Hilton HHonors - Dozens Fall Ill At Hotel Near Dulles Airport

Dozens Fall Ill At Hotel Near Dulles Airport
About 100 People Reported Sick At Hilton Hotel

POSTED: 5:13 pm EST January 18, 2007
UPDATED: 7:49 pm EST January 18, 2007


DULLES, Va. -- Officials are working to determine the cause of a lot of people recently falling ill at the Hilton Washington Dulles near Dulles Airport.....

http://www.nbc4.com/news/10786506/detail.html

This has been sweeping the country - I got it in Detroit last week, and people have been getting it in CA and AZ for the past couple of weeks - usually a 1-2 day thing... - it seems to be highly contagious, and it's like no other "flu" or digestive thing I've ever experienced...

I really doubt it's anything the hotel did... makes a great headline though...

I made it out alive a couple of weeks back :D

I think it is that Norovirus that is sweeping the country. Heavy on East coast at the moment. The virus made headlines quite a few times on Carnival cruise ships.

I'm not staying there , but I did just see a segment on the local DC news on this. Guests have been sent to other properties, and it was said the Hilton Dulles will be throughly cleaned starting tomorrow.

Will be interesting to see how the Hilton PR department handles this disaster. So far, I think, so good -- from a non-guest's perspective. Don't know how they handled it on a local level, but what I've seen here on the DC news sounds like they are not down-playing the seriousness of the problem, and are taking strong (e.g., closing the hotel!) steps to rectify the issue.

I saw this on the news as well and it is too bad this happened. It is a lovely hotel with very nice staff.

Yikes! This is not good. I am betting 8 to 5 its food poisoning.

MisterNice

Norovirus Strikes 100 Guests, Employees at Dulles Hotel

By Allan Lengel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 19, 2007; Page B01

About 100 guests and employees at a Hilton hotel near Dulles International Airport have been sickened by the highly contagious norovirus, forcing the hotel to stop taking reservations as it sanitizes the building, authorities said last night.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/19/AR2007011900021.html?sub=AR
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I was staying at the Hilton Dulles attending a company meeting when the virus hit on Tuesday night. It took most of our group of over a hundred down. Most were not able to relocate or travel in the midst of the illness.
And certainly at the time the speculation was food poisoning which turned out to be in error.
The upside is the Hilton stay was very helpful, calling everyone in our group to offer any possible assistance (extra nights, room service, etc).
We had stayed there before and have always had outstanding service and I think, under the circumstances, the stay handled it very well.
The best news - I got out Wednesday unscathed (at least so far)!:D
Off to wash my hands again,
DenverFlyer

At least these poor people were on solid ground and not a Carnival cruise ship.

I've had the noro virus- got it a few years back while in FLL. It doesn't even compare to the flu- it is just awful! Never experienced anything like it. Hopefully, will never have to again.

I stayed at the Hilton 1/15 - 1/17 and on the night of the 16th I became ill. I originally thought that it was food poisoning, but I was told, by Hilton employees that it was the Norovirus. I was relocated to the Crown Plaza on thursday (18th) night. Unfortunately I missed a full days worth of business meetings and had to stay in the Sterling area an extra day. Hilton staff were very apologetic, but that was the extent of their regret. There has not been any compensation in lieu of the wasted (ill) nights stay at the property. Anyone who has been stricken by the virus knows that the only place you get any rest is on the floor of the water closet.
On the upside, as a diamond member, they upgraded my room and they do have a decent concierge lounge. And, when they sent me to the Crown Plaza, I received an upgrade there as well due to my Platinum status with Priority Club (a dubious honor).