Holiday destinations that were unexpectedly lovely OR awful.

Malacca in Malaysia. Thought I would love it as loads of history and expected nice food. Hated it. Open sewers so it sank, horrible hostel where the owners dog shat on the floor inside and she only cleaned up once a day in the evening. Lots of ugly concrete buildings. But the thing I found hardest was that a lot of the locals would ignore me or confirm with my dh that what I had said was correct e.g. I'd we were in a taxi and I had said where we wanted to go. Just found it strange and quite a culture shock. Other towns in Malaysia seemed less traditional. ...

Can we have more detail about what was wrong with Norfolk? I'm biased because I come from there but I think it's wonderful.

I LOVED Seoul. Amazing city, heaps to see and do, fantastic street food, lovely but cheap hotels and so much fun going out in the student area. Am dying to go back.

Turin- overlooked as an Italian destination I think. Gorgeous city. It has a cinema museum in a wonderful Art Decco building that is amazing, I've been four times and could still happily spend a whole afternoon in there before going to a little local backstreet pizza place then walking to the bars along the river.

Hated Gibraltar. Town centre is dull as dishwater. Big rock covered in monkey shit and mean looking monkeys.

Pisa is SO boring once you've seen the tower. Overpriced lacklustre restaurants too. Also Padua. Was expecting a stunning Renaissance town but the buildings were blocked by endless market stalls. Didn't find anywhere decent to eat/drink. Was only there on a day trip from Venice and was glad to get back.

Disney Florida - expected to hate it - but it was great fun, would never go back though.
Venice - sure it was very pretty but it was too touristy, too much like a theme park rather than a real place to live, the food was over priced and very dull. Wasn't too keen on the Amalfi coast either, again a bit too touristy. But bizarrely loved Rome and Florence.
Didn't expect to love Paris, refused to go for many years, had heard too much about snooty Parisians, but dd wanted to go and climb the Eiffel Tower. I loved it, found the people lovely, great atmosphere, great fun and will definitely return.

Nothing to do on LA!!!
Universal studios
Disneyland
Other theme parks
Hollywood
Beaches

Oh yes, there absolutely nothing to do there

I didn't like either Sardinia or Corsica at all, despite absolutely loving the Mediterranean in general. And I loathe the South West coast of France (south of Bordeaux, down to Spain).

Forget Budapest- amazing place lovely people.

Really disliked Los Angeles. There is fuck all to do. Venice Beach was an absolute dump.
Disliked Barbados- dull
Loved St Lucia ,Serbia and Istanbul

As a family we can generally have fun in a cupboard and have had very few disappointing trips.

But one place which just doesn't make me feel the love in the south of France.

Most recently we stayed in a beautiful house recommended by a friend who goes every year and we thought this time. But no.

not rtwt yet, but really surprised about Copenhagen - DD and I were there last month for a funeral - we loved it. No signs of anything the PP saw. We walked for miles, used the metro and trains, never felt uncomfortable. It's so interesting how different people have different experiences.

Im just back from Dorset we go every other year and love it

What part of Dorset, beady? We live just over the border and go into Dorset regularly. Farmer Palmers near Poole is great - whole day activity and still ok in poor weather. Kingston Lacy, National Trust, near Wimborne - child friendly, loads to see and do, Swanage - DS recommends Santa Fe on seafront - went there with DH last week, Steam trains from Swanage to Corfe and then the castle, and model village, Lyme Regis and much more. Hope you have a great time :)

mrsfrankieheck so am I!!!
(Great name)

I have literally never been anywhere I haven't enjoyed, bu to research things a LOT before booking or going anywhere. Some places have been hampered by the weather, and in goa and Cambodia I was too distracted by the poverty to really be able to love the touristy things. Even Pisa, which pretty much universally slated, I spent a pleasant few days in because i wasn't expecting much.

Absolutely loathed Luxor. I was so excited about the valley of the kings and all the temples but we were pestered continuously and didn't feel safe.
Going to Dorset later this month, getting a little concerned now. Anything good to do with 2 primary age DCs?

