Worst and best family holiday ever?

[cornishfrogboy]

WORST.
That is easy. I had not long been with my now wife and we drove up from Cornwall to Gatwick, before presenting ourselves and asking what last minutes they had available. We were offered 2 weeks in Kavos, breakfast included and £150pp. We had never heard of Kavos.. so we bought it. When the transfer coach arrived at our hotel, we disembarked to see a female vomiting on the pavement in front of us. The place was absolutely vile and we had just witnessed what turned out to be a ‘cultural highlight’. We found our hotel room ok and settled in.. to be awoken a couple of hours later at 0100 by hammering music. There were 3 nightclubs within 30yds of our hotel. During the day, we never saw anybody before around 1400 when they would all emerge to start their drinking.
The beach was filthy, as was everything we encountered. An utter, total disaster of a vacation. If that is how typical Brits vacation, then I want no part of it.
We did eventually find a better beach, but had to walk through an Olive Grove to get to it (covered in towels toward off all the Horse Flies. The beach was ok, but you kept hearing the ‘thrum’ of Hornets wings as they patrolled up and down. Hearing Hornets in close proximity can be very off putting.

BEST.
Our honeymoon at Le Tousserok in Mauritius, 10 days half board. It cost nothing as Mandie won it in a bridal magazine.

[Scaramouche]

Best - Florida 2016. First proper holiday with my now fiancé. 19 nights, Disney cruise, Universal, DC, Disney, so many hotels and so much exploring onsite we absolutely loved it!
Closely followed by 2013 Florida with my sister as this was our first time.

Worst - there’s 3 here, all different reasons. Spain in 2012 with my first boyfriend. I didn’t want to be with him, I have absolutely NO idea why I went. The hotel was tiny, the food was dreadful, the company was awful! Wherever we went in Spain was okay, the beach was nice but it was awful 😂.
Florida 2015 - originally just meant to be me and my sister. Invited my best friend at the time and this was a mistake. The holiday was nice but I still wish she hadn’t come. We don’t talk anymore. It was never the same after this holiday but all turned very sour when I got engaged in 2017.
Geneva 2014 - quick anniversary weekend away, often do city breaks etc. The hotel looked lovely in reception. Then you turned a corner to get to the rooms. Disgusting! Wall paper hanging off in the corridors, carpets a mess. Got to our room and there was a smashed mirror, wardrobe door hanging off and it was just disgusting. So they moved us, room two had cables hanging out the wall and blood on the wall. So they moved us. Room 3 was lovely, had they of put us in here first we wouldn’t have moaned so much.
On closer inspection we found blood on the door frame.

We tried to make the best of it, but Geneva was closed, shops, museums, everything was closed. We spent £70 on a pizza and a carbonara and £35 on a McDonald’s the next day 😂
We had a lovely weekend together, but we were glad to get home! Plus the weather was awful.

[Michyloulou]

Best holiday definitely Florida last year, 1st time for our kids. A close runner-up was Centerparcs the year before - again a 1st for the kids.
Worst holiday was a few years ago, October half term at a Pontins site in a dingy old caravan with mould. We went home after a few days as we all had heavy colds.

[Michyloulou]

Before children (hope you don’t mind another post!).
Best - AOA in Majorca. We stayed in a gorgeous boutique-style hotel that had been recently renovated- absolutely stunning. The only downside was that it wasn’t on the coast (about 10 miles inland), so we hired a car at extra cost, but we had an amazing week. There was only 1 other set of guests staying- and although they were still working on parts of the hotel, there were no horrendous buildings sites - everything was discreet and kept really peaceful. The food was fresh & amazing- served in a beautiful courtyard. They even made DH a massive strawberry sponge cake for his birthday!
Worst - not really bad in comparison to some people’s stories, just the worst we personally have encountered. When we first got together, DH & I did a cheap 10 day half-board holiday to Lloret de Mar. Stayed at Hotel Olympic - the hotel was basic ok, but really sprawling & noisy at times. Continental breakfast was ok & the beach & weather lovely. What we didn’t like was that they sat you with other people at dinner and the food was absolutely rubbish - think child’s type meals served as adults. DH looked at the options & refused to eat there. However, we spoke to a Receptionist who told us about a lovely hidden restaurant just around the corner (albeit a bit hidden), the type the locals ate in. It was lovely & we ate there most nights after, or got something from a restaurant along the promenade.

