Honeymoon Paradise Turned Hell: Irish Couple Fled Resort After Three Days

Your honeymoon is meant to be the most romantic holiday of your life.

But what if it turns out to be a complete nightmare?

This Dublin couple had a honeymoon experience akin to those from ITV’s Holidays From Hell.

James and Rachel Burke from Ballybough, Dublin travelled to the luxurious Maldives, splashing out on an all-inclusive holiday for them to kick off their wedded bliss in style.

But the Irish couple flew back to Dublin Airport after only three days.

The couple, both in their early 30s, told the Circuit Civil Court they had paid a whopping €9,000 for the all-inclusive holiday at the paradise resort of Kuramathi Island during monsoon season.

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, the Burkes outlined a list of shortcomings by the two travel firms they booked the fortnight holiday with.

The couple alleged their accommodation was of poor standard, damp with a nauseating smell and infested with insects.

Definitely not a turn-on… no matter how in love you'd be.

The couple also said that instead of being able to eat free at all of the island’s restaurants, they were only able to dine for free in one.

The couple said they paid a €2,500 upgrade to include flights, a ‘water bungalow’ place to stay and free food and drinks, including alcohol, at any of the six restaurants on the island resort.

They also claimed that during their August 2010 three-day honeymoon, it rained heavily and that the air conditioning leaked into their apartment. Well, you will get rain during monsoon season, bu we guessed that's not what they meant by a 'water bungalow'...

The two travel firms, Club Travel Ltd on Lower Abbey St, Dublin and Skytours Travel Ltd on Talbot St, Dublin denied all allegations or that an outline of the package holiday had been misleading.

The court said “an accommodation” had been reached which could be struck out with costs against both defendants.

The court was also asked to pay the Burkes money that had been lodged in court by the travel firms as part satisfaction of the settlement reached.

Honeymoon Take Two then…?