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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for your worst holiday ever?

300 replies

5amisthenew7am · 01/06/2025 06:06

We’ve just got back from what I think was our worst holiday ever.

It rained heavily for 6 days out of 7
The kids fought all day, every day
I had to keep logging on for work because of a crisis situation
We went with my parents who made every excuse not to spend time with us and basically just took themselves off for lovely day trips without us. They didn’t lift a finger to help
Me and one DC both got D&V
The pool at the villa was absolutely freezing with giant bugs in it so nobody wanted to do any swimming
Our flights were delayed there and back

We actually went somewhere really beautiful and I’d been looking forward to it for months. The trip cost so much money and I honestly have never been so happy to get home.

I would love to hear others stories to make me feel better!

OP posts:
babystarsandmoon · 01/06/2025 08:44

There’s nothing wrong with them going off alone, it’s their holiday too.

Our worst one was when the people we went with left on day 2 because they didn’t like being on holiday.. Madness.

Sharptonguedwoman · 01/06/2025 08:46

DinoLil · 01/06/2025 07:28

@AposterhasnonameI'm sorry, but your post has left me howling with laughter! You definitely win the prize for worst holiday ever!

Agreed. I couldn't quite work out how to respond-sympathy or laughter!

Goditsmemargaret · 01/06/2025 08:47

Aposterhasnoname · 01/06/2025 07:17

I’ve posted this before.

Dom Rep in February. Plane going out was delayed for many hours because they couldn’t open the hold doors and get the previous passengers luggage out.

Arrived very late at night and went straight to bed. Got up the next morning and it was raining, heavily. All trips were cancelled due to the weather, and for some bizarre reason the entertainment team cancelled everything too. You’d think they’d arrange games or something in the bar, but nope, they just sat around playing loud rap music all day. Anyway, it was an all inclusive hotel so we went to the bar, along with everyone else. I don’t think the entertainment team spoke great English because one of the songs they were playing contained the lyrics “ if you’re scared mutha fucka, go to church” they obviously liked this one, because they played it frequently. This was a family hotel by the way, we were alone, but there were many families with kids around.

So the first day passed in a drunken haze, and we got up the next day, raring to start the holiday properly. Nope, still raining, back to the bar we went, and back to the mouth fucka song. Next day, raining, mutha fucka song. Next day, raining, mutha fucka song, next day, well, you get the idea. By now people, including the kids were singing along. The entertainment clearly though that this was a popular activity, so played the song even more frequently.

Day five of the holiday was my birthday, so we got up and went to the bar for the daily group sing along. At 5pm everything started swaying, so we thought we’d drunk enough and returned to our room, our ground floor, beach front room, and switched on the tv. The Haitian earthquake had just happened, and the Dom Rep was on a Tsunami warning. We went to reception to ask what we should do, blank looks all around, so we went to the bar and a few told other people and word got round. Don’t forget, everyone had been drinking solidly for six days, so reactions varied from don’t give a shit, to complete melt down panic. We, and a few others, decided to head for higher ground, so squelched out way to the top of the hill across the road, where we stood in the pouring rain dolefully singing muthafucka for about an hour, before realising nothing was going to happen, so we squelched back down and went to bed.

The next day, the rain stopped, but the majority of the staff were Haitian and had relatives there, so were understandably very worried. It didn’t feel right enjoying ourselves while the staff were so upset, so the last week was a very muted affair.

Finally it was time leave, and we boarded the plane. There was a baby screaming just a couple of rows in front of us. The pilot announced we’d have to wait for a doctor to check the baby was ok to fly, this took an hour and a half. Finally given the ok, we started taxiing to the runway, the baby was still screaming. Some bloke jumped up marched down the plane and shouted shut that brat up or I will, or words to that general effect, in the mothers face. The father naturally came to her defence and squared up to him. The plane ended up going back to the terminal for aggressive bloke to be removed.

Never been so glad to get home in my life.

This might be the most hilarious thing I've ever read here.

Mothership4two · 01/06/2025 08:57

Springtime in Amsterdam. It was during a cold snap - we were freezing. And everyone was either bored looking, surly or downright rude. We didn't see a smile or hear a laugh the whole week we were there.

