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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Only people causing trouble on European holidays are Brits!

233 replies

TeenyQueen · 01/10/2022 21:01

I'll preface this by saying that not all British holidaymakers are causing trouble, far from it. However, my experience is that it is always British people who do cause trouble when abroad by getting too drunk and becoming aggressive etc.

We're currently on a European holiday in a nice 4* apartment complex. We've had a lovely time so far, even managed to get DH off his phone for a change after a serious chat.

HOWEVER, three nights ago a British family arrived and they're staying at the opposite end of the corridor, parents and two pre-teen boys. First the whole family was making an absolute racket every time they got back to their apartment past 8pm, and they were especially loud at 11pm when they seemed to call it a night. They were so loud that I popped my head out and asked them to be quiet. The following night the boys decided to start knocking on our apartment door loudly at 11pm, waking up our baby in the process. I went over to knock on their door to speak to the parents, expecting them to apologise. Far from it! Dad (who was massive) opens the door, swears and shouts in my face and slams the door shut. I obviously contacted reception immediately and I believe they dealt with it because so far tonight it's been quieter. I did see the boys running around the bar and the dad drinking at 3pm this afternoon. The receptionist actually told me that the parents had both been really drunk last night.

Everyone else has been lovely, there are mainly families and older couples here and lots of different nationalities. No trouble with anyone else, so why is it just British people?

Now I'm actually scared of going into the corridor with my children in case I see them. 😧

OP posts:
Justanotherlurker · 01/10/2022 22:29

TinyLittleBug · 01/10/2022 22:24

It is generally the Brits who have too much to drink and behave in an obnoxious manner, in my experience.

Your experience isn't that much then, but if your judgement is on all inclusive (drinks incliuded) it will cloud your judgement...

IhateHermioneGranger · 01/10/2022 22:31

TeenyQueen · 01/10/2022 22:17

The country we're in is supposedly more of a 'middle class' destination according to Mumsnet, so not the most popular destination for British package holidays. We thought that for the price we paid poorly behaved drunk Brits would be priced out.

Everyone else has been fab, lots of lovely Scottish people here.

Oh just an English problem then. 🙄

Qwerkie · 01/10/2022 22:32

Pay more and get a private villa next time then

Dollydea · 01/10/2022 22:35

Bairnsmum05 · 01/10/2022 22:26

British? Do you mean English?

No.

I lived in Cyprus for 6 years, Scottish & NI were by far the worst out of the Brits imo.

Russians caused the most trouble in general though, followed by Lithuanians.

If you go to a mostly British hotel, in a mostly British resort then of course you're more likely to have issues with British people.

Ponoka7 · 01/10/2022 22:37

I've never had a positive experience of Russians and Germans. The Russians on three occasions stole whatever they could from other guests. I've always had it said that they like the British because we smile and know how to behave at AI whereas other nationalities are miserable and leave plates pulled high with food. Men from some cultures are pervy and sexually inappropriate, even to children, I'm not going to say which because the denial of anyone outside the UK being badly behaved sends posters into a frenzy on here. French/Spanish children aren't any better behaved.

itispersonal · 01/10/2022 22:41

I don't get your issue! They were noisy to you but it was before 11pm. They were saying good night at 11 and you went out and told them to do quiet.

Not drinking at 3pm on holiday god forbid!

All nationalities are similar, from my experience it is the German, Dutch etc who drink in their apartment and stay out late on the balconies talking, singing etc which I personally find annoying! But I don't go out and tell them to be quiet!

Calandor · 01/10/2022 22:43

Not sure why people always act like it's only the English who can be loud drunkards when on holiday. The Scots and the Irish are often featured in the news as being badly behaved abroad. And they certainly drink as much as the English.

People just always assume British means they're English. Even when they're not!

TinyLittleBug · 01/10/2022 22:46

Not really our kind of holiday, for this very reason.

Dollydea · 01/10/2022 22:47

Calandor · 01/10/2022 22:43

Not sure why people always act like it's only the English who can be loud drunkards when on holiday. The Scots and the Irish are often featured in the news as being badly behaved abroad. And they certainly drink as much as the English.

People just always assume British means they're English. Even when they're not!

I think it's because of English football fans, but at the same time England is the only British team who travel to major tournaments regularly.

I'll never forget the state Rangers fans left Manchester in 2008.

It's definitely not just English people who behave badly abroad.
The people who say this have never traveled to a resort that isn't majority British.

