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Hi Everyone, Long time lurker first time poster. Just returned from a great stay at the Barcelo Jan 14th - 28th. My spouse and I had a great time during our stay and we will return one day soon. Unfortunately I became violently ill on the 26th (Wed). We both assumed it was something I ate/drank or perhaps got some sunstoke until we were waiting to leave the resort for the airport yesterday (28th). We found out that a large portion of the guests were violently ill at roughly the same time Wednesday afternoon, some going to hospital, most still feeling the effects on the flight home. Many Mexican health officials were in the hotel interviewing management as we were departing for the airport. Our tour rep knew of the ordeal but was still unclear of the cause at the time we hit the airport. He asked specific questions of where/what I ate and drank as well as where I swam and what tours I had particpated.
Wondering if anyone staying at Barcelo that week who became sick can provide information to the cause or add some insight? I am still feeling terrible and if I can give decent info to my doctor it may help him treat me to a speedy recovery.
PS - Most postings on TomZap were very helpful in making our trip exceptional, this sight is truly a great source for information.
DESS
1/29/05
We have chalked it up to the Norwalk virus because looking at what they had eaten and drank, nothing really matched up. And for food poisoning, that usually happens within 8 hrs. or so and 3 got sick 16 hrs. or so later and one over 24 hrs. later. My husband came upon the virus at the airport, just before boarding the plane so he had a very interesting trip on the way home. He now knows the serial # on the stainless steel toilet bowl of Skyservice's plane.
We mentioned the illness to the front desk and they were taking down room numbers of those who reported and by the sounds of it there was probably 50% of the hotel that were affected. Who knows, maybe someone brought in the virus."
Diana
1/30/05
The above url is a brief explanation of the cause and symptoms of Norwalk.
I too had the aches the night I was sick and the following two days. It is now four days past for me and I am just queasy and dizzy... still functioning though. Hope everyone is feeling better and making a speedy recovery.
Again, the Barcelo or Huatulco should not be avoided as a result of this. Please remember to practice hygene everyday, even when on vacation. You will not avoid contamination, but you may prolong it.
-Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom
-Shower before you get in the pool (don't wear your watersocks in there either)
-If you see a baby in the pool...get out fast
-Cover your sneeze with your forarm elbow - not your hands
-Take some sanitizer lotion and use it frequently
I think I am becoming a germ-a-phobe after this incident...but when in close proximity with others such as an all inclusive resort....I noticed that not only did some of the staff have poor hygene...most of the guests were worse.
Keep it Clean
DESS
1/30/05
This really sounds like Norwalk virus and very easily transmitted from one to another. I don't think it was a Barcelo problem, it sounds like it was everywhere.
Vickiemb
1/3//05
On our first day there we discovered our housekeeping staff refilling water bottles from our wastebaskets with water from the bathroom tap and putting them back into our fridge. We reported it but wondered if the front desk OR the tour rep could or did understand what we said.
From that point on we checked for a seal before we drank from bottles and when finished we took the labels off the bottles before we tossed them. Even knowing this, 5 became ill on Wednesday (day 3). Wed was the night they cooked a tuna for us that we caught that day. Not being medical personnel not one of us could tell you for a fact why we were sick.
However, we all loved Huatulco, the weather, the beaches, the tours purchased off the beach (ask for Dino and then ask for the Lolita 3 (boat) for snorkeling), the little towns and shopping. We will go back to Huatulco but we will not do the Barcelo again.
If you are going to the Barcelo, you will most likely have a wonderful time. After approximately one third to half of the visitors became ill this past week, there were more "suits" at the resort than you would see on Wall Street. I?m sure all is clean and healthy there now.
Mare
2/1/05
Huatulco is a beautiful place with wonderful friendly people but the Barcelo needs major improvement in both the selection and quality of the food. Ice cream can only be obtained if you ask a kitchen girl for it... so much for access for the children. Toothpicks are hidden in a drawer but are available if requested. Most dishes are served swimming in an unknown sauce of sort and lunch is always hambergers, hot dogs or pizza with very little fruit selection available.
Our room was kept very clean and the towels grew in number throughout the week... we tip the room cleaner daily. Our water bottles were always sealed. No problem obtaining drinks or beach chairs though the fact that so many were ill made this a certainty.
On the last days at the resort some changes were evident that they were trying to decrease the chance of contamination happening, though the type of food prepared is unchanged at this point.
Would we go back to Huatulco.... DEFINATELY
Would we go back to Barcelo.... Very very slim chance of that happening!!!
On my flight back home I sat all the way back ( 5 1/2 hours) beside a couple who were at Barcelo and they were STILL sick on the way home.
So I got an earful all about the infections at Barcelo. So people there were sick.!!
Percy
2/8/05
We found the food in the resort was never really hot, and the dishes were very dirty, even after being washed. The ala' carte restaurants were a joke: they were always out of everything, and the service was as bad as the food, although the service was a staffing issue. The variety of the food also left something to be desired. Our best meals were in La Crucecita or across the street from the Barcelo at Don Perditos.
After realizing or finally admitting there was a food problem, we did notice alot of suits around, and it seemed like they were making some effort to rectify the problem.
Other than the food issue, the resort was very good. The beach was excellent, our rooms were very good and clean. All the day trips we took were organized through our contact on the beach with Tony Lopez Lopez. We recommend using him, he is reliable and you get what you were promised.
Bret & Margie
2/8/05
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