Plus a holiday also in rural France with another couple. The wife obviously did not want to be there and was crotchety and cantankerous all the time. She didn't like the food, the (beautiful) beaches or the cullture. We'd chat about what we were going to do that day and at the conclusion she would then pipe up disagreeing and we would have to start again. Anytime the three of us had an opinion about anything she would automatically have the opposite opinion - unimportant opinions like 'oh that town was nice'. It was very wearing. DH and I went on a lot of long walks together and he was the first to crack on day 3 (I thought it would be me) - saying she was driving him up the wall (yup). Day 4 they had a row in a busy street of a lovely little town which was soo embarrassing - he was telliing her loudly that she was being a pain and didn't want to do ANYTHING. We could only silently agree. She seemed to just want to stay at the accommodation all the time and, while we had lovely scenery, there wasn't a lot to do there. She didn't want to go off with him on their own - we suggested that. For several years after that they would ask if we'd go over with them again - obviously that was a no. They went back to the same place with another couple and they told us that after this couple were always booked up and must be really "dippy" because they often weren't actually booked up but had got the date muddled up - we had a knowing smile when she told us this.

Brienneoftarthismyhero · 01/06/2025 09:00

5amisthenew7am · 01/06/2025 08:28

PMSL at “pass the stick in the pool”!

We had a pool room too…. Was entertaining to watch 🤣 If I didn’t keep my buzz going I would have just cried. It was the first time I let dh and dd mainly pack themselves!! I wanted to be less controlling- that back fired massively!! I had all my essentials in my hand luggage they did not! I did a lot of hand washing in the sink that holiday

Bikergran · 01/06/2025 09:02

With XH and his parents in Scotland. I had a 7 EBF month old baby who wore cloth nappies (disposables then were expensive and not good). Was sold this holiday as being in a delightful holiday house with all mod cons. Turned out to be an ancient farm cottage miles from civilisation with no washing machine, kitchen and bathroom very basic 1920s vintage. No TV, no radio. So self-catering, me and MIL doing all the cooking. Washing nappies out by hand, (no rubber gloves, even!) worried lack of proper washing facilities would lead to nappy rash. Entertainment was country walks. PIL slopping round in scruffy old gardening clothes enthusing about how relaxing it all was. As a young mum who at home spent most of her time in old clothes and self-catering (in a house with a nice modern kitchen, bathroom and washing machine) it was horrible, and no holiday. On the one occasion we went out for a meal, FIL was furious because DD was fretful. I don't know if he expected me to conjure a nanny out of thin air. NEVER went on holiday with them again, and whenever possible NOT self-catering. Oh, and since it was Scotland.......MIDGES!!!!!

lincoln75 · 01/06/2025 09:13

The Gambia, the resort was awful. It was basically a giant brothel where single mainly British older men and women grabbed a Gambian local for the week. The room next door was occupied a lady who was about 65 who had a young Gambian man in there shagging all week.
The flight home was cancelled due to engine issues, we were put up in another hotel while they were supposed to send another plane. We were taken to the airport and checked in again the next day and thought all was ok. It wasn't until we were about to board the plane we were told the plane was the same one and that we had to make several stops on the way home to refuel!
At this point all us passengers were looking at eachother in horror and were discussing if we should even be getting on the plane if the issue isn't fully resolved. We were basically informed that if we didn't we were stranded.
We had to make two extra stops for fuel on the way home and then there was a medical emergency on the final journey resulting in another stop.
It was a bloody nightmare.

MisunderstoodMe · 01/06/2025 09:13

Malta at Christmas one year , it was mums choice. Daughter got a tooth infection and face swelled on the flight out. Was fine until we got up in air so just thought she was complaining because of the air pressure. Had to pay to see a dentist and she was understandably a beast the whole holiday! It was freezing, the heated pool was ice cold. The daytime entertainment non existent and the evenings would suit a nursing home. Really not much to do in winter in Malta so my other 2 kids spent the whole time bored and fighting. Then second to last day I came down with flu. It was a bank holiday and can only get any kind of medicine in a pharmacy which were all closed. Luckily on the flight home they let me board and the air hostess gave me paracetamol or i don't think i would have made it home.

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 01/06/2025 09:18

VaddaABeetch · 01/06/2025 07:05

Long arranged holiday of a lifetime with a friend. She took her new boyfriend. First I knew of it was when he came to wave her off at the airport (according to friend) but got on the plane! they spent their time shagging, would want to meet in the evening then spend their time eating the face off each other. I did my own thing but I was furious at spending all that money to be a third wheel.

