Family demands action over 'filthy' Goa resort

Lee and Nicolette Shaw and their 15-year-old son Billy were laid low by vomiting and diarrhoea during their two-week stay at the Paradise Village Beach Resort in Calangute, Goa.

They have teamed up with other horrified holidaymakers and called in solicitors to demand that tour operator Thomas Cook stops sending customers to the resort.

“Our holiday was a complete disaster,” said Mr Shaw (41), of Waverley Avenue, Kiveton Park.

“We had been looking forward so much to getting away for a few weeks.

“As a busy family it was a rare opportunity to spend precious time together, but the conditions were so poor and we were so ill that that it didn’t feel like we had a break at all.

“The level of cleanliness was concerning.

“Our bathroom and fridge were both covered in mould, the mattresses were dirty and the bedding we had been provided with was ripped and covered in stains.

“Things were even worse outside.

“We were told by the pool attendant that there had been faeces in the swimming pool and that the water had not been changed for as long as he could remember.”

The family were part of a nine-strong group who paid more than £600 a head for their spell at the Goan resort in February.

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The group has been offered a partial refund by Thomas Cook, but Mrs Shaw pointed out that the £660 voucher towards a future holiday amounted to barely a tenth of their outlay.

During their two-week stay, the family all became ill and noted a catalogue of causes for complaint, including:

• Dirty, mouldy bedding.
• Dirt left behind after rooms had been cleaned.
• Ripped and damaged furniture.
• A group of cats allowed to live in a derelict apartment on the site.
• Used food plates left lying around the complex for days.
• Cloudy water in the swimming pool.

“We expected it to be basic because you do hear stories about what it’s like staying in India but this was worse than anything we could have expected."

Holidaymakers have given the Paradise Village Beach Resort mixed reviews on the popular website Tripadvisor, with its average rating coming in at two-and-a-half stars out of five.

While some visitors have given it five out of five, almost a quarter of those contributing reviews gave it just one, one dubbing it “parasite village,”

A spokesman for Thomas Cook said: “It is always disappointing for anyone to be unwell while they are on holiday, and we always take any reports of illness from our customers seriously. 

“We are currently undertaking a review of the Shaws’ case and are waiting to hear from their solicitors.”