Legal Team Representing More Than 400 People Struck Down By Illness At Luxury Hotel

Lawyers fear a new illness outbreak at a luxury Cape Verde resort, where more than 400 holidaymakers have previously fallen ill.

An admin assistant from Chesterfield and an NHS service co-ordinator from Bradford, are among many of the further British tourists to have been struck down with gastric illness during, or shortly after, a holiday at the five-star Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria.

The pair, who were on separate holidays, were both diagnosed with salmonella.

Increasing number of people instruct international serious injury experts

They booked their trips through tour operator, TUI UK Limited, and are among an increasing number of people to have already instructed expert international serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell this year alone, to investigate their illness.

The legal experts are representing more than 1,400 holidaymakers who have fallen ill at various hotels in Cape Verde now for the fourth year running since 2022. Irwin Mitchell represents a total of 412 holidaymakers who have suffered illness linked to Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria. That figure includes eight in 2025 as well as 302 in 2022, 28 in 2023 and 74 in 2024.

Jatinder Paul is the specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing those affected.

Expert Opinion

“The sheer number of holidaymakers falling ill at this resort and others in Cape Verde, continues to shock us and is, quite frankly, unacceptable.

“The impact of gastric illness should never be downplayed, and that these particular clients went on to be diagnosed with salmonella demonstrates how serious it can be.

“Understandably, they have many questions and concerns over how they became so unwell. We’re now investigating these to help obtain the answers that they – and everyone else affected – deserves.

“It beggars belief that this hotel continues to make so many British tourists ill, every year, with serious life-altering conditions. Something needs to be done now, to stop others from falling ill while holidaying in Cape Verde.

“We call upon TUI, and their partners, including the hotels in question, to take our calls for action seriously and to stop putting commercial interest before the health and safety of their customers.” Jatinder Paul

Holiday illness: Client stories

“As part of our work and to assist with our investigations, we would be keen to hear from anyone else who may also have been affected by illness whilst staying at this hotel.”

Bradford

Joanne Greenwood, 52, travelled to Cape Verde with her partner, Adrian.  The one-week trip from 19 to 26 March, this year, was to celebrate her birthday.

Two days into the holiday, Joanne fell ill with fever-like symptoms, severe abdominal pains, lethargy and severe diarrhoea.

When she returned home to the UK, she was seen by a GP and an A&E on-call doctor.  She was diagnosed with salmonella.

Almost three months on, Joanne’s illness continues to affect her.

She said: “I had visited the resort just two years before for my 50^th birthday and it seems to have gone downhill since then.  It wasn’t as organised and there were cups left lying around, as well as bits hanging off furniture.  It also didn’t appear to be as clean as before.

“But I didn’t really think much of it until I fell ill.  To then be told I had salmonella was a huge shock, but it certainly explained why I was feeling so horrendous.

“Since then, I’m completely paranoid when it comes to eating and I will only eat home-cooked food now.  I used to love going out to restaurants, but I’ve totally been put off.

“I know there’s nothing I can do to change what happened, but I feel like I’m going around in circles trying to get any answers from TUI.”

Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Diane Pickwell, aged 60, holidayed at the resort with her husband, Anthony Pickwell, also aged 60, between 8 and 22 March, this year.

On day six of the trip, booked to celebrate the couple’s 39^th wedding anniversary and costing £3,775.16, admin assistant Diane began suffering from abdominal cramping, vomiting and diarrhoea.  She also had a fever, headaches and backache.

She was hospitalised in Cape Verde, where she was administered intravenous antibiotics. On her return to the UK, she was diagnosed with salmonella.

Following her discharge from hospital abroad, she remained unwell for the remainder of the trip and spent much of her time in her hotel room.  She also required special assistance at the airport when returning home.

Two months on, Diane is still suffering from ongoing symptoms including abdominal pain and toilet urgency.  She’s also had to take time off from her job as an admin assistant.

She said: “As it was our anniversary, we’d been looking forward to our holiday for a long time.  But by the end of the first week, I was bedridden and feeling the worst I’ve ever felt.

“I wasn’t the only one either – I could hear the woman next door to us vomiting and we also met a couple from Hull who were sick.

“At that point, I knew something wasn’t right, and when I think back to the hotel buffet, a lot of the food was left uncovered and served lukewarm. There were also birds and flies around the restaurant, and the cleanliness of our room wasn’t the greatest with stains and holes in the bedding.

“I was devastated when I was told I had salmonella, and I’m still not 100% now.  While nothing can change what happened, I feel I deserve some answers.”

Support available

Find out more about our expertise in supporting people affected by serious illness on holiday at our dedicated illness abroad section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.