Edited

😱 is she still a friend?

Brienneoftarthismyhero · 01/06/2025 09:20

And I also now have an AirTag

ballroompink · 01/06/2025 09:20

This isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things but my first proper holiday with DH. We were young and skint and a relative offered us a stay in their apartment on the Costa del Sol. It was an area that was just all geared towards retirees. Golf courses and cafés selling English breakfasts. It was early in the season and there was just no-one around and nothing to do. We had one day out to a place of historical interest an hour and a half's drive away which was the highlight of the trip. Chucked it down with rain all day on a couple of the days so just sat in the apartment watching TV. DH was stressy about spending so we didn't really do anything that cost money as we had so little. We had a few arguments. I think we learned a lot about what sort of holidays we do and don't like 😂

4seasons · 01/06/2025 09:41

Nearly 20 years ago planned “ holiday of a lifetime “ with DH touring Aus/ NZ. His parents were in their early 80s… MIL not exactly fit / active. After a lot of wine at dinner one night DH invited them to come with us. 5 weeks touring in a people carrier. No discussion with me. When I told him I wasn’t happy I was told I needed to tell them
i didn’t want them there. … so they came.
Started well.. DH took us to the wrong airport terminal. It went downhill. Everything we did had to be organised around what MIL wanted or was capable of doing. She rarely left our hotel accomodation unless pushed . I liked my MIL but it was obvious she had been pushed into coming.
My DH spent 5 weeks putting his parents first … I suppose he was worried about them and realised he’d messed up!! On our anniversary our 22 yr old daughter suggested he book somewhere nice for just the two of us ( his parents wanted to have every meal
with us !) His dad wanted to go to a particular restaurant… so that’s where we all ended up.
I was counting the days until we could go home. I was also counting how much money the holiday had cost us.
He did sort of apologise eventually… after I went to a jewellery shop in Hong Kong and bought myself a ruby ring and matching earrings !! FIL told MIL that DH had bought them for me !! He never could get his head around the fact that I had a job and money of my own. A generation thing I suppose.
We never went on holiday with them again until MIL died and DH started to organise holidays with FIL in mind . This was very short lived because I spoke up … but that’s another story !!

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · 01/06/2025 09:42

Nothing whatsoever like most of these and probably more of a making the best of a bad thing, but went on hol, as usual, with bil, sil and niece, me dh and Dd, who was doing her GCSEs (only three left so risked it). Majorca, may. Got to hotel late at night, had booked two rooms, bil’s room fine, ours, no extra bed for Dd.(was a lovely room though) found us another, but only for the night, moved us next day into a crappy room with three single beds.(too short for dh). The hotel, though nice, was geared for older Spanish people, we were only brits staying. And no kids. The girls eyes lit up when a load of gorgeous, tall young Dutch guys showed up at breakfast. Only to find they were cyclists training and the coach had them in bed early every night.they also hoovered up all the eggs at breakfast and the sprouts. Yes, sprouts for breakfast. If it wasn’t eaten at dinner it appeared at lunch. Pool was freezing.Dn was going through her vile teen phase and had stand up rows with her parents. Bil at one point walked out with the passports and money and was going to get a flight home. Then DH went on a mountain walk while we stayed in Porta Pollensa, only girls got bored so we stupidly went back, but the text I sent dh didn’t send and he didn’t know where we were and his phone went flat. He was livid.(still salty 15 years later). Entertainment was low key, but we decided to make the best of it. So elderly Spaniards bemused by our karaoke and dancing. Oh and Dd had the period from hell. And when she got back she got bollocked for missing a study session.

SharksSwimThroughMyVeinsNow · 01/06/2025 09:45

Two horrendous holidays to Florida. Both were supposed to be holidays of a lifetime. Me and DS9 and my partner and his DS8. DSS was a brat the first holiday. So moody and entitled. He totally spoilt it. The following year DP mum invited us to Florida with her DP and their DS8. Same again. This time DP mum believed what I’d been saying about DSS behaviour and they had ‘days to themselves’ as they hadn’t spent all that money for a spoiled holiday.
DSS is 17 now and not much has changed. We did camping holidays after that. This year is the first abroad holiday DP and I are going on… without kids. My DS18 is off on a lads holiday abroad.

dishwashercutlerybasket · 01/06/2025 09:47

With an ex boyfriend many, many years ago- we were both in our early 20's btw. Went to Paris. Should have known it wasn't going to be much fun when he insisted on taking one of those 'tip up on one corner' type suitcases, the wheels fell off and he cried.

