Where is the most overrated holiday destination you’ve been?

[phoanymoany]

Where have you been on holiday and thought “wow, that was a waste of my time and money”.

Mine was travelling to a fairly remote tropical island where people were supposed to be so friendly. Unfortunately we found the people we interacted with in the hotels and restaurants to be anything but nice. It piddled down with rain and then we almost got scammed.

@Flamesatmytoes I've just booked there for our family trip this summer - was it as lovely as it looks? But worried about all the Bali hate now but the teens ate the ones that picked it so I’ll blame them if it’s rubbish!!

Lara beach

Malta

I would never go back to either of these places.

Spain in general , such rude people, much prefer Turkey

I love Paris - it is dirty, can be a bit scary and the people can be rude (/letchy on the tube) but I’ve always had a great time there.

Berlin isn’t a sad city, it’s really young and fun. But I do have an overwhelming sense of the history when I am there.

I agree with Cornwall. Although it’s not really overrated because it is great it can just be really over-crowded which is unenjoyable at times. Prefer Wales (hard disagree there!)

Definitely agree about NYC. Was expecting something incredible. So disappointed. It was basically London but with less interesting history and way more smog and pollution. I remember opening the hotel window and the fumes almost choked us.

I did like the people though. They were lovely

Bruges, but probably because I love in an old beautiful city with a river already.

Malta was more built up than I expected and with less gorgeous coast line than I was hoping. Think Crete spoilt me

Actually loved Paris, but didn't go in summer.

Hahahaha saaaaame

Egypt.

beaches felt unsafe
leaving the hotel felt unsafe
has a staff worker spy on me through the toilet door and had to sit in the managers office and point him out of a line up where they then sacked him on the spot. So awful.
had to report a family who left their three year old alone at the pool while they fucked off to the beach.
airport was shocking with how poor the security was.

generally just kept expecting to die in various locations the whole time.

Loved NYC. It was hot and sunny with perfect blue sky. We stayed downtown near the water at Battery Park so was quieter and cleaner after the business of uptown. Just loved the feel, the service, the views. VV expensive but would defo go back.

Loved this, best memory when my kids were younger. Horses for courses 🤗

Rome- a street away from a tourist area I found it dirty, squalid, and like Greece- building rubble, male-centric and scrappy. Hated it.

Florence is beautiful but is now riddled with Roma beggars doing horrible things like holding up poor half-starved kittens and puppies they have to attract attention. I dread to think how they get rid of them when they are no longer tiny.

I live Paris but it too is now riddled with Roma beggars who get close enough to touch you and will not take no for an answer. One sent her teenage boy to grab DH's wallet- he didn't get it but I was horrified by how rough and determined he was.

I prefer rural south-west France, Ireland, North and Western Scotland, Canada, Scandinavia, Norfolk, Northumberland and Wales

I disagree with Cornwall obviously as I live there but it can be very busy. I don't think we are rude and unwelcoming though. It does get crowded in some places in the summer. Avoid St Ives at all costs in high season.

DD23 loved Bali but got terribly ill with ‘Bali Belly’ as did everyone she travelled with. They were in hostels though.

I've never liked New York. Rude people, boring architecture and unbelievably expensive. If you expect me to give you $12 for an orange juice you could at least say please!

Isle of Dogs. I was expecting a canine paradise but it was not that at all and very disappointing.

NYC. Dirty, dark (most of it in shadows), ugly, felt cold and uninspiring. Was expecting so much more. Nice locals though.
Paris. As everyone’s already said plus Rude locals.
Tunisia. Lechy, pestered all the time. Although this isn’t really highly rated enough to be overrated.
Cyprus. Bad food no charm. Tacky.

Yep, just came back from Bali, we were a party of 10 (all couples aged over 50 so not a mad party gang) 8 of us came home sick. I’m still getting over my chest infection, 6 had sickness/diarrhoea, one had Covid. Never again

Costa del Sol - hideously overdeveloped, nothing left of the local culture.

Istanbul - was groped and assaulted constantly when I was out on my own.

Never been really disappointed by a holiday, but I love travel and generally would have a good sense of where I'm going and what to expect. I understand the disappointment with Dublin. Not interesting at all, overpriced, shit weather and very rough around the edges. It's a nicer place to live than visit in that it's small, friendly and near both sea and mountains. If anyone's thinking of an Irish holiday, I recommend Kerry, Connemara or Mayo. The west is stunning.

I find this thread bizarre..... do people just want to go to bland places that remind them of home?
Rome is my favourite place in the whole world, and I"ve been 8 or 9 times and can't wait to go back.
I also loved Paris, Munich and pretty much all of SW Germany, Prague, Copenhagen, Venice, Athens, Edinburgh..... I like me a European city.
Barbados is pretty cool too, and New York and Marrakesh. Just open your eyes, people.....

A few years ago terrorists were able to buy off a member of airport security so he’d just put their bag on the plane with no checks. It then exploded in mid air and all Russian tourists on board plus crew died. I don’t want to go to a country where that can happen.

Edinburgh. It was so grey.

Sorry @Cornishclio but I definitely found Cornwall felt a bit hostile to visitors. We felt pretty unwelcome in a lot of pubs, restaurants etc. We haven’t been back because of that, but I am aware I am probably in the minority as friends rave about it.

Cape verde, windy, rude staff in 2 different hotels, flies everywhere

Several repeat places mentioned, now all we have to do is guess what places have NOT appeared in the thread, and head there instead. Canada is one place I'm thinking hasn't been mentioned. But I haven't given much thought to other possible "good" places.

Just on Dublin, I wonder what people expect from a capital city nowadays since most of them (perhaps with the exception of Berlin) are not in favour at all!

I have to say that Dublin can be great if (like many cities) you know where to go. Avoid the area North of the Liffey, stick to the Southside which is very leafy and Georgian, great restaurants, bars and none of the "theme park" stuff that people have mentioned. Well if you go to places like Temple Bar you'll get that, but native Dubliners wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near there. I know the city well and the ease of access to the mountains and the sea is unbeatable for a capital city. You just have to get out of Leprechaun Lane and find out!