Have you ever been anywhere on holiday that was like the emperors new clothes?

[Cheeseandlobster]

I did. Last year I went to a very small hotel in Greece. 16 rooms only with pages and pages of great reviews.

When I arrived all the tables were pushed together and everyone was sat together pissed as farts getting louder and louder. One woman was drunker and swearier than the rest and it turned out she was the owner.

It was expected that you socialise and drink at the hotel even though the entire pool had no sun from 1pm and the surrounding area was beautiful. The owner would bark at you if you asked for food from the menu and would openly slate other guests for making reasonable requests. And the interrogation you got if you went out of the hotel was crazy.

Luckily I met another lovely solo traveller who felt the same as me so we paired up and left the hotel at the same time each day to share the interrogation. I will never stay at another small hotel again because of this.

Anyone else?

Not impressed with Giants Causeway. Hated Ayia Napa - you could smell the beef burgers the minute you got off the plane (and that was years ago). Loved Bologna, Berlin, Stockholm and Yosemite was outstandingly beautiful.

Went on a trip to Las Vegas / San Fran, expected to hate LV and love SF, but the opposite was true. Never expected to love Washington DC as much as I did, free museums, lovely weather, loads of parks, loads to do. Enjoyed Philly, NY, Boston, Chicago. Baltimore is just scary - definitely should have done more research - in reality I am not sure people are saying it is a holiday destination though. In Europe I think you have to go out of season to enjoy the more touristy cities that have been slammed in this thread, DLP can be enjoyable enough off-season if you have kids . I don't actually mind CPs in the winter, but agree it is poor value and cannot see why you would go without kids for the routine (cook own food etc. and shelter it offers) I think Butlins is similar , albeit without trees and more rules. Some of the UK park type holidays are grim if the weather is bad, there is only so long you can spend in the amusement arcades.

But I also really enjoy Center parcs so clearly I’m not always right.

It has nostalgia value as I went a lot as a child. And now my children love it too. Anywhere that makes them happy, makes me very happy. It is fecking expensive though and I ain’t spending that kind of cash in the school hols

DH and I loved our day trip to Capri, but we were there to look at the ruins at Villa Jovis. I saw expensive shops and stayed out!

I didn't like Las Vegas at all, and we were there for something like 8 days - far far too long. Probably 4 days would have done it and then gone elsewhere.

Barra in the outer Hebrides.
lovely beaches , but dull countryside and the houses are shabby and poky.

Cairo. Absolute shithole

Malta - I disliked it so much that I bought a new flight so I could leave earlier. Food was very disappointing, hotels were below par, so many places only seemed to open for an hour or two per day. Bizarre.

Sydney - vastly inferior to Melbourne. It's just a city, nothing special. Sadly for me, my good friend who I'm visiting in Australia next spring has moved from Melbourne to Sydney. Argh!!!

Bali - hated it the first time. But the second time (for the wedding of aforementioned Aussie friend), it grew on me. Need to pick where you stay carefully to avoid the bogans though.

Dublin - meh and provincial. I fly via Dublin fairly frequently. Now I don't even bother to venture into town, I just stay near the airport. Although Dublin introduced me to Avoca so I'm ever grateful for that!

New Zealand - why bother? The people are nice enough but just go to Tasmania instead.

Toronto - dull dull dull. People were nice but....I gave it a second try and it was still dull.

Marrakesh - the same harassment so many others have faced. I resorted to hiring a private guide very time I went out in the medina. One was awful and clearly involved in the attempts to rip me off. Another was brilliantly bonkers and I had the most fun with him. I didn't feel safe on my own at all, and some of the riad staff told me some horror stories which confirmed my view. I still visit but hop in a car straight to the Atlas mountains now and stay in a lovely hotel there where the only time I'm 'bothered' is someone asking me if I want more water / fruit / wine etc.

Shenzhen - holy hell, what a nightmare! My top tip for anyone crossing the border from Hong Kong is walk as fast as you can straight to the Shangri-La where you'll be safe from the pestering. Although it makes a refreshing change that men can hassled more than women (the touts try to sell sex to them rather than bags and watches to women lol).

But I LOVE Paris. I've lived there twice (and cried when I had to leave). However, it can be a tough city when you're a young woman. It helped me when I got older as I got less hassle from men. But you also need to learn the rules. Don't engage with them, don't look at them, just keep moving. Be careful on the metro and in metro stations. Avoid the RER at night. Stick near other women. Learn how to say 'fuck off' in perfect French (if you can't get the accent spot on, best to say nothing and just scowl instead). If they think you're French, they'll generally leave you alone. If they think you're foreign/a tourist, it's like catnip for them. It's sad that this is necessary but it's the price you pay for enjoying all the good bits of Paris.

I also love NYC. But I've worked there a lot and have good friends there so it feels like a second home to me.