[Sandraoh40]

I would say this holiday was both the worst ( due to the ending), but also one of my most memorable.
In 1994 my dh, then just boyfriend, and my friend, her fiancé and I went on a road trip to Spain. We left the west of Scotland in a Ford Escort and headed for Folkestone. We weren’t even 50 miles into the journey when our camping gear had already fell off the roof rack... we seen it in the rear view mirror. We just stopped, ran back, and put it back on.
That night we found a B&B ( not pre booked) in Boulogne. The following morning we headed south with nothing booked again till we found a campsite we could stay in for the night. We pitched our tents in the dark, then got up at the crack of dawn and kept going. We were heading for Estartit! Somewhere near Toulouse the car started to fail and eventually stopped. We had taken out RAC European cover so off my friend and I went along the side of the road to the only place we could see. It looked like a bungalow with a small vineyard attached. Now, I only had O Level french so how I managed to convey to the man at this house that we needed to use his phone, and that it was a free phone number, I’ll never know, but he let us in. So I called the RAC, who were able to confirm to the man that it was free, and they told us to go and wait at the car that someone would be along soon. All this time while I was on the phone, my friend kept trying to hurry me up. It wasn’t till we were outside that she told me the man kept opening up his robe! Can look back and laugh now.

Back at the car we expected an RAC van. No, it was a Citroen with a trailer attached with 2 men and 2 kids. We had to push the car on to the trailer then climb in the back with the 2 kids. Honestly. On the way to the ‘local garage’ they stopped past the house of the only English speaking person in the village so they could come to the garage to translate. So a few hours later, and a trip to Toulouse airport for a hire car and we were back in the road. Our car had to stay at the french garage for a week and we were going to pick it up on the way home.
We headed for the Pyrenees only to get lost and end up taking a huge detour finally getting into Estartit about 11pm.
The week there was fine, nothing great.
We had 2 nights to fill in France on the way home then we had 3 nights booked at DLP.
We went to the garage to get our car back, and after a bit of time spent arguing with them about having to pay for the ‘special water’ they put in it ( we didn’t pay as they eventually thought I spoke french when I asked if they had a phone I could use in french and called the RAC) we were on our way again.
We had a night in Cahors and a night just outside Lyon, the finally arrived in DLP.
The first day there was a bit strange as my friend wanted to sit beside me on the Indiana Jones ride and my dh and her fiancé were stuck behind us. She had also asked us the night before if we wanted to go with them on their honeymoon. We said we couldn’t afford it rather than a straight out no. So about lunchtime she suggested we go our own way and meet up for the parade. When we met back up she said they had something to tell us. I honestly though that she was going to tell us that she was pregnant. But no, they had split up the night before... and could we leave to go home first thing in the morning. OMG. Imagine that journey home. They just didn’t say a word to each other the whole way from Paris to Glasgow. It was awful.
They dropped us at our front door and I was quite upset saying goodbye to her fiancé as we all got on really well. That was the last time we ever saw him.

I have 2 best holidays. The first time we went to Vegas in 2001. We eloped and had an Elvis wedding with a surprise party when we got back. I just loved that holiday. And 2016 when we did a West Coast trip. Just amazing.

Sorry for the long post. ( I even left bits out)

[Moleymole]

We’ve been lucky enough to have had several wonderful family holidays at WDW. Its funny how the bad holidays we’ve had stand out and we often have a laugh remembering dire details like - the doody in the pool - at a Devon holiday park.🤣

[limmy]

Worst trip was our first one to Florida. Booked through Thomas Cook and I do not know how the hotel made their systems. We didn't know what we were doing with parks, transport, got food poisoning on the last day from hotel buffet so the plane ride home was just vile and I had an ear infection from the pool so bad that after a year of medication and all sorts I literally had to have my ear vaccumed out.

