Holiday Turns To Nightmare After Illness Outbreak
Royal Park Hotel, Bulgaria
15/07/2008
Over 50 inquiries have been received by Irwin Mitchell Solicitors following reports of a large outbreak of gastric illness at the Royal Park Hotel in Bulgaria.
Nadine Orpwood (33) from Swanley in Kent travelled to the Hotel Royal Park for a two week break on the 27th June with her husband Alan (42), and children Zoe (15), Lauren (14), Liam (13), Reece(7), Jake (4) and Loui (3). Their holiday was booked with First Choice Holidays and Flights Limited.
Mrs Orpwood said, "All of us suffered with severe symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pains, high temperature and vomiting. This was supposed to be a 4star hotel but I would certainly not have rated it as 4 star."
The family began to fall ill within a few days of arrival and remain ill.
Mrs Orpwood continued "When Loui fell ill he was so bad upon returning to the UK that we immediately took him to hospital. The Doctor has performed tests and we are currently awaiting the results.
"The entire hotel complex smelt of sewage, the food on the buffet by the bar was left out uncovered and chicken was pink in the middle and glasses in the bar never appeared to be clean. So many families we're complaining to staff and we felt like nothing was being done. I was told that it would cost £50 for each of my children to see a Doctor and that no other help was available."
Suki Chhokar partner in the Travel Litigation Department at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors said: "This is not the first time that guests who have travelled to the Royal Park Hotel in Bulgaria have encountered significant problems and illness."
"In all the previous cases we have dealt with at the Royal Park the tour operators concerned have admitted liability and we were successful in winning compensation for our clients; however lessons do not seem to have been learned with people still experiencing similar issues."
Mr Chhokar continued "it is very difficult to plan a family holiday to cater for everyone’s needs. Tour operators and hotels need to realise that basic health and hygiene standards must be in place to prevent illness occurring, and holidays being ruined."