“Everyone on our trip got food poisoning” – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana criticised

The 5-star Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic has come under fire from disappointed guests alleging that poor cleanliness and severe sickness and diarrhoea ruined their holidays.

The solicitors at Holiday Claims Bureau have provided legal assistance to package visitors at this hotel before, and we continue to monitor the situation.  If you believe you have become ill as a result of poor food or hygiene at the resort, you can call our dedicated helpline on 0161 813 2131 or fill in our easy-to-use online contact form. File a food poisoning compensation claim if you believe you got sick because of the negligence of the hotel you’ve booked for your holiday.

Reviewers speak out

Montgomery, who visited the hotel in April 2019, says on TripAdvisor that his group stay started badly and things got worse from there:

“…our room was dirty upon arrival and the view from our room is an orange CRANE! (Hair and footprints in bathtub, crumbs on floor, brown marks on bathroom mirror, only enough linens for 2 people even though there are 4 in our room)…Most importantly, EVERYONE on our trip got food poisoning.” 

Tour Operators Thomas Cook, who offer all-inclusive package breaks at the big-name establishment, say “You’ll feel like a rock star at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana.”  For April guest Gemma Jones and her partner, however, the experience was less glamourous:

“To top off a below average week at the Hard Rock Hotel my partner came down with food poisoning and was very sick from an omelette he ate at breakfast at the resort. He was very sick and has only just began to feel better (5 days later)” Source: TripAdvisor

Other recent guests have raised similar issues via TripAdvisor, with member ACC616 claiming that she and her husband were very sick with a “gastrointestinal bug”, and that “many people” from other groups they met suffered in a similar way.

Tips if you’ve been affected

Our Litigation Executive Lucy Bevis has the following advice for anyone staying at the hotel who has become unwell:

“Firstly, if you have picked up a food or water-borne infection, you’ll know about it.  The symptoms are very unpleasant, and if hygiene or food preparation hasn’t been up to scratch then don’t be afraid to report your illness and seek legal advice.  Customers pay a lot of money for long distance package holidays, especially at a 5-star resort like this.  You’re right to expect that basic hygiene standards are maintained; if they’re not and you fall ill as a result, it’s also reasonable to expect fair compensation.

You should report any illness within the party to the tour operator (whether via a rep or with their customer service team).  It’s important to do this, even though it’s highly likely they’ll dismiss illness complaints.  Genuine claimants will usually have to seek legal advice and formally submit a claim; that’s where we can help and it’s the best way to maximise the prospects of a successful claim and to make sure that all your losses are accounted for.

There isn’t an automatic entitlement to compensation simply for becoming unwell.  You’ll have a case to prove against the Tour Operator and you should get together any evidence such as medication receipts/packages, photographs, witness details, medical notes etc.  Our team help British package holidaymakers day in, day out so we’re ready to discuss how we can help you make a successful claim.”