Dream Holiday to Mexico Plagued by Holiday Illness

Our expanding travel law team here at Hampson Hughes Solicitors were recently instructed by a young couple whose dream holiday to Mexico was plagued by holiday illness.

Dream holiday ruined

Miss England and her partner, Mr Gardener, booked a two week stay at the Riu Cancun hotel in Cancun, Mexico for July 2015. The couple had booked the dream holiday almost a year in advance with tour operators TUI.

Miss England said:

‘We couldn’t wait for the holiday to Mexico; it was something that we both really looked forward to.’

Poor Hygiene Standards

However, not long after arriving at the hotel, the pair noticed numerous instances of poor hygiene standards.

Poor levels of food hygiene

According to Miss England, the level of hygiene within the hotel restaurant was particularly poor. Food was reportedly undercooked, appeared reheated and was often served at the incorrect temperature. Furthermore, the couple witnessed food left out and uncovered for prolonged periods of time. Miss England said they found this particularly alarming, due to the high number of birds in and around eating areas.

According to our clients, the restaurant itself also appeared unclean and the food that was available was of a poor standard.

‘It was awful’

A few days into the holiday, both Miss England and Mr Gardener became very unwell. The pair suffered various symptoms, including stomach cramps, diarrhoea, severe diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, temperature and fatigue. Miss England added:

‘It was awful. The holiday which we had l worked so hard for and looked forward to – for almost a year -was completely ruined. And it wasn’t just us; we overheard other guests at the hotel complaining of sickness too.’

£4,700 in Compensation Secured

After their dream holiday was ruined, Miss England and Mr Gardener came to Hampson Hughes Solicitors to seek advice regarding compensation. We took on their claim, and our expert Travel Law team managed to secure the couple a total of £4,700 in compensation.

‘I was really pleased with the level of service Hampson Hughes Solicitors provided’ – Miss E.England

‘We were updated regularly throughout the process and have been very impressed with how smoothly the claim went.’ – Mr P.Gardener

Advice from Hampson Hughes Solicitors

Shiamli Mehta-Cronie, head of Travel Law here at Hampson Hughes Solicitors, added:

‘We are thrilled to have secured this level of compensation for Miss England and Mr Gardener. It is simply not acceptable for tour operators to cut corners when it comes to hygiene standards.

‘I am currently acting for hundreds of clients, some of which stayed at the Riu Cancun, who have suffered illness whilst abroad due to poor hygiene in their hotels. If you have experienced sickness whilst on an all-inclusive package holiday, we urge you to get in touch with Hampson Hughes.’

If you have been victim to holiday illness when staying at the Riu Cancun hotel in Mexico, and you would like expert advice on this type of case, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6 888 or email

Start your holiday illness claim today

If you believe that your tour operator could have done more to prevent your symptoms of illness or injury, contact us today. Whether you have experienced illness or injury during your flight, whilst staying in your package deal hotel, or during an excursion arranged by a company working in conjunction with your tour operator, we can help. For further information, call 0800 888 6 888 or email