No reply to or acknowledgment of this complaint

21 September 2022

Danielle Tannous Palace Room 472 Accommodation dates: 17 September 2022 - 21 September 2022

Consumer Complaint Division TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

R556, Suncity Rustenburg 0316

Dear Palace Customer Care: Re: On 19 September 2022, I ordered room service for my mother and myself - spaghetti bolognese. The food arrived and tasted very bad, we ate some of it and phoned the concierge as it was obviously mince that was rotten or been contaminated.

My mother spent the evening vomiting and I had terrible diarrhea. Waking up on 20 September, severe diarrhea. We phoned reception for assistance for anti nausea and diarrhea medication and emphasized the fact that I am 7 months pregnant, needing to take this very seriously as dehydration can be fatal to an unborn child and mother; to which they sent a Security guard: Sihle, to the room to evaluate the situation. This baffles my mind as I question what help this provided us?

We were then informed that no nurse, doctor nor paramedic could come to the room to assist.

Any hotel I have stayed at sends a trained professional such as a doctor or nurse to the room. These I must mention are not 5 star hotels like the palace claims to be. I was told that I need to make my way to the ‘wellness clinic’ and that they would treat me there. I requested a few minutes as I had terrible diarrhea.

My mother requested a wheelchair and I was brought to the entrance. Waiting a whole of 20minutes at the entrance, an ambulance arrived, I was placed in a boiling hot ambulance and evaluated inside, filling out forms and getting my blood pressure taken. I was told that my resting heart rate was 105, please see link attached: Tachycardia: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments.

Arriving at the wellness clinic, the nurses were all sitting on their phones and reluctantly assisted me. Nurse checked my blood pressure as well as my sugar levels measuring at 5.1. I had just consumed a coke and my blood sugar levels should have been slightly higher based on this. I had informed the nurse, she was not concerned. The nurse then proceeded in telling me that she cannot help me as I’m pregnant and they don’t treat pregnant woman. I asked her what the reason was for bringing me to the wellness clinic in order not to treat me but to merely “follow protocol”, a very obvious unsuccessful protocol. Dragging an ill pregnant woman around Suncity with no actual medical help provided but merely paper work and ensuring that the palace is covered legally as they “followed protocol”.

The nurse then said I must make my way to the pharmacy at the main center to which I pleaded for assistance for someone to make their way there for me. She said that no one can help me and that I must go there myself. I felt terribly ill and started vomiting, feeling extremely hot as well. I requested water which I was not given. I began to cry out of desperation and the nurse offered me an injection for the vomiting (which confused me, I had just been told she cannot and will not treat me) she left the room and came back to inform me that the, quote: ‘injection for vomit’ was out of stock.

I asked to be taken back to my hotel room as I felt so sick and no one could successfully help me. What was this 2 hour ordeal for? Putting my health at further risk with no medical intervention. Resulting in pure negligence?

Getting back to my room. My mother, also unwell, made her way to the pharmacy and Sun Central. Requesting OTC vomiting and diarrhea medication, the pharmacy informed my mother that they had no stock of requested medication. All they had for us was rehydrate? My mother came back to the room. We spent the rest of the day and evening in the room.

Evening time, I started vomiting again, phoning reception to send someone to help clean the vomit. Requesting assistance, the night manager had taken initiative to phone all of the phamarcies in the area to request delivery of much needed urgent medication to which all of the pharmacies were now closed. Why was this not done immediately on the morning of 20 September 2022?

I am extremely disappointed because my health was put at severe risk and I pleaded for help of any kind in desperation. To which paperwork and protocols were underway but no actual medical help was given? I felt extremely unsafe being there and terribly fearful and scared for my health as well as my unborn baby. Food poisoning, Vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration serve as huge risks to a pregnancy. See link attached: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/food-poisoning

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322230

To resolve the problem, I would appreciate your urgent response, steps that have been taken in the hotel and sun city estate to rectify these procedures. God forbid this happens to another person.

I also request a partial refund for the time I spent in the room as my holiday turned into wasted money on my end and poor treatment on your end.