From cockroaches to snakes and rats, used condoms under the bed and a string of holiday scams, a new survey reveals Britons’ holiday nightmares
- 1 in 3 travellers have found cockroaches or similar infestations in holiday accommodation, with half also stating rooms were unclean
- 40% of holidaymakers admit to having to pay unexpected additional costs, with car hire being the most common in these surprise cost factors
- UK and Republic of Ireland come top for worst holiday experience, yet are still voted second most popular holiday destination
With millions of Brits preparing to head off on summer vacations, a new survey reveals that more than three quarters of respondents have experienced a nasty surprise on holiday, with the state of accommodation being one of the biggest contributing factors.
The survey, which was carried out by leading car hire price comparator Carrentals.co.uk, questioned 1,500 people on their experiences of nasty surprises while on vacation. The results revealed that one in three respondents had discovered cockroaches or similar infestations in their holiday accommodation, with other creatures listed including ants, rats, worms, termites, spiders, lizards, possums and snakes.
Aside from unwelcome infestations, the poor standard of accommodation was also highly criticised by respondents, with half stating that rooms were unclean, which included; people having found used condoms under the bed, urine soaked duvets and vomit on the bed sheets; one in three having experienced appliances that didn’t work; and 25% answering that they had been provided with a room that had broken furniture.
Another key area highlighted by the survey’s findings is unexpected additional costs, which was listed as one of the worst nasty surprises experienced by 40% of holidaymakers. Within this 40%, the biggest surprise cost factor was related to car hire, which accounted for 27%, followed by accommodation at 21%, while medical treatment and excess baggage also rated highly for unexpected additional expenses.
Managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, Gareth Robinson, says: “We’ve all heard horror stories about infested hotels and nightmare resorts, but seeing just how many people had experienced such a thing was really quite revealing. If you are visiting somewhere new then take time to do some research on the place and read other customer reviews for more information.”
Gareth adds: “The unexpected additional costs also demonstrated a serious lack of transparency in the travel sector, particularly relating to car hire. Renting a car offers travellers the freedom to explore their holiday location in their own time and it should not be with the caveat of having to worry over surprise extra payments.
“We would advise all holidaymakers booking a car to read the terms and conditions of each supplier carefully before booking and make sure you have printed evidence of booking references and any insurance policies. When renting a car you should also never leave with the vehicle before checking and reporting any damage, nor should you leave the drop off point without having signed the car back in, as if any damage happens to the car before this process then you may be held responsible.”
Respondents were also asked to state the worst nasty surprise they had experienced on holiday, with responses including:
- On a visit to Malaysia, one tourist woke up to find a rat on his face
- A young boy was bitten by bed bugs that triggered an anaphylactic reaction, causing his face to double in size
- The driver of a coach taking passengers to the airport hit a cyclist and ran off leaving passengers to deal with the police and make their own way to the airport
- One holidaymaker booked a holiday advertised as costing £110, but was charged £3,400 on their credit card bill
- A couple arriving in Singapore found their tea tasted funny and after checking the tap water and proceeding onto a second cup of tea, discovered the remaining skeleton of a gecko in the kettle
The nasty surprises survey also revealed some interesting trends on Britons’ holiday choices, with Spain coming out as the most popular first choice holiday destination with 22%, while the UK and Republic of Ireland came second with 15%, with people in Scotland most likely to holiday in the UK or Ireland. However, despite this promising figure, staycations came out top for the location of the worst holiday, with bad weather being largely responsible. Three quarters of respondents also claimed to go on holiday at least twice a year, with only 8% not taking a holiday at least once a year.
Gareth added: “Despite the tough economic climate, seeing how much Brits value holidays is an encouraging sign for the travel industry. The recession has seen everyone facing added stress and being able to get away from the day to day routine and switch off is very important.
“While the UK and Republic of Ireland were voted top for the worst holiday experience, 15% of respondents would still choose a staycation as their first choice, which really says a lot about how much the UK and Ireland have to offer and a promising sign for tourism this summer.”
The results also demonstrated the growing popularity of online travel bookings, with more than 80% of respondents choosing to book their holiday over the Internet, in comparison to just 10% who book through a travel agent and 6% who prefer to make arrangements over the phone.
The nasty surprises survey supports Carrentals.co.uk’s Raising the Standard campaign, which sees the company highlighting the need for greater fairness and transparency in the travel industry. For more information on Raising the Standard or to access the forum, blog or to download travel advice papers, visit www.carrentals.co.uk/raising_the_standard.
Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Budget, easyCar, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 9,000 locations worldwide.
To compare the latest car hire deals visit www.carrentals.co.uk.
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