Places that were a let down

[DarcyDear]

Have you ever been anywhere on holiday and felt it wasn’t what you thought it would be? My friend is just back from New York and absolutely hated it. I’ve never been let down by a holiday but I remember being really taken aback at the levels of poverty and homelessness when I visited Los Angeles in my youth.

Paris, albeit was 20 years ago so I’m sure it’s changed a lot.

center parcs. hated it. i cried in arrival and couldn't wait to leave. it all felt so fake!
i know most people love it and can y swear and some of their reasons but for menot
was awful!

San Francisco, did not feel safe, constant approaches for money, men on bikes wearing masks just watching tourists, scared as hell.

When exactly were you in Venice? I've been 15+ times with first visit WAY back in the early 90s & most recent visit this year. I LITERALLY do not recognise your description!

I've never once seen anything in Venice priced in dollars or rouples- what on earth are you on about???

Camden, rough as, stepped off train and guy right up in my husbands face like inches away aggressively, exact same thing happened to my friends months before, thought it was all Kate Moss and markets was wrong but my friend stays there so know it has different areas and tourist areas can bring more begging, drugs etc.
Sri Lanka too many stray dogs as they don't believe in neutering them and the tuktuk drivers didn't care if they hit them so awful to see so many limping or pregnant dogs wouldn't go back to there.

@BunnyLake I’m currently in Barcelona with my DH celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary. I absolutely love it here, been visiting since 2006 - this is my 11th visit and my DH’s 5th. It’s where we came for our first trip away together almost 15 years ago when we were newly a couple, so it’s a special place for us.

For me, it’s the perfect blend of city break (with culture, sights to see etc) and a beach holiday - I love sitting in a chiringuito on Barceloneta beach, beer in hand and people watching.

The people here are generally really warm and friendly (especially if you are willing and able to attempt some Spanish) and the food is fantastic. Yes, there are some total tourist traps to be avoided, but that’s the same as any big city. If you get off the beaten track a little, there are some absolute gems of bars and restaurants to enjoy.

In terms of places I thought was overrated:

Cancun - visited 20 years ago with my best friend at the time, both single and in our early 20s. We had hoped there would be some hunky American fellas to flirt with but we’d gone there during their spring break. Almost every single American we met (male and female) was rude, loud and seemingly incapable of handling their ale. The place itself was nothing to write home about either - too many fast food / chain restaurants, sea was too rough to swim in for the whole 2 weeks we were there and beach dirty and the famous nightclub Coco Bongos was shit - overpriced, overcrowded and overhyped.

Maldives - visited for a week in 2007 with my then boyfriend. Whilst the sand and sea was truly beautiful, after about 4 days we had had enough of snorkelling, sunbathing, swimming etc and were very ready to come home. It didn’t help that we were staying in an over-water bungalow and every night when I was trying to blow dry my hair before dinner the electrics would trip! I didn’t get one nice photo of me from that holiday.

Same, there’s very few places i have returned to even though i’ve enjoyed them. Much prefer visiting new places. We do go to the Lake district regularly because it’s our happy place, we love walking there and an it’s easy drive. U.k. faves are easier to revisit anyway.

You’ll know what it is when you smell it. It’s absolutely disgusting.

I’ve lead a sheltered life too. I’ve never used drugs and I don’t have friends who use them and I won’t willingly spend time around anyone while they’re using them but I instantly knew what it was the first time that someone in the street was smoking it. It was obvious.

Sorry Hastings Street and yes, totally an eye opener - desperately sad and almost surreal - I’ve never seen such abject misery.

My favourite destination is the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The air is so clean and fresh. Fabulous accommodation and food albeit quite pricey. Amazing scenery and beaches. Obviously the weather's hit and miss.

The point is the reasons that so many posters give for not liking a place are just ridiculous. There was nothing to do, the weather was shit, there were too many tourists..... So, as I have already said, travel is wasted on people who can't be bothered to do a bit of research, and who expect the place they are visiting to entertain them.

Couldn’t agree more. We are here right now in a lovely lochside cottage in Wester Ross. It’s a long drive but we do it over three days sharing the driving. It’s a place like no other. I always come back feeling my spirit has been replenished.

Totally agree too. The best holidays I have has have been in scotland.

I did! With my child. Even the hotel staff laughed at me. It was recommended on here and it was great for a weekend. It’s all
about expectation. Easy trip to Bletchley Park. Interesting walk around the city itself. Lots of computer museums and a place where you can book a session to play on hundreds of retro gaming machines. Good for a teen. Especially one interested in geography. There’s a ski place too though we didn’t go there and a venue lots of music groups perform.

This would have been the 90s and it was everywhere. Really horrible experience. It’s stuck with me ever since. Are you questioning me and my experience?

I think those of you who like Scotland would also really enjoy Sweden and Denmark - a lot of similarities scenically -

I am very puzzled by your descriptions of Venice. Even in the 90s!
I first visited there in 94 & again in 98 & my experiences were nothing like you described. I have been there annually since 2012 & some years more than once.
The remarkable thing about Venice is how little it changes by comparison to other cities.

Amazing, and so glad the weather is glorious ATM.

Jamaica was very beautiful but outside the hotel grounds we found the people rather hostile and intimidating.
Barcelona and Amsterdam are amazing, beautiful cities full of culture, but my husband was robbed in Barcelona and I had my purse pick-pocketed on a crowded tram in Amsterdam, so both trips were tarnished.

It was the 90s and I remember being struck by how dreadfully money grubbing it all
felt. Just a horrible experience and I vowed never to go back. The bobbing floating condoms are the perfect visual representation of that trip.

center parcs. hated it. i cried in arrival and couldn't wait to leave. it all felt so fake! i know most people love it and can y swear and some of their reasons but for meno twas awful!

You cried upon arriving at CPs?! Are you in am dram by any chance? 🤣

Are you disrespecting me? Are you disrespecting my family?

To be fair, I think I would cry if had to go to center parcs. It looks like hell on earth to me and the reviews of hygiene and cleanliness of the cabins paint a pretty grim picture.

The good ole British moaning mindset is alive and kicking I see. No matter where you go, there is always something positive to find about it. Move around, find a local area, take the bus somewhere. Importantly do your research.

For example, everyone knows that the Pyramids are dodgy to visit with all the scammy camels and such. Cairo is a heaving mess of people, but go to the big Museum for a cool air conditioned break. Hire a driver through your hotel, avoid foods that might give you runny tummy. Common flippin sense. Same for every place that not might meet immediate expectations. The magic of Disneyland is in Florida and Paris, it's not in every city or place on the planet.

Disappointment and hatred of a place comes (mostly) from the "I must be entertained" brigade and when they have to explore and find things themselves, well that can often be far too much dahlings.

Well travelled people rarely complain about destinations. That's because they know how to do it right.

Alcúdia. Boring. Nothing to do. Nothing nice to go walk and see. So much water around just full of midges. Was in bed for 10 every night.