Holiday help - or not!

[TyphooToffee]

I know there's already a travel.thread, but I thought I'd start this because it's about holidays in general, regardless of destination. If it wasn't for the free WiFi here (Los Cancajos, La Palma) I'd be climbing the walls by now as my wife was ill and in bed for the first three days and almost every time I sat down on the unsheltered balcony, it started to rain!

The balcony is also open one end, which means we get a view of the ocean as well as the pool. However, that open end also means we have no windbreak. We're a retired couple and prone to more aches and pains that are not helped by wind, rain and cold.

A couple of days before another English couple was going home, I asked the manager if we could move into their room when they moved out. Same one-bed room, with a pool view only BUT with a balcony sheltered both ends. It was apparently impossible because there were people coming to stay in that room. When I asked if the incoming people know which room they will be staying in, or had asked for that specific room, the answer was "No". When I then again asked the question: can we have that room and the incomers have ours? The answer was "It's impossible." Nothing else. No understanding of our situation or of why it was impossible.

So, there you have it. My gripe is that it was too much trouble for them - not impossible. My wife has since given the hotel a thumbs-down on Trip Advisor.

So how about your experiences?

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Just arrived & the hotel manager said to watch out for some older couple that have been trying to nab our room, said to keep our distance as the woman is germ ridden.

Just been on trip advisor to give the manager a Thumbs up for the heads up... from the sheltered balcony we have.

 

[TyphooToffee]

Just wanted to add that I can't comfortably get to see the ocean view as there is a couple of inches of water on the balcony!

 

[TyphooToffee]

Just arrived & the hotel manager said to watch out for some older couple that have been trying to nab our room, said to keep our distance as the woman is germ ridden.

Just been on trip advisor to give the manager a Thumbs up for the heads up... from the sheltered balcony we have.

lol

 

[Eggs]

..I only book 5*, bit of a snob when it comes to hotels. Usually means they are fine but if the weather isn’t so good you can go the bar and drink good quality dark rum or gin. Hope that recommendation helps.

 

[Brisan123]

..I only book 5*, bit of a snob when it comes to hotels. Usually means they are fine but if the weather isn’t so good you can go the bar and drink good quality dark rum or gin. Hope that recommendation helps.

Man after my own heart eggs
If the hotel accommodation is not considerably better than what you have at home don’t book it

 

[Boba Fret]

Personally don't stay in hotels. Always book a villa or equivalent as we prefer to have the ability to fend for ourselves when we want to.

 

[Brisan123]

Personally don't stay in hotels. Always book a villa or equivalent as we prefer to have the ability to fend for ourselves when we want to.

Our attitude is we are both on holiday so we both do no housework , cooking or cleaning making beds etc
If I make a cup of tea that’s my lot
Can’t be arsed with this cooking and cleaning lark when on holiday.
Hotel breakfast and eat out for lunch or dinner or go all inclusive

 

[TyphooToffee]

..I only book 5*, bit of a snob when it comes to hotels. Usually means they are fine but if the weather isn’t so good you can go the bar and drink good quality dark rum or gin. Hope that recommendation helps.

No bar - or restaurant - here. We went self catering anyway as we prefer to eat out. I think some of the apartments are either privately owned or long-term bookings as some balconies have large parasols or canopies. We're not frail or unfit (most people find it hard to believe we are old enough to be retired - true, not self-delusional) but the cold and wet doesn't help. We had a great day in Tazacorte yesterday. It's a sheltered beach on the other (west) side of the island and gets better weather. Apparently it was wet and windy in Los Cancajos but I was walking about bare chested in Tazacorte and had a swim in the ocean.

My wife, incidentally, is well now - it was just a stress-related thing. Thanks for the tip though. If you saw us you'd realise were not your average retired couple. We just booked this bit of winter sun after my wife recovered from her cancer/hysterectomy recovery.

Anyway, and once again, it's not about me, it's about everyone else's experiences. I suppose I worded the title wrongly, I meant things like not having enough wardrobe space or anywhere else to put clothes, not enough sunbeds, noisy neighbours, rubbish entertainment etc. I'm very much a glass half-full bloke, as my posts on GOT will confirm. I just thought this thread would produce some entertainment "Holidays from hell" tales.

 

[TyphooToffee]

Man after my own heart eggs
If the hotel accommodation is not considerably better than what you have at home don’t book it

Great point. We don't half miss our underfloor heating!

 

[Big Fat Sam]

..I only book 5*, bit of a snob when it comes to hotels. Usually means they are fine but if the weather isn’t so good you can go the bar and drink good quality dark rum or gin. Hope that recommendation helps.

Alright blummin' Richard Branson lad.

 

[TyphooToffee]

Alright blummin' Richard Branson lad.

lol It's posts like yours that are keeping me sane!

 

[Caolam]

Been lucky but then Mrs Caolam researchers holiday accommodation to death. I could put up with most things but she wants luxury.

 

[WA Toffee]

Air bnb is the way to go.

 

[Tree13]

Air bnb is the way to go.

Varies widely from country to country, IMHO.

Found the general standards of hotels in South Africa to be utterly superb - nothing was too much trouble for the staff.