Hotel denies serving bootleg booze after unexplained death
A hotel chain has strongly denied claims that it served tourists bad quality alcohol at its property in Cancun following the death of a 20 year-old after drinking shots.
Several others claim they were sexually assaulted, experienced sickness, blackouts and injuries after drinking at the Iberostar Hotel & Resorts Parasio del Mar and other resorts in Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
In the worst case, Abbey Conner, aged 20, was found face down in a hotel pool and her brother had passed out nearby shortly after they arrived at the resort on a family vacation. Abbey later died. Her brother Austin said they had five or six shots of tequila before he blacked out.
A lawyer hired by the Conner family, Florentino Ramirez, said in his report of Abbey’s death: "[The hotel serves] alcoholic drinks with alcohol of bad quality and in great amounts, mixing different types of drinks."
Iberostar denies the claims. It told the Journal Sentinel that it takes the health and safety of its guests seriously and adheres to strict regulatory standards.
‘We work with a host of providers not unique to Iberostar who service other hotel chains and renowned brands," spokeswoman Yazmine Esparza said in an email.
"Similarly, we only purchase sealed bottles that satisfy all standards required by the designated regulatory authorities."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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