Your biggest holiday destination disappointment?

Ziggy said:
Not a holiday destination but went to Singapore for a period with work.

Was like a worse version of Canary Wharf - full of people who are only concerned about what others think of them - not for me; most of them very rude and full of their own self importance.

They have Chanel and Gucci shops the same size as our Primark stores but when I walked past they were always empty; is all about the perception.
Click to expand...

Cheeky **** I'm holidaying 10 days there this October! Purely for pleasure, no business.
 
ACW said:
Cheeky **** I'm holidaying 10 days there this October! Purely for pleasure, no business.
Click to expand...

LOL - Everyone is different.

Not much to do there that I found.

I went to the Grand Prix while there, which was the highlight - but away from that I found there was not much to keep me interested.

Plenty of shopping but not much else; is a pretty small place so options are pretty limited.

You can go to Sentosa, but I found that there was little there for me - you could pay £40 for Universal studios but there is not much there and it was very very quiet when I was here - lacked any atmosphere.
 
andy700 said:
The island of Capri - totally overpriced, heaving with people, and the focal point seemed to be the square at the top, which is full of high end shops.
We couldn't wait to get away from it, and fortunately it was only a day trip.
Click to expand...

This a joke right?
If you make the effort to wander around the island away from the shop area, you could have checked out all the Roman historical sites its an amazing place, you just need to explore.
 
fabs said:
It was 15 years ago, we were taken in by the brochures which told us that Andorra wasn't just a ski resort but was also a great summer destination. Given that half the places were closed and what was left open wasn't exactly welcoming. There was nothing to do in the evenings so we ended up spending them in the English run bar at another hotel.

Best the place had to offer was the horse riding and tax free shopping but you can only do so much of that in 2 weeks.
Click to expand...

Been skiing there about 5 times and going by coach and staying in a decent hotel was great. Was quite cheap as well.

But touring Spain by car one summer we decided to drive up into Andorra. What a dump it was without the snow. Lasted about an hour there before heading back the way we came. Not been back since Winter or Summer!

So can see where you were disappointed!

Biggest disappointment for me was Orlando...... Very long list of gripes. Never again. Only high point was watching a shuttle launch but that was not Orlando of course.

Steve
 
Ziggy said:
LOL - Everyone is different.

Not much to do there that I found.

I went to the Grand Prix while there, which was the highlight - but away from that I found there was not much to keep me interested.

Plenty of shopping but not much else; is a pretty small place so options are pretty limited.

You can go to Sentosa, but I found that there was little there for me - you could pay £40 for Universal studios but there is not much there and it was very very quiet when I was here - lacked any atmosphere.
Click to expand...

Fair enough! Horses for courses.

Wasn't sure about Universal Studios either, not on my itinerary at the moment. Staying in Marina Bay Sands so that in itself will take a while to explore.

Hoping to hit the zoo and nature reserves. Will be doing a day trip to Indonesia for a kayak through the mangroves too, looking forwards to that.
 
for me is was Scicily - went there for a relaxing on the beach/dive holiday out of peak season

expensive, beaches were always busy/dirty and all of the dive school refused to go out due to wind, fair enough but you're on a small island, drive to the other side where you're sheltered?!? even dive schools on the other side of the island, totally sheltered and in the lee, were worried it might turn:wacky:

comparing it to Malta where if it's bad they just drive further on it was terrible
 
Yet another vote for Benidorm two words describe it perfectly

STICKY VICKY

Enough Said
 
ACW said:
Fair enough! Horses for courses.

Wasn't sure about Universal Studios either, not on my itinerary at the moment. Staying in Marina Bay Sands so that in itself will take a while to explore.

Hoping to hit the zoo and nature reserves. Will be doing a day trip to Indonesia for a kayak through the mangroves too, looking forwards to that.
Click to expand...

I went to the top of the marina bay sands to take some pictures, was a great view but I refused to pay the £18 for a drink to get onto the "better" balcony.

