Reading about the dead body reminded me of going to Costa Brava as a kid so just called n mum did details as think they hid the worst from today time 🤣
So this was mid 70’s, I was about 8/9 brother about 7, sister about 5.
We flew with Danair who no one under 50 will remember. The plane was a clunky piece of crap that looked like it belonged behind the iron curtain.
We landed at Barcelona and was ferried onto a coach that had seen far better days and probably been in service since Franco was a toddler. The driver chain smoked, there was no air con and the windows were sealed shut.
On arriving at our hotel mum my quickly noticed this wasn’t the one we booked. She told the rep who replied our hotel was closed due to a cockroach infestation so they’d moved us - to this absolute dump! As we walked through we noticed the swimming pool was drained and surrounded with red tape.
We cracked un and was shown to out rooms. The adjoining rooms we’d booked were not available at this new prison so we had a triple and a twin - neither of which had a bathroom. So we had to walk down the corridor to the shared loo and shower whenever we need to go or wash.
Next morning we went to breakfast - to be served stale cornflakes and dry bread. Dad asked about the pool and the waiter just said ‘shut use beach’ The beach was just opposite- under a subway as we were literally inches away from the railway line.
So my dad went for a wander to find the hotel he’d actually booked which rather than closed for emergency cleaning, looked condemned. He found that another decent looking hotel was also available through the same company - Intasun for those old enough to remember. He asked the rep if we could be moved to that hotel and she said it was full - despite him asking at reception and they did have rooms! Only when he offered to pay a supplement they miraculously found two available rooms - different floors but with private bathrooms and this one had a pool with real water
Well for the next few days we had a lovely fun holiday. Jumping in the pool, going out to cafes and sitting with a Fanta lemon outside cute little bars with dad had a beer and mum sipped the local vino.
Then about a week in, we came out of the sink v room and there was an old lady asleep on an armchair in reception - you know where this is going right?
Went to our rooms got washed and changed and went out for the evening - the old girl still sleeping soundly.
Came back a few hours later and she was still there - but now with a blanket over her head! And next morning still there now with red tape around the chair and a couple of Spanish guardia standing in front of her moving in anyone stripping for a look.
Despite the dramas we actually had a fabulous family holiday. Our first time aboard and a good chance to enjoy a far simpler Spain to how it is now.