Thursday 24 November 2022 10:26 AM British couple sue after falling ill on 'worst ever holiday' at five-star Cape ... trends now
Birds pecking at the buffet table, undercooked food, flies buzzing everywhere and the nausea-inducing smell of sewage aren't what you would expect from a 5-star luxury hotel in Cape Verde.
But this is what Anthony Hoban and his wife Lesley endured for ten days at the Riu Funana hotel on Sal Island during what was supposed to be a 'holiday of a lifetime'.
The couple said they were served undercooked food that they believe was being recycled for other meals at the hotel, while flies buzzed around them.
Anthony, 66, and Lesley, 61, even saw birds pecking at food on the buffet table and said the smell of sewage was so bad they felt nauseous.
They are now joining more than 500 other British holidaymakers in launching legal action after they fell ill while staying at the luxury TUI hotel in Cape Verde.
Anthony and Lesley said that five days into their holiday in September, they both started suffering from gastric illness symptoms, including stomach pains and vomiting.
Anthony, from Consett, a town in County Durham, described their holiday as the 'worst holiday' the couple had ever been on.
Birds pecking at the buffet table, undercooked food, flies buzzing everywhere and the nausea-inducing smell of sewage aren't what you would expect from a 5-star luxury hotel in Cape Verde. But this is what Anthony Hoban and his wife Lesley (pictured together) endured for ten days at the Riu Funana hotel on Sal Island during what was supposed to be a 'holiday of a lifetime'
Anthony, 66, and Lesley, 61, even saw birds pecking at food on the buffet table (pictured) and said the smell of sewage was so bad they felt nauseous
The Riu Funana hotel boasts that guests will enjoy 'the best gastronomy' and 'unique culinary experiences' - and 'unique' might be the best way to describe Anthony and Lesley's experience.
Anthony said: 'The flies seemed to be everywhere, with no real attempt to do anything about it and after a few days, we started to notice the food becoming a bit too repetitive and what had been out for lunch appeared to have been just recycled for dinner.
'There were also birds pecking at the food on the tables in the buffet.'
He added: 'This is not what you expect from what we thought was going to be a luxury break and both of us were so ill, it ruined a holiday we had so much been looking forward to.
'We asked the rep in the hotel for help and they just told us to stay hydrated and it seemed they didn't really care much about what was happening.'
Anthony said that the pool at the hotel was 'filthy' and a building nearby 'reeked of sewage and left you feeling constantly nauseous'.
'No one should expect this when they go away and the least we deserve is answers as to how this was allowed to happen and people fall ill with nothing being done.'
Anthony Hoban and his wife Lesley were served undercooked food while flies buzzed around them at the 5-star Riu Funana (file picture) in Cape Verde during TUI holiday
Cape Verde is just off the west coast of Africa and is roughly a six-hour flight from the UK. Its promise of year-round sunshine makes it popular with holidaymakers
Anthony also claimed that the bathroom in the couple's hotel room contained cracked tiles and the towels supplied were 'threadbare and contained holes'.
He added: 'This was meant to be a luxury break abroad but is without doubt the worst holiday we have ever been on.'
Upon returning to the UK, Anthony and Lesley joined hundreds of holidaymakers who have launched legal action after being struck down with illnesses while staying at the luxury TUI hotels.
Other holidaymakers, including a newlywed couple on a honeymoon 'from hell', a man who was so ill he fell unconscious on the flight home and a couple who have still not recovered following their holiday nearly two months later, told of how they were also served raw food and stayed in squalid conditions.
The tourists reported being served 'bloody chicken' and food covered in flies, as well as a 'strong sulphur smell' in a hotel, causing some to cut their 'dream' holidays short.
Staying at seven hotels in Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa, more than 530 holidaymakers, including Anthony and Lesley, have instructed specialist lawyers to investigate after their dream trip turned into a 'holiday from hell'.
Among those were newlyweds Chris France, 32, and Amy Jacklin, 29, who said they were looking forward to their 'dream come true' honeymoon in Cape Verde but it soon turned into a 'holiday from hell'.
During their stay they said they noticed 'grubby' conditions and that 'food appeared to be re-served more than once' with flies and animals everywhere, including cats in the restaurant.
The pair were just two days into their three-week stay at the five-star Riu Cabo Verde on August 9, when Amy began to suffer from stomach pains, vomiting and diarrehoea.
Newlyweds Chris France, 32, and Amy Jacklin, 29, both became ill during their stay at the Riu Cabo Verde in August
