Newlyweds Harriet and Rob Kennedy had promised to love each other ‘through sickness and health’ – they just didn’t think their vow would be tested this quickly.
The Lancaster couple were on their honeymoon at the £300-a-night Valmar hotel when Rob, 26, was struck by a norovirus bug, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
Harriet Kennedy, 28, told Metro that guests were dropping like flies at the five-star resort in Corfu after contracting the same mystery illness that swept the paradise island in late September.
She said: ‘It was awful.
‘I would say there were at least a dozen people falling ill a day while we were there.
‘My partner fell ill on the third day of our stay and I was speaking to some couples in the evening as I was left by myself.
‘Within 24 hours, at least one member from each of those four couples I spoke to had contracted it too.’
She felt she was ‘gaslighted’ by hotel staff and Jet2 representatives who simply told her they must have contracted the bug from somewhere else on the Greek island.
‘The staff were quite rude and in some instances I got the feeling no-one really cared,’ she said.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
If you have been infected with norovirus, you will experience:
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Diarrhoea
- Being sick (vomiting)
- These last two may even occur at the same time, which gives norovirus its notoriety as an illness you don’t want to get
You may also have:
High temperature
Headaches
Aching arms and legs
‘It ruined the holiday from that day onwards.
‘My partner didn’t eat properly for days. He spent two entire days locked in the room itself.
‘We didn’t go the pool as we were worried we would contract it again.
‘The rest of the honeymoon was spent riddled with anxiety trying to keep to ourselves and away from public areas or the hotel.’
She added: ‘We didn’t once see any of them using a bottle of spray between people leaving and new guests being seated at the same table.
‘We once sat down, not realising the table wasn’t clean, and they quickly wiped it with a dry paper napkin.
‘They have a buffet too, which was self-serve, so everyone was touching everything.’
Other Valmar guests complained online about contracting the bug.
One wrote on TripAdvisor: ‘When I had a meeting with the manager he acted like it was nothing and they get this virus every September, I’ve been to Corfu five times and never heard of this rubbish.
‘They should have stopped sending people for at least a week to deep clean the hotel.’
A notice put up by staff seen by Metro read: ‘We would like to inform you that there have been confirmed reports of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks across the island, presenting with symptoms similiar to norovirus.’
They urged guests to wash their hands thoroughly and notify reception if they experienced nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Harriet, who runs her own catering company from a converted horsebox, said she had been stonewalled by the hotel and Jet2 Holidays since she returned to the UK two weeks ago.
‘They haven’t said what has caused it,’ she said.
‘You’d think they’d just have basic hygiene full stop. The best part of the honeymoon was our final night. We went out to a Greek taverna across the road.’
Kostas Plaskasovitis, quality general manager, responded to guests online, saying: ‘Unfortunately, there was a virus transmitted to the hotel with an outbreak at the end of September that affected you and other guests.
‘We are very sad to see some of our guests suffering from this virus but the hotel management took all the safety measures according to the local authorities instructions and our partner’s dedicated health and safety teams.
‘There are certificates from the above control bodies according to the law.
‘Maybe Valmar put even more stricter measures in place.’
‘At this point, we are being accused and somewhat unfairly, because the entire staff tried to help very hard doing their best for all of our guests, and with any possible mistake or omission as frontline staff working under this pressure [sic].’
Jet2 and Valmar Hotel have been approached for comment.