TinyLittleBug · 01/10/2022 22:48

(My comment was in response to being told my “experience” was all-inclusive holiday related)

IhateHermioneGranger · 01/10/2022 22:48

Calandor · 01/10/2022 22:43

Not sure why people always act like it's only the English who can be loud drunkards when on holiday. The Scots and the Irish are often featured in the news as being badly behaved abroad. And they certainly drink as much as the English.

People just always assume British means they're English. Even when they're not!

Just more anti English bile as usual isn't it.

bloodyunicorns · 01/10/2022 22:49

YellowTreeHouse · 01/10/2022 21:04

So you stuck your head out the door, shouted at them and then expected reasonable behaviour?

Try asking politely in future and you won’t become a target.

No, op said: 'I popped my head out and aske

Whynobreadpudding · 01/10/2022 22:50

In my experience Brits have an attitude of self importance wherever they are.The only ones who are uptight. Other nationalities are more laid back.

bloodyunicorns · 01/10/2022 22:50

Op said : I popped my head out and asked them to be quiet.

He didn't shout at them or be rude...

Pugsbladder · 01/10/2022 22:56

hattie43 · 01/10/2022 21:43

British scum are often the main troublemakers because they can't hold their drink . These type of people are an embarrassment.

Put any other nationality before the word scum and you know what you'd be called.

PuppyMonkey · 01/10/2022 22:57

And anyway the kids should be at school… Wink

TeenyQueen · 01/10/2022 23:01

FYI it's not an AI holiday, we upgraded to full board to make things easier with the children but I think a lot of other guests are actually self catering or B&B.

We thought about renting a villa but the complex has a children's pool and playground, plus no cooking or cleaning so it's more of a holiday without domestic duties.

We're actually very well travelled. We used to have 2-3 holidays per year pre-kids and pre-covid. We've never done all inclusive and like to eat our locally.

OP posts:
TeenyQueen · 01/10/2022 23:02

@PuppyMonkey my kids or the pre-teens? My kids are 6 months and 3 years...

OP posts:
JingsMahBucket · 01/10/2022 23:07

Discovereads · 01/10/2022 21:57

How do you know they were British? A bit of racial profiling?

@Discovereads this isn't racial profiling. Get a grip.

Keyansier · 01/10/2022 23:07

What country are you from @TeenyQueen ?

Allthestarsabovemyhead · 01/10/2022 23:08

I agree with you OP

Dollydea · 01/10/2022 23:11

TeenyQueen · 01/10/2022 23:01

FYI it's not an AI holiday, we upgraded to full board to make things easier with the children but I think a lot of other guests are actually self catering or B&B.

We thought about renting a villa but the complex has a children's pool and playground, plus no cooking or cleaning so it's more of a holiday without domestic duties.

We're actually very well travelled. We used to have 2-3 holidays per year pre-kids and pre-covid. We've never done all inclusive and like to eat our locally.

That doesn't explain where you are or what resort you're staying at.
Location means more than the board basis.

Stay in a hotel that's mostly Eastern European then you'll have more issues with Eastern European guests, stay somewhere that's mostly British then you'll have more issues with British guests.

It's simple really isn't it?

We stayed at a European resort last month that was mostly Turkish & Russian, the buffet was a free for all, the entertainment was dire, the food was awful and we saw numerous incidents of aggressive behaviour.

Do I label them all as a nationality as troublemakers?

Justanotherlurker · 01/10/2022 23:13

TeenyQueen · 01/10/2022 23:01

FYI it's not an AI holiday, we upgraded to full board to make things easier with the children but I think a lot of other guests are actually self catering or B&B.

We thought about renting a villa but the complex has a children's pool and playground, plus no cooking or cleaning so it's more of a holiday without domestic duties.

We're actually very well travelled. We used to have 2-3 holidays per year pre-kids and pre-covid. We've never done all inclusive and like to eat our locally.

We're actually very well travelled.

You're really not, your op is slanted into waning a certain response and you are showing a lack of nuance,

You're not as travelled as you think you are if you think that Brits are as much of a problem as your leading question tried to insinuate

FredaFox · 01/10/2022 23:18

I was a holiday rep, I used to be frequently ashamed of the bad behaviour by Brits.
Obviously it's a minority but these a reason the Brits abroad get a bad reputation. The Europeans are so much more respectful (again there are bad eggs here too)

ReeDeeHee · 01/10/2022 23:22

Brits abroad, especially in popular touristy places can be awful. (majority fine, of course!)