I went to SF for the first time this Feb. I loved it! I was nervous about the homeless problem there but actually I met some lovely lovely people (all Americans) and had the best time. It was still very quiet due to Covid but I can imagine not liking it so much when it's rammed full of tourists again. I did feel like slashing my wrists stuck on the tourist hell boat to Alcatraz.

Cornwall.

Definitely agree about Capri, was totally shocked at what an expensive filthy dump

I think so many experiences are weather dependent. Often a lovely experience is about walking in good weather and being able to pick up on a certain vibe. If the weather is challenging it is essential to have something to do {preferably with the right guide}. 3 days in a wet and windy city, is much more of a challenge than sitting at a cafe bar and watching the world go by….that said, I found Hong Kong and parts of Australia disappointing. I had great hopes of Sydney and Melbourne but they didn’t spark for me, whereas Brisbane had a great energy about the place. I didn’t enjoy Dubai, I thought it a charmless, very artificial environment , built on slave labour and pretending to be ‘liberal’. Vegas is somewhere everyone should visit, if only for 3 days because it is American ‘can do’. It’s tacky, over the top, and like nowhere else on earth, visit the Eiffel Tower for lunch and Venice for supper, see a different superstar in concert every evening.It is one of the few places I’ve ve been to in the States where all races mingle quite happily. It also helps explain why so many Americans [with very limited holiday benefits] love it. You can pack a lot into 3 days in Vegas. I love Dublin, I love walking into a pub and just chatting to the locals or friendly fellow tourists. There’s always someone to talk to and laugh with, I think it’s because Dublin is full of Dubliners, alot of other cities I’ve visited are very enjoyable and cosmopolitan, , but seem to lack an authentic home grown society. There are so many places to visit in Dublin with a literary connection. The nightlife is brilliant and outside of the city are some wonderful walks and beaches. London is a fabulous city, it has everything , but I think having deep pockets helps and to avoid disappointment its best to book tours well in advance. Paris is stunning and full of charming little bistros but at night time things seem to close very early, and can seem a little quiet. The French love style, but they are [in my experience] rather formal and keep one at a little distance. Iceland is well worth a visit, but bring the cheque book. The locals and the landscape are mesmerising. Florence I found to be quite oppressive it was so packed with visitors. Rome wasn’t quite what I was expecting, it’s quite grubby and very noisy. I loved Naples and visiting Herculaneum and Pompeii, it was one of the most memorable weekend breaks. I love the less obvious parts of Spain, where it’s s still possible to eat and drink for very little and be surrounded by the locals and an absence of ‘all day English breakfast served’ cafes. I think most people have a sort of emotional compass and if they believe that they are destined to like x y or z , whether their preference is formed by watching films, or listening to music or reading about a particular period in history, well they tend to prefer a certain type of environment. One man’s sauce and all that….when I was a child, staying in a caravan was a big deal, the sun was always shinning.

Surprised to see a PP mention Madeira. I’ve been twice and loved it. Stunning gardens, delicious traditional afternoon tea with cakes, luxurious hotel with heated pools, exhilarating ride on the wicker toboggans down the mountainside into Funchal, dodging lorries - the kids screamed all the way down then wanted to do it again! We were there over Easter one year and had a lovely service at the English church. The kids loved riding the cable car up to Monte, too.

I had completely the opposite view of Rome - it was amazing. We stayed near Vatican City.

Anyways, I answer to the Q, Athens - polluted air - you can see it hanging over the city and the recommended hotel was in the red light district, the beds were crap and bowed when you laid down on them. Men were prostituting everywhere around the hotel. I was so glad to leave.

Jo'burg was nothing like I expected. I was worried about going, but it was clean, no hassle didn't feel threatened etc. My guide kept saying this isn't a great area but it didn't worry me at all. Not saying if I lived there I'd be that casual but on a day trip it was all good!

Tenby ,Wales,most boring backward place ive been to ,no places to eat decently,huge rats running around near beach and accomodation over hyped especially the Holy Moly Cottage,utter garbage

A few places.

Brussels

• Some nice architecture but was honestly one of the most boring cities I’ve ever visited. Luckily we only went for a weekend but for a capital city I expected a lot more than a few parks and a nice square.

Munich

• Enjoyed the beer culture there but everything else was fucking horrendous. A concrete jungle with some of the rudest people I’ve ever met. One woman spilled an entire coffee over my friends luggage, soaking her entire backpack and everything in it (and I mean everything) and she didn’t even say sorry; just continued to talk on the phone and walk off. A member of staff at the train station sold us bus tickets, didn’t say they were bus tickets (didn’t help us when we came back being like “ok where’s the train, have we got the wrong platform because it should be there?” which left us having to frantically google where the fuck the bus station was (he wouldn’t say) and literally run 3 miles up the road. By some miracle we made it but it was such an unnecessary situation).

Rome and Venice

• Was so disappointed with Italy.


