CALGARY – The Mexican resort that a Canadian couple was staying at when their balcony collapsed says a police report proves it was the result of a violent incident and not structural failure.
Katarina Pacileo and her fiancé Dustin Holizki were celebrating their engagement at the Grand Sirenis resort in Riviera Maya in January when they say the railing on their balcony suddenly gave way.
Pacileo was knocked unconscious when she fell about six metres to the ground below. She broke her collarbone and needed two dozen stitches in her back.
The couple flew back home—but not before the hotel demanded they pay $500 for the damaged balcony.
Hotel officials had previously claimed that there was a domestic dispute inside the couple’s room shortly before the balcony collapsed—which Holizki vehemently denies.
On Wednesday, the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa released an official statement saying guests overheard a “commotion” the night of the balcony collapse.
“While the incident is regrettable, a police investigation shows it was the result of a ‘violent event’ and not the fault of the resort,” says Juan Francisco Llinas, general operations manager, Hotels & Resorts Caribbean Area.
Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa has more than 900 rooms and says they have a policy of frequent inspections of the balconies and other structural elements of the hotel.
“The hotel meets all safety standards, protocols and policies to provide quality hosting services,” said Llinas in the hotel’s statement. “We perform periodic inspections and tests from public and private authorities such as Tour Operators. All of this has permitted the safe and successful operation of the resort for more than seven years. Thousands of guests have enjoyed our facilities and never before encountered any problem with our balconies.”
The hotel claims a police report into the incident, which Global News has not seen or obtained, states that several Canadian guests had phoned hotel staff around 2 a.m. on the night of the collapse to complain about loud arguing coming from Pacileo’s and Holizki’s room.
According to the hotel, the police report details how traces of the balcony were discovered on the ground about one hour later, prompting security to go to the Canadian couple’s room. Once there, they say they found Pacileo seriously hurt and lying on the bed.
The hotel says the couple never called them to report the balcony collapse or Pacileo’s injuries, and claim once they learned she was injured they called an ambulance.
“In light of the circumstances, our management acted properly and responsibly,” says Llinas.
“We are pleased to learn that she is recovering well at her home in Canada,” he adds.
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