The hotel itself is massive, you will find that most people there are probably not staying there. A lot of people come in to look about, go to the casino etc.

I stayed at the Fullerton Bay - very nice; was prime location for the Grand Prix.

Indonesia will be fantastic and I am sure you will enjoy your time there.
 
Swissy said:
This a joke right?
If you make the effort to wander around the island away from the shop area, you could have checked out all the Roman historical sites its an amazing place, you just need to explore.
Click to expand...

Well then they should advertise the historical aspect more, like they do at Pompei or Herculanum. The day we went, it was 40C in the shade, all the round island boat trips had been cancelled, and in order to avoid the unbelievable queues for the railway, we walked up to the top of the island. Some of the views were OK, but the place IMO (and that of other people travelling back to Naples) was that it was a compete rip off. Many restaurants do not have drink prices on the menu, and when I asked how much a beer was, he just shrugged his shoulders, and opened it - so we walked out, despite him trying to get us to pay for the drink.
 
fabs said:
Because there are people who want guaranteed hot weather but don't really want to experience a different culture so they go somewhere that's full of British people, beer and Fish & Chips.
Click to expand...

It would be cheaper to light the paraffin heater and stay home though.
 
Benidorm for 10 mins. We were staying in Altea la Vieja up the coast a bit, and thought we would pop along to see if as bad as we thought. (It was worse!)

Parking outside BurgerKing, you just knew what a hell hole it was going to be.
 
While we've never stayed there, we did once visit the resort Malia in Crete. 10AM and there were people puking in the streets etc - made us proud to be British... I wished I was in my Landy and allowed to just drive over the oxygen thieves and had it been legal, my wife would have let me! Such a shame since the ancient palace on the Eastern fringe of the town deserves a closer look.

Faliraki on Rhodes was all too similar and I understand Aghia Napa on Cyprus has gone the same way.
 
^^ we actually went to Malia a few years back. We were lucky enough to be far enough away from the main strip to never see that (or hear it), and lucky enough to have a really nice quiet hotel so we could relax in there for the evening after going out for food without ever being subjected to the horror that is the great British public on the lash.

Passing through that area in the morning to see the mess was horrific though. Credit to the local cleaners, because they had it near enough spotless again for each new day. How soul destroying must that job be?
 
andy700 said:
Well then they should advertise the historical aspect more, like they do at Pompei or Herculanum. The day we went, it was 40C in the shade, all the round island boat trips had been cancelled, and in order to avoid the unbelievable queues for the railway, we walked up to the top of the island. Some of the views were OK, but the place IMO (and that of other people travelling back to Naples) was that it was a compete rip off. Many restaurants do not have drink prices on the menu, and when I asked how much a beer was, he just shrugged his shoulders, and opened it - so we walked out, despite him trying to get us to pay for the drink.
Click to expand...

Andy, Capri is a well known haunt for the rich and famous, of course it's going to be expensive, if you want cheap go to Benidorm lol, last year when i was there it was 52C, i loved it because i'd had a year of cold and rain here.

BTW you can get a bus to the top of the island which only costs a few cents, then the cable car down is well worth it for the views.

There is another island nearby called Ischia, imo it's far more beautiful and not half as many tourists.


Back on topic, my worst holiday destination was Cancun Mexico, 11 hour flight then 3 hours in the airport while the authorities check every suitcase thoroughly, the hotel was rubbish and it cost £12 for a vodka red bull lol
 
Last edited:
We had a fantastic holiday on the Isle of Mull last month, but we were very disappointed with Iona. It was only 15 minutes down the road so we felt we ought to go. It was full of tourists and cars (unlike the main island which was wonderfully quiet), it felt manufactured and strangely English rather than Scottish, and, unlike everywhere else we went on Mull, was totally dog unfriendly - we ended up eating our lunch in the rain as nowhere would let us inside. Not very friendly locals either, unlike on the other bits of Mull we saw. The only redeeming factor was it was wonderful to gear all the corncrakes.