He cried on the train to London because he was missing his parents

He cried on the Eurostar because he thought the tunnel would collapse in, drown us all and he wouldn't see his parents again.

He cried at breakfast in the hotel because they didn't serve bacon and eggs and he HAD to have this for breakfast every morning because that's what Mummy served.

We spent the week eating in Macdonalds because he decided he had a dislike bordering on obsession about onions and garlic. News to me. He wouldn't even contemplate trying anything else incase it was 'contaminated'

Went to DLP and he spent the entire day walking around loudly proclaiming that it was an enormous rip off and that people who went there were <derogatory phrase>

And lots more crying. Lots.

NotSoSlimShadee · 01/06/2025 09:56

Turkey. Disgusting “men” leering at me, following me around and locking me in a cafe to play me “romantic music” when I made the mistake of going out for a morning coffee by myself.

To top it off, I got food poisoning from the hotel.

Never again.

Tenducks · 01/06/2025 10:02

Love this thread. It’s confirming my thoughts that too many holidays are not worth the hassle.
If anyone is thinking it would be a fab idea to get together with a bunch of mums and take a huge number of children away to a massive Manor House in Wales by the beach for a week. Please don’t.
We were 5 mums and 19 children. Babies to 8 years. We had all thought it would be a breeze with mass catering and the children all playing together. In reality it was screaming, relentless chaos and nobody got a break. Going out was a challenge just trying to get everyone ready at the same time. The group was too big to go indoors anywhere together so endless negotiations about who was going where to eat. Someone needed a wee or fell over every ten yards. The stairs were slippery and steep. The house was huge so someone was always missing/lost. We actually lost a 4 yr old boy in a park with a river for nearly an hour as it wasn’t clear which group he was in. Terrifying.

socks1107 · 01/06/2025 10:05

16 years ago, fueterventurer came home and moved out. Absolutely awful holiday and the divorce went through the following year.

InvisibleDragon · 01/06/2025 10:24

Not as awful as some of these, but in my early 20s I was in a crappy relationship with an emotionally abusive man who was about 10 years older than me.

One of his friends, who was older than him, invited us to go to his house in the south of France for a milestone birthday party.

The house was in the middle of being renovated (expensive vanity project) so there was rubble and rubbish everywhere. The host's wife was a complete alcoholic (falling down drunk, totally incoherent every night, but also slurring, slowed, vague and staggering all day) and everyone there acted as if this was totally normal, nothing to see whatsoever.

Lots of the guests were rich older men with younger trophy wives/girlfriends (as were my horrible boyfriend and myself I guess) and the whole atmosphere just felt seedy, tense and incredibly awkward.

Absolutely grim experience.

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 01/06/2025 10:26

Aposterhasnoname · 01/06/2025 07:17

I’ve posted this before.

Dom Rep in February. Plane going out was delayed for many hours because they couldn’t open the hold doors and get the previous passengers luggage out.

Arrived very late at night and went straight to bed. Got up the next morning and it was raining, heavily. All trips were cancelled due to the weather, and for some bizarre reason the entertainment team cancelled everything too. You’d think they’d arrange games or something in the bar, but nope, they just sat around playing loud rap music all day. Anyway, it was an all inclusive hotel so we went to the bar, along with everyone else. I don’t think the entertainment team spoke great English because one of the songs they were playing contained the lyrics “ if you’re scared mutha fucka, go to church” they obviously liked this one, because they played it frequently. This was a family hotel by the way, we were alone, but there were many families with kids around.

So the first day passed in a drunken haze, and we got up the next day, raring to start the holiday properly. Nope, still raining, back to the bar we went, and back to the mouth fucka song. Next day, raining, mutha fucka song. Next day, raining, mutha fucka song, next day, well, you get the idea. By now people, including the kids were singing along. The entertainment clearly though that this was a popular activity, so played the song even more frequently.

