Two British holidaymakers have turned to our team of holiday illness experts for help to successfully claim compensation after their holiday to Antigua was ruined due to suffering with symptoms of salmonella food poisoning, believed to have been caused as a result of the poor food and hygiene standards in the hotel.
Despite many people commenting on the high quality of service they received from the hotel staff, many people have returned to the UK feeling disgruntled ,let down and reporting symptoms of illness.
A gentleman from Barnsley who stayed at the Grand Pineapple Beach in September 2013 said: âWe have just returned from Grand Pineapple and wouldnt return due to the fact that I was very ill â possibly/probably food poisoning. For four days I couldnt leave the room and the sanctity of the toilet, eating nothing but trying to consume fluids to counteract the effects of dreadful diarrhoea! After 7 days of illness on a 12 day holiday I was ready to risk a half day tripâ.
He added: âFood was served tepid on cold plates. Birds fly unhindered around the dining room and feast off peoples plates and drink out of glasses if left uncovered. The birds have free access to the roof beams and hanging lamps where they can defecate, walk in their deposits and then walk on the tables â where the drinking glasses are placed upside down! Birds are fed left over food in the vicinity of the restaurant â almost encouraging them to scavenge. Serving utensils are left out on plates by the side of food, open to flies/birds. Mesh nets used to cover cold food from flies do not always fit and flies can and do get underneath. Cream deserts had mesh dropped on top and the cream oozed through â whereupon the flies had a feast! The free soft drinks dispenser by the bar was often crawling with wasps/flies due to the sugary nature of the drinksâ.
âThere is really only one bar and the staff work very hard to keep you served but I would hate to be there when it was busy. Many of the specials are the bbqs â served in almost complete darkness so it was very difficult to see what you are eating and all of the sweet courses are in the open and uncovered! Dangerous. We did request a fridge to keep my rehydrating fluids in â otherwise it meant a long and arduous walk down to the bar for my wife. It arrived 3 days after we requested it â but it didnt work. This was reported but the fridge never taken away or replacedâ!
âTo my knowledge there were many people ill in the same circumstances at the same time but the management played their cards very close to their chests and wouldnt elaborate on how manyâ.
Tracy Stansfield, a highly qualified, experienced solicitor at YourHolidayClaims commented: âIt is very sad and disappointing to hear about people becoming ill whilst on holiday and in some cases, on their return to the UK as a result of contracting a preventable holiday illness.
It is both the hotel and the tour operators duty to ensure that food, hygiene and the maintenance in the hotel are of the highest standards, especially in hotels that cater for all-inclusive.
âI hope both the hotel and Thomson holidays carry out a full investigation into the cause of the latest outbreak of illness at the Grand Pineapple Beach, Antigua, and resolve matters urgently to prevent more people from becoming ill.
âNot many people are aware they may be entitled to compensation if they have contracted an illness abroad.
âI would urge anyone who has been ill during their stay, or any members of their family to contact us upon their return to the UK by calling 0330 100 2851.”