For the chap disappointed with Singapore (on iPod so can't quote), the Botanical Gardens are lovely and the Night Zoo was just superb when we visited, although that was back in about '94.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
That one surprises me. I love the South of France. Beautiful scenery, architecture, friendly people, good food etc.
Click to expand...
I have been to a few places, some through work, some on holiday. Some very good and some bloody dangerous. The people, who I met, in the south of France ,were downright bloody ignorant. Maybe I was unlucky, I dunno.

Let me add, that I am not an England football shirt wearer and I always learn the basics of any language of any country that I go to.I treat other peoples country as theirs, not mine, even Scotland............:D

If I had to go to Spain in my motorhome now, i`d rather do Plymouth / Santander and absorb the cost, rather than help the French economy in any way ,shape or form.

Thank God for Hull to Zeebrugge, I can avoid the who French Massif.
 
Swissy said:
Andy, Capri is a well known haunt for the rich and famous, of course it's going to be expensive, if you want cheap go to Benidorm lol, last year when i was there it was 52C, i loved it because i'd had a year of cold and rain here.

BTW you can get a bus to the top of the island which only costs a few cents, then the cable car down is well worth it for the views.

There is another island nearby called Ischia, imo it's far more beautiful and not half as many tourists.


Back on topic, my worst holiday destination was Cancun Mexico, 11 hour flight then 3 hours in the airport while the authorities check every suitcase thoroughly, the hotel was rubbish and it cost £12 for a vodka red bull lol
Click to expand...

We should have taken the trip to Ischia instead Giovanni, it would have suited us much more.
Seriously though, we have been to Italy many times in the past, and we love Sienna, Florence, Verona, the lakes, Genoa, Turin - but Capri, not for us.
 
Not a holiday, but a stag do to Copenhagen in 2004. The same weekend as Roskilde festival and the city was empty. Spent a lot of the weekend paying ridiculous amounts of money on lager while watching Sharapova and Greece achieve their historic successes.
 
A few destinations in Asia I've been to and left very quickly due to being overrun with sex tourists. Phnom Penh and Patong Beach I won't bother going back to. Southern Vietnam was tiring for similar reasons and because everyone is trying to rip off the white guy. North Vietnam, Siem Reap, Bangkok, all much more likeable places.
 
Near Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic about 30 odd years ago.

Stomach bugs that even affected the natives,hotel owner that switched off the power everyday so not even running water.

A nightmare on steroids!
 
Was visiting Cornwall one year and decided to spend a few hours in Newquay... :puke:
 
Blackpool! No, I've never holidayed there - just visited briefly in connection with work. I was expecting a tacky version of Vegas but it doesn't even aspire to that.

We love Vegas - so much so we bought our own pad there. I can never understand folk who don't like it as they must be aware before they go :shrug:

And we love S of France - especially Antibes and Nice. Further along the coast, Monaco is OK. Genoa - won't be going again. Barcelona, don't know what the fuss is about - I can take it or leave it.

And we go to Mallorca at least once every year but we're careful to avoid Pollença, Alcudia & Magaluf :LOL:

My worst experiences? A terrible hotel in Yougal which we walked out of after 30 mins - and Italian Railways. Oh, and don't eat red meat in French restaurants.
 
Another NO vote for Vegas. I enjoyed the people watching, but otherwise it felt cheap and tacky. You can't walk down the street without sad looking Latinos pushing advertising for sex lines into your hand (and into the hands of my mid-teen children). We did a show which cost a fortune and was again rather sad and second rate. If you like boozing, smoking, gambling and glitz then you are on to a winner. I don't think I've been anywhere else where the hype was so huge and the reality so poor. We did have some good burgers there though...

Luckily it was only 2 nights of a 2 week road trip and the rest of the trip was brilliant.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top