Illness On Holiday In Turkey

A woman from South Yorkshire who previously worked as a tour rep has slammed conditions at the Sheraton Voyager in Antalya, Turkey, after her two-year-old daughter developed Salmonella poisoning following her stay at the resort.

Michelle Edim, from High Green in Sheffield, has contacted travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell for help in investigating standards at the hotel. Ms Edim has also demanded to know why tour operator Thomas Cook saw fit to send her family to a resort where there was an ‘utter disregard for health and safety’.

The tour operator describes the resort as “a wealth of facilities within luxurious surroundings” and states that “with a brand like Sheraton behind you, you know you’re in the very best place.” Ms Edim and daughter Daisy Ellis found the reality to be quite different.

Michelle Edim said: “The holiday was a disaster and was particularly horrendous for poor Daisy. She suffered from diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and in turn nappy rash, for another month after we had got home. Salmonella is horrible enough for adults, let alone a little two-year-old girl who doesn’t really know why she is so ill.

“We took her to see our GP as soon as we got home, and after some tests he diagnosed her with salmonella. He also told us that given the time frame of her condition, it was extremely likely that the illness had been contracted at the Sheraton Voyager.”

Ms Edim told lawyers at Irwin Mitchell that food was left uncovered, served lukewarm and that new food was placed on top of old. She also reported cats roaming in the kitchen and restaurant, adding that “the hotel showed an utter disregard for the basic health and safety standards”.

Suki Chhokar, a travel law expert at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Holidaymakers have the right to know the hotels they are booking follow the basic standards of health and safety to prevent people from becoming ill.

“Ms Edim took her daughter to the Sheraton Voyager for a luxury holiday, but ended up seeing her infant child suffer terribly with a very serious illness. This is simply unacceptable.

“While nothing will ever be able to make up for the suffering young Daisy has endured, we hope Thomas Cook will work with us to resolve the matter on behalf of our client promptly and amicably.

“As a former tour representative, Ms Edim knows exactly what basic health and safety guidelines should be in place to prevent illnesses such as salmonella occurring. It is imperative that these guidelines are upheld to prevent any similar cases.”

Other hotel guests reported similar issues on the holiday review site TripAdvisor, with one family describing how they were struck down with a stomach bug for three days.