Holidaymakers Contact Law Firm Over Illness Outbreak

A family from Kent have joined other holidaymakers in contacting lawyers from Irwin Mitchell after their holiday in Tobago was hit by gastric illness.

The Gomez family, from Ashford, travelled to the Rex Turtle Beach resort in November last year with tour operator Touchdown Travel.

On arrival at the resort, Stephen and Amanda Gomez, and their daughters Shontelle and Gabriella, soon fell ill with severe gastric symptoms and had to seek medical treatment.

Younger daughters Yazmin and Sacha were afraid to eat the food or use the facilities in case they were also taken ill.

The family are now part of a group of 13 holidaymakers who are seeking help from travel law specialists at Irwin Mitchell.

Speaking of her ordeal at the three star resort, Amanda Gomez said: “The hotel wasn’t anything like what we had been come to expect from the brochures and pictures online.

“The hotel complex smelt of sewage, public areas were generally dirty and as there were leaks in our bedrooms there was fungus growing everywhere.

“The hygiene conditions were a real concern and the illnesses knocked us all for six. We suffered for the rest of the holiday, despite Stephen and Shontelle receiving on-site medical treatment and as the break went on it became increasingly evident that the hotel simply was not up to scratch.”

The family say that food was often left uncovered and that the restaurant and bar areas were often dirty.

Amanda added: “The hotel swimming pool clearly wasn’t cleaned regularly, as there was often a layer of scum on it. In addition, dogs, birds and insects were a constant problem and there appeared to be no pest control policy in place.

“This was quite simply the worst holiday I have ever been on and we were heartbroken and frustrated that everything seemed to go wrong. We really did feel like we were on a Holiday from Hell-style programme – the hotel was certainly not worth any of its three stars.”

Amandeep Dhillon, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell who specialises in serious illness abroad, said: “It is simply unacceptable that any holidaymaker should have to put up with the problems highlighted by the Gomez family.  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.

“Serious concerns have been raised about the conditions that people have had to endure while staying in the Rex Turtle Beach Hotel.  We intend to continue to work closely with the Gomez family and other holidaymakers to ensure that those affected by the appalling standards at the hotel receive an apology, an explanation and fair compensation."