Illness In Sharm El Sheikh

A honeymooning couple who became so ill during their romantic getaway to an upmarket Egyptian hotel that they were unable to leave the complex are taking legal action against tour operator Cosmos.

Tony Mills, 44, and new wife Keran Keppel, 39, were struck down just days into their two week holiday in July at the Sheraton Sharm Hotel, in Sharm el Sheikh.

The couple from Ipswich, Suffolk, angered after suffering IBS symptoms, cramps, nausea and chronic fatigue that left them confined to the hotel complex for the duration of their stay, have approached travel specialists at law firm Irwin Mitchell.

Despite booking accommodation at what they perceived as a very reputable hotel group, the couple have blamed unacceptable catering hygiene standards for their illness, and were frustrated to hear reports of other guests falling ill and of a previous legal action against Sheraton Sharm for the same issue.

Mr Mills has reported undercooked, lukewarm food often containing flies and other insects being served to guests.

He said: “We booked to stay at a Sheraton hotel as we knew this was a reputable chain, so I was shocked to find that many of the guests – even those who were extremely well travelled – were falling ill. This was Keran’s honeymoon and her first holiday abroad, and we wanted very much for it to be a special experience. Instead we spent our holiday feeling awful and were unable to travel any distance from the hotel.”

Rajbir Somel, from Irwin Mitchell’s travel litigation team, which is representing the couple, said: “Tour operators have a duty to ensure that the standards of hygiene and care at their recommended accommodation are acceptable, and not a risk to their customers’ health.

“What is even more frustrating about this case is that the firm was approached in 2007 by clients that had endured a similar experience at this hotel, and that in the two years since it seems no progress has been made in rectifying the hygiene issue there. We hope that Cosmos will take responsibility for failing to protect its customers and take steps to ensure that there are no further incidents of this nature in future”, she continued.