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.

Agree with Paphos.

Loved San Francisco when we went - was about 15 years ago!

Many of my favourite holidays on here… Rome, Chicago, NYC, Amsterdam, Thailand…

I feel like it does depend on your expectations and also the research you do/what you do when you’re there.

There are definitely places that have been to that I wouldn’t return to. Albufeira being one mentioned here - very Brits abroad. But I kind of knew that going into it and still had fun (girls trip when I was a student).

I was considering going to Paphos actually as saw a hotel that looked decent and want to go to a resort place as normally do boutique hotels/self catering but may avoid after the comments here !!

You went to the wrong bit of Corfu! North East is fabulous.

Out of interest.What didn't you like about it? I ask as I have never been and wanted to go.

Seen a few comments on Malta - whilst there are some resorts which are bit soulless, its got some great places if you venture out - Valetta is fascinating, Medina is a lovely historic old town, and neighbouring island of Gozo has kept a lot of its charm.

To be honest not really had many disappointments - maybe Paris on a particularly soggy May Bank Holiday few years ago just after the terrorist attacks - seeing armed soldiers and heavy police presence all round the tourist sights was a bit jarring, though visited Paris on other occasions and had more positive experience.

Had few hours in Zurich in between trains this summer and didn't find it particularly welcoming towards visitors (no maps or tourist signs) and had strange atmosphere and more homeless/poverty than I was expecting for such a wealthy country. Scenery in surrounding area was pretty though.

We went to Kalami thinking it would be relatively unspoilt but didn’t find it very attractive. We love Greece but wouldn’t go back to Corfu. The weather wasn’t great when we were there though which didn’t help.

I was underwhelmed by

Barcelona
Malta
Rhodes (barren island)

I am so sorry you felt like this (i am of Portuguese heritage, so take it to heart - even though I am not from the Algarve).
So many cultural places: Lagos, Silves, Loule (this place is so beautiful Igreja de São Lourenço). Plus Tavira.
But glad to like other places, I am poorly travelled anywhere north of Fatima.

Kalymnos is another place. Unattractive beaches, hard to find tavernas which were good. Quite an ugly island.

I also loved SF about 18 years ago but a friend went last year and her experience was much closer to those detailed here. Same with NYC, I’ve loved it visiting several times between 10 and 20 years ago but not sure I’d go back now.

Byron Bay, meh, customer service in restaurants was abysmal and the public toilets were disgusting. Happy to never return.

Alvor, Portugal. Anywhere with an Irish Bar at its centre is ruined for me.
Have loved NYC, San Fran, Lake Garda, Venice.

I liked Malta as well into history. Where Malta is a disappointment is their beaches - it says it all when the locals go to Gozo as it represents Malta as it was pre mass tourism. My late parents were of the view Malta was one of those 'marmite places'.

These threads crop up v regularly & are entertaining & depressing in almost equal measure.

I honestly think some people arrive in a major, capital city & expect it to be like a version of a resort with all the 'attractions laid out on a strip in easy access'

It seems people travel to places without doing any research to see what's worth seeing/ doing/ experiencing.

We travel a lot & i also travel for work & am in Venice annually for an event. Ive probably been there 15 times now & its one of my favourite places.

I adore Dublin & visit several times a year & always totally enjoy it. I never understand the mumsnet aversion to it. Same with Paris- one of my top 5 places & ive spent up to a month at a time there its a magnificent city.

I've only ever been on a package holiday to a typical resort (Lanzarote/ Tenerife etc) as a young teen with my parents & hated every thing about that sort of a holiday & have avoided ever since & i'm in my 50s now

Center Parcs.

Paris. What an absolutely unfriendly dump, full of beggars, pickpockets and tourists. I love France, am learning French and visit 2-3 times a year, but one trip to Paris was more than enough for me!

Agree with LA and The Algarve - most towns looked rundown and nothing to do. Mallorca, I liked nothing about the place.

Surprised to see pp writing off the whole of Greece!!! I absolutely love Greece!!
I did not like Gambia, it was 20 years ago, but we were hassled, felt unsafe, got food poisoning, just a very threatening atmosphere the whole time.
I love Paris and Rome, NYC was good but I wouldn't race back.
I love eastern European city breaks for culture and history, Prague, Krakow, Budapest were all great.

I thought the same about Prague, until we visited again and stayed in a suburb away from the old town ( Prague 10), which was outstanding, full of amazing restaurants and bars and a park full of vineyards, it was like a different city!

This is just not my experience of Paris. At all.
Amazing how we can visit the same place as another person & come away with a radically different impression.

I've noticed British people on mumsnet seem to have a lot of difficulties with Paris. And Dublin. It's v interesting.

Key West, better beaches on the mainland.

I agree. I love Paris (apart from the dog shit).
I guess that's what makes us "us". Can you imagine the hell of everyone loving the same place and piling in?
Sun beds at 20 paces (my personal idea of hell).

I adored Venice- yes it’s touristy but so breathtakingly beautiful and unique,

Paris - agree about rude waiters but the twinkly Eiffel Tower was gorgeous.

Malta was disappointing apart from Mdina, valetta and Gozo.

Love Barcelona. It’s just a city - gritty and crowded and a bit over touristy but it gets under your skin.

Florence is breathtaking.

The Algarve - only been to Alvor and Lagos. A bit British but beautiful.

I wondered that too. It’s such a huge country, shame to write it off based on potentially only having seen a very small part of it. I’ve been all over the world and it’s one of my favourite countries to visit. It’s breathtakingly beautiful in parts, has incredible food and lovely people - I think it’s one of the where places I feel the most relaxed and comfortable.

I'm sorry, WHAT!?
Australia is bloody amazing and I would move there in a heartbeat if I could afford to. Best place in the world