning home.

To date Alexander Harris are representing in excess of 1500 clients who stayed at the Alcudia Pins Hotel in Majorca who suffered illness or injury and loss of enjoyment of their holiday Heading the litigation Partner at Alexander Harris Christian Beadell said: 'Despite details of the claims being submitted in July of last year, we have received no definitive response on liability from the defendants, MyTravel UK. Whilst we have afforded every opportunity to them to enter into constructive negotiations of these claims, they have refused to do so. We now intend to pursue our own investigations into the events leading up to the closure of the pool at the end of July 2003, on behalf of the families.' 'From the information provided to us by our clients, we are of the view that not only was it unacceptable for Cryptosporidium to be present in the hotel pool at all, but also the hotel failed to act on reports of illness from a substantial number of guests and take active steps to identify the pool as the likely source of contamination and initiate a proper clean up procedure. ''Families are becoming increasingly frustrated by the situation. Many of them are still suffering symptoms or side effects after contracting the illness last year.'

Notes to Editors:

• The programme will be shown tonight on ITV at 9pm.
• Cryptosporidium is a water borne parasite which can be particularly serious for the young, the elderly and those with any immuno-deficiency. It can cause symptoms of severe diarrhoea and sickness.
• The pool at the Alcudia Pins Hotel tested positive for Cryptosporidium and was drained and disinfected on the 23^rd of July 2003. Guests had complained about the state of the pool which some commented as being 'filthy'.
• In the summer of 2003, Alexander Harris received calls from holidaymakers staying at other hotels in Majorca and even other popular tourist resorts across Europe.

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