Lawyers investigate hygiene at Hammamet hotel
Lawyers are investigating hygiene standards at a hotel in Tunisia on the instructions of a group of 13 holidaymakers.
Irwin Mitchell is asking anyone who stayed at the Club Omar Khayam in Hammamet, who might be able to provide information about conditions there, to get in touch.
A group of extended family and friends from Sheffield contacted the firm after most of them were struck down with symptoms of gastric illness during an 11-night stay at the hotel last August, booked through TUI UK trading as SkyTours.
Keith Knight, 67, fell ill on around the fourth day of the holiday suffering with chronic diarrhoea, stomach cramps and loss of appetite.
His symptoms continued for his whole holiday and when he visited his local GP on return, he was told he had contracted Salmonella.
According to Irwin Mitchell, it took weeks following Keith’s return for him to fully recover from the acute phase of his illness.
His wife, Margaret, 71, also experienced similar symptoms and remained unwell for the remainder of the holiday.
Jane Hollingworth, 48, travelling with her daughter Kelly-Jay Ahmed, 17, both experienced gastric illness and described the conditions at the hotel as unsanitary.
On one occasion she reported seeing faeces in the hotel swimming pool, which was removed with a net and holidaymakers were asked to leave the pool for an hour.
She also reported that tables in the restaurant were generally left dirty, cutlery and glassware was often stained and the hot food was severed lukewarm on occasion.
Keith, a retired mechanic, said his wife complained to the TUI representative about the illnesses and the food, but was told nothing could be done and to complain on our return to the UK.
"Since returning to the UK Margaret telephoned the tour operator to complain and advise that one of the party was suspected to be suffering with Salmonella," he said.
"We are now hopeful that Irwin Mitchell will be able to investigate the matter further and get us the answers we feel we deserve about the terrible illness we suffered."
A spokesman for TUI said: "We are sorry to hear of Mr and Mrs Knight’s experience at Club Omar Khayam in Hammamet, Tunisia. As we understand this is now subject to legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.
"We closely audit all resorts to which we operate to ensure that health, hygiene and comfort levels are maintained in line with industry standards."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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