Barrister sues Virgin after dream holiday turned to a nightmare

Mar 31 2009 by Laura Caroe, The Journal

A FAMILY expected a “lavish” holiday in Florida – but instead were confronted by filth and mould.

Barrister Alison Howey has now been awarded compensation after even the judge in her case described the trip as “a holiday from hell”.

Ms Howey spent £3,952 on taking her two teenage children on the trip of a lifetime and had been promised a fortnight of relaxation in a quality hotel.

Instead their dream Virgin holiday turned into a nightmare when they arrived to find a catalogue of problems at their hotel, the Sheraton World Resort, in Orlando.

It was described as “fantastic” in the Virgin brochure and the hotel’s own website said the Sheraton World Resort was “deluxe”, “lavish” and boasted the “highest standard of personal comfort and service.”

Ms Howey said: “When we opened the door to our room we were taken aback by the overwhelming damp and musty smell and quickly noticed the condensation running down the windows.

“I could not even begin to imagine staying in the room for two weeks. The windows were literally running with water which was lying in pools on the window sill and the floor.

“The carpet was soaking wet and the smell of damp was nauseating.”

Ms Howey, of School Row, Hedley on the Hill, Stocksfield, Northumberland, spent more than a thousand pounds on further trips so her family did not have to stay in the room and hotel all day. But further disasters met the family including being given the wrong instructions for day trips and tickets to a theme park, where only one worked, separating Ms Howey from her then 15-year-old son Paul for four hours.