• Venice was boring after about a day and a half, incredibly overpriced, it smelt weird and just looked dirty. Nothing to do, not much felt authentic either.


• Rome was much of the same in terms of dirtiness but it was saved by the fact there was a lot of sights to see rather than paying 80 euros for 15 minutes on a gondola and then walking up and down the streets and over bridges endlessly. I wouldn’t rush to go back.

I know these experiences make me sound like a bit of a brat but we were students when we went and we were well used to living in dives and getting by on fuck all money. We also visited Budapest, Krakow and Prague and loved it. Budapest is my all time favourite city and I’d go back in a heartbeat, even though the hostel we stayed in was essentially a derelict building with a few camp beds thrown in. Amazing people, felt safe, wasn’t particularly dirty in terms of rubbish etc, lots to do, great value for money for paid museums/attractions but also lots of amazing things to do for free. Great nightlife as well.

It’s a shame the more expensive cities of Europe have been a bit mediocre (Paris as well, similar issues to Rome but I did enjoy it a bit more thankfully), but I’m still positive for future travels. I’d like to explore more of Scandinavia next (I’ve done a road trip around Iceland in the middle of winter and it was incredible so I have high hopes for Norway, Sweden and Denmark!)

Loved Malta! DH was stationed there in the Navy 50 years ago, so has fond memories, and DGM was a nurse there during WWI - she adored it, and told me so many stories about it.. People were very friendly, we found.

Dubai. Soulless and over-priced.

Tuscany. Just like where I grew up (brown hills, trees and vineyards), only the residents were all a zillion times ruder.

Grandad was on The Bramham towing the Tanker Ohio in the Santa Maria convoy

I’d say Venice as it was just a complete rip off , as we stayed in a really nice hotel but the concierge , you know they work in the hotel and book you trips and restaurants and they come across like they are doing you a favour and getting you a great deal but really they are making money off you from sending you to a overpriced restaurant and then the next day when you complain the hotel says it is nothing to do with them.☹️

I'm generally an optimistic traveller and have rarely been disappointed. The worst experiences were a caravan holiday with my friend in St.Ives when we were 18 in 1967. We knew it was cool but it rained torrential the whole week so we were stuck in a tiny caravan with just books and food. The only other bad holiday, and I hate saying it because the accommodation was given to us,was a caravan holiday in Ingoldmells near Skegness.The Park was massive and we kept 'losing' our caravan. I was their with my 3 kids, their cousin and my son's best friend. We had no car and food had to be got from the expe sive site shop. My husband had died the previous year,there I was on my own with 4 teenagers and a 4 year old. Oh the optimism and energy of youth! Despite all that we managed to get out and about and the kids had fun. The place generally wasn't my cup of tea but I know a lot of people love it.

Love Paris but it is expensive now. Was there for my 21st in 1970, feel very lucky to have experienced it then.

Agree Venice is amazing! My daughter and I stayed in a room just out of the busy area and had a wonderful time,got a waterbus pass and saw all the islands. Just loved them.Explored all the districts,walked miles. Prices weren't bad. People complained about the lack of toilets but a coffee or snack as you are wandering the canals is a huge pleasure and you can use the cafe toilets.
In a way it's good to travel on a small budget then you are more imaginative with how you spend your days,I think

A small hotel in Kefalonia but not as bad as yours, OP. Questioned about where were we going, where had we been. Felt pressed into buying a ticket for the ‘social evening’ then we were phoned and asked why we weren’t downstairs by x o’clock.
i don’t like ‘small and friendly home-from-home hotels’. If I wanted home-from-home I’d stay at home 😀

I agree have always loved London.I knew as a kid in the 50s watching the news on TV ( bought for the coronation!) I wanted to go there. I studied there and lived there many years until house prices made us reluctantly leave. Even now at 73 I could never live more than hour or so away and pleased to say I have a partner I visit there as often as I can. There's just always something different to discover. It keeps me young. I'm so drawn to the river especially at night.
I missed it so much during the worst of Covid and I felt vulnerable making the tentative steps to return, but hooray, things are looking so much better now.

Ah no. I can sit by and watch Rome, Capri and NZ being scorned ( Thought all of them were great) but don't diss the Giants Causeway. As a DC growing up in NI in the 70s I loved the fairy tales associated with it and thought the place was magical. Maybe it's not as good now you can't walk over all the stones.

I wouldn't have been surprised if someone had said Belfast. I'm from there originally but was somewhat embarrassed when we as a family decided to take the town bus. All other cities have nice architectural sights to enjoy the Belfast Bus pointed out the city divides and had a jail as it's top attraction. The Titanic experience featured rope making and ship building rather heavily and was not what I was expecting.

Loved Venice

We went out of season so it was quiet but the weather was beautiful. Stayed in an amazing Airbnb in a great location. Didn’t find it expensive unless we knew what we were letting ourselves in for, like a coffee in St Marks Square, Bellini in Harry’s etc. All part of the experience imo.