Day five of the holiday was my birthday, so we got up and went to the bar for the daily group sing along. At 5pm everything started swaying, so we thought we’d drunk enough and returned to our room, our ground floor, beach front room, and switched on the tv. The Haitian earthquake had just happened, and the Dom Rep was on a Tsunami warning. We went to reception to ask what we should do, blank looks all around, so we went to the bar and a few told other people and word got round. Don’t forget, everyone had been drinking solidly for six days, so reactions varied from don’t give a shit, to complete melt down panic. We, and a few others, decided to head for higher ground, so squelched out way to the top of the hill across the road, where we stood in the pouring rain dolefully singing muthafucka for about an hour, before realising nothing was going to happen, so we squelched back down and went to bed.

The next day, the rain stopped, but the majority of the staff were Haitian and had relatives there, so were understandably very worried. It didn’t feel right enjoying ourselves while the staff were so upset, so the last week was a very muted affair.

Finally it was time leave, and we boarded the plane. There was a baby screaming just a couple of rows in front of us. The pilot announced we’d have to wait for a doctor to check the baby was ok to fly, this took an hour and a half. Finally given the ok, we started taxiing to the runway, the baby was still screaming. Some bloke jumped up marched down the plane and shouted shut that brat up or I will, or words to that general effect, in the mothers face. The father naturally came to her defence and squared up to him. The plane ended up going back to the terminal for aggressive bloke to be removed.

Never been so glad to get home in my life.

😂😂
I remember this post from the last time. So well written, especially the bit that you were all singing it going back to your rooms 😂

Groovee · 01/06/2025 10:29

My 25th Wedding Anniversary holiday. I had a big fall 3 weeks before the holiday. My back went into spasm on the Monday. We got it under control. Then the planes landed harshly and triggered it off again. Never been so pleased to get home.

babbi · 01/06/2025 10:33

@Aposterhasnoname
sorry your holiday was crap but you are absolutely hilarious 😆
I am crying laughing at this …
I wish you were my friend IRL … you would never fail to make me laugh with that sense of humour ..
I wish you the best in all your future holidays 😄

Tarantella6 · 01/06/2025 10:34

Camping on IOW. Two weeks is far far far too long to camp in the UK. It was so windy the tent ripped, the site didn't have decent drainage so half the pitches were like mud slides and every single day felt like a really cheap holiday despite costing £££. One of the "best" beaches was covered in dead rotting seagulls, that was quite a highlight.

Holly485 · 01/06/2025 10:40

Booked a holiday to Egypt, all inclusive with tours through BA, didn't mind paying high prices as thought it would all be really well organised as done through them. It was clear as soon as we got off the plane that they'd sold us off to a bunch of locals with no one actually from BA to be found. Our transfer was in a a battered car with three local young men and no seat belts, using a mobile phone to get us to the hotel.

We had no idea where we were supposed to meet our guide, who they were or what was happening with our tours. He eventually turned up and took us in every shop he could for the hard sell. We only ate at the hotel and at places we were taken to on the tours but ended up in bed for a week after we got back with horrendous food poisoning. It was just awful from start to finish.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 01/06/2025 10:59

A Med. cruise with the watery version of a package tour company - different name.
Would never have booked if we'd known.
The food was awful, we sent back 4 dinners on a 7 night cruise.
The only entertainment seemed to be bingo, disco, & watching the drunks fight & fall over.
The cabin was quite nice, until the disco went on until after 01.00 - it was supposed to stop at 11.30. After complaining several times, we were actually given some cash - but it still didn't stop the noise or solve our sleep problem.

The tours were very badly organised, hanging around for hours in the midday sun with no shade, etc. , coach driver arriving late for the return & the tour "manager" trying to make us run to the ship. We all strolled, the multi-million company can pay the extra port charges.

Final straw was the homeward flight. We were kept hanging around outside the airport (no shade again).

On board - it was their own 'plane - I bought a sarnie, water & a tiny bottle of wine. It stayed in me for about 10 minutes. The cabin crew were very good.
I complained to the company when I got home, & was told it could have been anything I'd eaten. I'd had breakfast on their ship, & lunch on their plane. They said I couldn't prove it, then changed tack & said it was because of the drink. I replied that their wine must have been contaminated.

If this had been my first cruise, I'd never have had another.