€9,000 'dream' honeymoon lasted only three days, couple tells court

An Irish honeymoon couple, who landed in a romantic Maldives Islands resort in the middle of the monsoon season, flew home after only three days of their fortnight-long “dream” holiday, a court has heard.

James and Rachel Burke, both in their early thirties, of Courtney Place, Ballybough, Dublin, told the Circuit Civil Court they had paid almost €9,000 for an all-in holiday at the honeymoon paradise resort of Kuramathi Island.

In a €38,000 maximum claim, which included the return of their money, the cost of their early flight home and damages for distress and breach of contract, they outlined a list of shortcomings by the two travel firms they booked with.

The couple alleged their accommodation was of a poor standard, damp with a nauseating smell and was infested with insects. They claimed that instead of being able to eat free at all of the island’s restaurants they had been confined to dining free in only one.

They had also claimed that, during the three days they had spent on the island during their August 2010 honeymoon, it rained heavily and that the air conditioning leaked in their apartment.

Club Travel Ltd., trading as Escape 2, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin, and Skytours Travel Ltd., Talbot Street, Dublin, denied the Burkes’ allegations or that an outline of the package holiday had been false, inaccurate and misleading.

The Burkes claimed they had paid a €2,500 upgrade to €8,899 to include flights and “water bungalow” accommodation and free food and drinks, including alcohol, at any of the six restaurants on the resort.

They had complained to the defendants, but that their complaints had not been properly addressed.

The defendants, in a full defence to the claim, stated they had not been given time nor opportunity to remedy any complaints the Burkes had before they had flown home.

Following talks today, barrister Frank Crean told Judge Jacqueline Linnane “an accommodation” had been reached in the case which could be struck out with costs against both defendants.

Mr Crean also asked the court to pay out to the Burkes money that had been lodged in court by the travel firms as part satisfaction of the settlement reached in the honeymoon couple’s claim.