HONEYMOON IS OVER: Nicholas Malcomson (right) says his honeymoon in Bora Bora (middle) was ruined when the resort closed for the shoot of the Vince Vaughn flick “Couples Retreat” (inset). (
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Vince Vaughn ruined his honeymoon!
A wealthy corporate exec filed suit yesterday over the last-minute cancellation of his reservation at a swanky South Pacific resort where the comedy “Couples Retreat” was filmed.
Nicholas Malcomson says he was planning to spend six nights at the plush St. Regis Bora Bora to kick off a six-week “dream honeymoon” with his beloved bride, Michelle, in 2008.
But Malcomson says Starwood Hotels and Resorts abruptly reneged on the deal to permit “total privatization” of its luxurious, tropical-island getaway so the romantic comedy could be shot there.
The 2009 Universal release, which co-starred Malin Akerman as Vaughn’s wife, tells the story of four couples who take a marriage-counseling vacation together.
“Starwood was oblivious to the irony of cancelling the first leg of a honeymoon of a couple madly in love, causing them stress and inconvenience at the very first moments of marriage, to film a movie about couples trying to overcome the stresses and inconveniences of real life in order to stay married,” Malcomson’s suit says.
The Manhattan federal court filing seeks unspecified damages from Starwood on grounds including breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud.
The suit also targets NBC Universal, parent company of Universal Pictures, for allegedly “aiding and abetting the commission of a fraud.”
According to court papers, Malcomson, who lives in Singapore, planned to surprise his new wife with a “once-in-a-lifetime, multi-stop honeymoon.”
As “the perfect first stop,” Malcomson chose the St. Regis Bora Bora. After agreeing to a per-night rate of about $3,360, he forked over a two-night deposit to reserve a top-of-the-line, two-bedroom, over-water “royal” villa with a private pool, only to have his plans dashed less than six weeks before the arrival date.
“Shockingly, four years on, Starwood has still not returned Malcomson’s deposit for the villa he never even got to see,” the court papers charge.
So he wound up paying more than $42,000 to the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent for “alternative arrangements.”
A spokesman for NBC Universal declined to comment, as did Vaughn’s publicist.
Starwood didn’t return a request for comment.