Former guests of the Fijian resort at the center of a mass poisoning have revealed they also developed a mystery illness after drinking cocktails at the five-star venue.
Six tourists aged between 18 and 56 were rushed to Lautoka Hospital on Saturday after drinking pina coladas at the Warwick Resort on the holiday island’s Coral Coast.
Four of the guests – including three Australians – have now been fired. Two women – a Fijian and an Australian – remain in hospital on Tuesday evening after spending the past three days in intensive care.
Now holidaymakers who recently stayed at the resort have revealed they have also fallen ill after consuming cocktails at the resort’s bars.
‘My husband and I were there two weeks ago and he had the same cocktail [a pina colada] and suffered from chills and sweats,” one woman wrote online.
‘[It was] very strange.’
A man staying at the hotel in late November said his group bought drinks at one of the bars that were “completely undrinkable.”
“They tasted like pure alcohol (no strong mixes),” he said.
Four Australians, a Fijian and an American were rushed to hospital on Saturday after drinking in Warwick Fiji (pictured) on the holiday island’s Coral Coast
Pictured: An employee – who had nothing to do with the incident – holds bottles of spirits as she clears the bar at the Warwick Resort in Fiji on Monday
‘We asked for a glass of lemonade to break it down, but it was still undrinkable [because it had a foul taste].
‘[However] we drank at least twenty other cocktails from other bars that were sensational.’
Meanwhile, other former visitors have spoken out about other aspects of health and safety at the resort.
Several guests who visited the pool in October claim members of their tour group became ill from algae in the pool.
“The pool was green for our entire two-week stay,” one woman said.
‘The staff knew the pool was green and said it was acceptable to swim in it. From what we hear, the resort has had a green pool on and off since July.”
Another guest holidaying with her husband and three children described their experience as ‘terrible’.
‘[The] The main pool was unusable for 4 days of our 7 day stay! Dirty brown water!! And the staff [were] telling us every day that tomorrow will be good!’ she said.
The Warwick resort came to life on Tuesday evening as locals organized a fire show and performance for guests
The resort was packed with guests on Tuesday evening, 72 hours after six tourists were rushed to hospital after drinking cocktails
Dozens of guests gathered on the beach Tuesday evening where they were treated to Fijian entertainment
The Warwick resort Tuesday evening as more former guests there shared their experiences
The hotel bar has a brand of locally made rum in different flavors on the shelves
“They finally opened it up and actually let people swim in that brown, dirty water. Many parents we spoke to said their children were sick and vomiting, and two of my three did [children] were sick too!
‘Overall the Warwick should not have the star rating as it is a run down, tired and disgusting resort with dirty, smelly rooms and facilities. Rooms had few termite ants around the wooden wardrobe and wall mirror.
“Apart from the lovely people, it’s a horrible place.”
A third woman who stayed at the hotel last year said she would never go back.
“Aspects of the resort really let it down,” she said.
‘Dirty swimming pool. Children vomited in the pool. All they did was scoop it out. Moldy ceiling in my room. Badly patched hole in the wall.
‘[It’s] average at best.’
However, other frequent guests have rushed to the resort’s defense, saying they never encountered any problems.
A former guest claims her husband became ill after drinking the same cocktail at the resort two weeks ago. The photo shows one of the resort’s pools, with an adjacent bar
The photo shows the resort’s cocktail menu, but it is currently unavailable to guests due to the incident
“I’ve been going for seven years and never had a problem,” said one man.
‘It’s a top spot. I like the Warwick.
‘Best cocktails I’ve ever had from all over the world.’
Another wrote: ‘[I’ve] stayed there twelve times in the past 30 years. I never heard anything like it before it happened there.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Warwick Resort for comment.
The new insight comes as the resort released a statement on Tuesday saying it was “deeply concerned” by media reports surrounding the mass poisoning.
The company, which has been in business for almost 40 years, described the incident as an ‘unprecedented event’.
‘We take the safety of our guests very seriously. We are currently working with authorities to determine the cause of this unfortunate incident,” the resort said.
‘We would like to reassure all our visitors that we maintain the highest standards of food and drink safety.
“We are committed to the health and safety of our guests and will be with our guests every step of the way as we investigate this unfortunate incident.”
Tanya Sandoe, 56, and her 19-year-old daughter Georgia Sandoe-Simpson will return to Australian soil on Monday after their Fiji holiday turned into a nightmare
Four Australians, an American and a Fijian became seriously ill on Saturday, suffering symptoms including nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms.
Witnesses previously told Daily Mail Australia victims had seizures, with one foaming at the mouth and another bleeding from the ear.
Two of the Australians discharged from Lautoka Hospital arrived home in Sydney on Monday evening, where they were met by relieved relatives.
A third Australian, believed to be an 18-year-old girl, was released from hospital on Monday evening. Authorities reportedly worked to get her home Tuesday evening.
The two victims who are still in hospital are now stable and are expected to return home within two days.
Meanwhile, the resort has stopped serving cocktails as authorities work to determine the cause of the disease outbreak.
CCTV has been seized from the bar and the ingredients of the drinks have been sent to Australia to undergo toxicology tests, with results expected in the coming days.
Daily Mail Australia revealed on Tuesday that a friend of one of the victim’s victims had been asked by the establishment to sign a compensation form and pay back $160.