Loved California. Drove along route 1 from LA to San Francisco and had an amazing time. Also really liked New York.
Have really enjoyed Rome, Budapest, Amsterdam, Prague, Paris and Berlin but only ever been in the winter so much quieter

Those saying Berlin, have you got any tips for best things to do?

I'm going there in a few days.

I went to Barcelona about 20 years ago and hated it. I went again a few years ago with a group of friends and loved it. Maybe I was just lucky, but the atmosphere seemed much more relaxed, and much safer.

Love the Gulf coast in Florida.
Barcelona will always have a special place in my heart.
Biarritz is nice but the beaches have tiny bits of broken down plastic from the sea on them.
Boston is a fab city. More relaxing than NY.
Koh Samui is great. Very friendly people and nice beaches.
Love Rome, The history astounds me.

Just arrived in Bangkok. I'm not liking it much.

I think people that don't like Norfolk haven't been to the right places there. It's a lovely county.

Not understand the hate for Norfolk.
Anyone want to explain.

On the basis of this thread I've just booked a week in lanzarote for half term

Loved Liverpool Cornwall is fab but only off season I d never go in the holidays. North Devon is lovely.

Wasn't keen on Wales but I'd try it again now the kids are older It may be different without a baby in tow.

Hated Ireland as a family holiday. Never never again No where to eat expensive dirty beaches Grim grim grim. Took forever to get there As a adult city break tho I may enjoy it.

Love New York. Vagus and Orlando were fun. Grand Canyon amazing

Loved Maldives Not keen on Caribbean but the people are friendly.

Love haldikiki Santorini was nice but beaches disappointing. Preferred Fira to oia as a town.

Portugal was ok but needed a car. Loved Costa Dorada and enjoyed Barcelona in April. Would be too hot later in the year I think

Love love love Italy but Pisa is a dump and Venice is too expensive. Eat out of the main bits and it's ok though.

Canada amazing but too cold in January 😬 Love Slovenia.

Don't get the hate for Budapest.Beautiful buildings,cheap, variety of restaurants and amazing spas. Stayed in a lovely hotel with really friendly and helpful staff, fabulous cocktails and had the most varied and delicious breakfast buffet ever, open from 7-12. Would definitely go back!

Lincoln was absolutely beautiful particularly the cathedral. I was staying in newark and strayed into lincoln. Loved it more than i expected to.

I like dublin. Lots of beautiful places to visit and we had no problem finding traditional Irish pubs to sit by the fire and listen to a traditional irish band. It was expensive though.

Hated paris. The only good thing was the metro and seeing notre dame cathedral. Otherwise, smelly, dirty, overcrowded, people were rude and pushy and quite a lot of the men were pervy.

Rhodes was a shit hole. Upset me going to lindos and seeing tiny little donkeys hauling adults, some of them very very overweight, up and down an extremely steep hill. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. The beaches were shit and the people not very friendly. As someone said like a building site.

Tenerife was nicer than i thought. Lanzarote was pretty but there wasn't much to do once you've been up the lava fields.

Berlin was fabulous. I expected to like it but it was amazing. People are lovely, food was amazing and there is so much to do.

Loved Dublin. Going back in September.

Can't think of anywhere I haven't liked.

I'm surprised by some of the hates on here and can only deduce that people didn't stray too far from the main tourist areas, but glad to see a lot of love for Lanzarote.

It truely is fabulous but it took quite a lot of persuading from me to DP for him to agree for us to go. We've since had holidays in loads of classic 'touristy' places like Lanzarote, Tenerife, Mallorca, Costa del Sol etc and always make a point of staying in smaller resorts and eating where the locals eat - makes for a totally different experience to most people's perception of these places and I can heartily recommend it.

We're even probably going to try Benidorm, going for a big fiesta in March (it will be DPs birthday while we are there) and having done my research, I am reassured that there are tapas bars and proper Spanish culture if you know where to look.

Interesting that someone mentioned being stared at in Madrid - that was my lasting memory too. I was there for work but had a couple of days free so saw a bit of the city and was stared at a lot. I am visually obviously not Spanish - classic English rose colouring and taller than the average Spanish woman. But it was quite unnerving how common it was.