Shocking holiday illness facts revealed in The Dominican Republic and Turkey

The BBC programme, The Secret Tourist, has revealed shocking hygiene standards at hotels in Turkey and the Dominican Republic, which could lead to severe holiday illness.

Last week´s programme highlighted poor maintenance conditions at the Fun Royale Tropicale Hotel in the Dominican Republic, including a major leak in a bathroom which led to a dangerous and slippery floor,  and poor standards of health and safety at several locations in Tenerife, the Canary Islands.

Experts tested water in the hotel rooms and in the hotel restaurant at the all-inclusive Fun Royale Tropicale Hotel in the Dominican Republic, and also tested food from the buffet in the restaurant. Swabs were also taken from restaurant chairs where bird droppings were evident.

The Dominican Republic hotel tested positive for Legionella in the hot water system, which meant the water in sinks, baths and showers was dangerous. When Legionella leads to Legionnaire´s Disease, it can cause severe pneumonia and prove fatal.

Buffet food was left out in warm conditions and often re-cycled, and left-over food was served again the following day, which is likely to cause food poisoning and gastroenteritis amongst guests. Some of the dishes contained Citrobacter, which can prove fatal, and Salmonella, which results in severe symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps.

The water cooler in the restaurant was highly contaminated with Enterobacteriacae and Citrobacter, which leaves guests at risk of serious holiday illness.

The Secret Tourist then tested the restaurant chairs and tables, which were covered in bird faeces. The tests returned positive for Campylobacter, which can cause symptoms of holiday illness such as stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. Over 50% of birds carry this disease, and with birds flying around the eating area, it is little wonder, the furniture tested positive for the virus.

The second Secret Tourist programme was aired last night by the BBC, and highlighted more shocking standards of hygiene, health and safety at the 4-star Club Armar Hotel in Marmaris, Turkey.

We have previously dealt with complaints of food poisoning and poor hygiene from holidaymakers who stayed at the Sarigerme Holiday Village, Sunrise Tirana Park, Sun City and several other hotel resorts in Turkey.

Last night´s Secret Tourist programme sent a British family for a week´s holiday at the Club Armar Hotel, Marmaris. The family, where holidaymakers complained of horrible, reheated food, hairs in the food, and an oil slick on the pool surface.

Promoted in the holiday brochures at the ´Jewel of the Turkish Riviera´, the all-inclusive Club Armar Hotel charged almost £2,000 for a week´s holiday for a family of four. The room was described as grubby and dirty, the pillows were stained and there was a bad smell coming from a drain outside the door.

The same food was served every day, and much of it was reheated from the previous buffet, and left out at room temperature. An undercover member of the production team  tested the temperature of food being served, which was 35ºC, and should have been a minimum of 63C. Many guests complained to the management of suspected food poisoning, and suffered symptoms of diarrhoea, sickness and stomach pains after eating at the hotel.

E.coli was found in the swimming pool, which indicated faecal contamination and could cause serious gastric illness. E.coli was also found in the drinking water and in the ice served in drinks.  Pseudomonas were also found in the swimming pool and these can give rise to eye, ear and skin infections.

If you have suffered any type of holiday illness in Turkey, the Dominican Republic, or anywhere else in the world, Farnworth Rose Holiday Illness Solicitors can  help you claim compensation when you return to the UK. We work on a no win, no fee basis, and you get 100% of the compensation. We specialise in claiming compensation for holiday illness, and our dedicated  team is headed by Anne Thomson, who has over 20 years´ experience of dealing with holiday illness compensation claims. If you have suffered food poisoning or any other type of holiday illness or holiday accident, call us free on 080001 54321 or fill in the online claim form.