We have had some amazing trips to Florida but one of our favourite holidays was Watchet in Somerset. We have been twice and take the dogs. We all just had the best time. It was their Summertime week. We did crabbing, duck races, outdoor cinema, weather was great. It was a lovely holiday we all massively enjoyed.

[Taffy1959]

Our worst was Tenerife in 2002 myself DH DS1 DS2 and DS1 friend.
I’d been having some pain before we went and thought I’d hurt myself or it was down to all the stress I was having with my dad.
I had pain on and off all through the holiday but by day 11 it was unbearable.
I was taken to hospital diagnosed with acute pancreatitis which was caused by gallstones and was so ill I wasn’t expected to survive the night.
DH had to send the 3 boys home a few days later I was still in intensive care.
A few days later when I was well enough they operated and removed my gallbladder.
I was given medication when I was discharged which made me so sick they changed the medication which stopped the sickness but made me feel really strange.
None of the airlines wanted to fly me home but eventually Airtours agreed to take us, I’ve never been so glad to get on a plane to go home.

We’ve had some fantastic holidays since mostly to Florida but last year for my 60th was one of the best.
We went for 3 weeks spent my birthday in MK had a 3 night cruise on the Disney Dream
9 nights onsite 6 nights on I drive in the Rosen Plaza and 3 nights RPR club level.
Only problem was we didn’t know if our flight home with TC would go ahead, it did but they went into administration while we were travelling home which was very sad.

[FeFe]

Originally Posted by ginwithaslice

That's a good recommendation for HRH, will definitely look at it for future trips!

What a nightmare second trip, families falling out is the worst, I'm sure you were caught in the middle.

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Absolutely caught in the middle. That was 2014 and thing genuinely haven’t been the same since. 😔 certainly no all family holidays again.

Hard Rock hotel was absolutely fabulous and would stay there for the whole holiday if I could afford it. Getting a future rock star suite worked out cheaper than getting 2 rooms for the 5 of us. We all couldn’t stay in one room for that length of time. We added club as a treat and it was well worth it.
It was the 2nd time staying in the villa that we love and felt more at ease knowing the area better etc. It was just a perfect holiday altogether. 🥰

[ginwithaslice]

Originally Posted by Sandraoh40

I would say this holiday was both the worst ( due to the ending), but also one of my most memorable.
In 1994 my dh, then just boyfriend, and my friend, her fiancé and I went on a road trip to Spain. We left the west of Scotland in a Ford Escort and headed for Folkestone. We weren’t even 50 miles into the journey when our camping gear had already fell off the roof rack... we seen it in the rear view mirror. We just stopped, ran back, and put it back on.
That night we found a B&B ( not pre booked) in Boulogne. The following morning we headed south with nothing booked again till we found a campsite we could stay in for the night. We pitched our tents in the dark, then got up at the crack of dawn and kept going. We were heading for Estartit! Somewhere near Toulouse the car started to fail and eventually stopped. We had taken out RAC European cover so off my friend and I went along the side of the road to the only place we could see. It looked like a bungalow with a small vineyard attached. Now, I only had O Level french so how I managed to convey to the man at this house that we needed to use his phone, and that it was a free phone number, I’ll never know, but he let us in. So I called the RAC, who were able to confirm to the man that it was free, and they told us to go and wait at the car that someone would be along soon. All this time while I was on the phone, my friend kept trying to hurry me up. It wasn’t till we were outside that she told me the man kept opening up his robe! Can look back and laugh now.

Back at the car we expected an RAC van. No, it was a Citroen with a trailer attached with 2 men and 2 kids. We had to push the car on to the trailer then climb in the back with the 2 kids. Honestly. On the way to the ‘local garage’ they stopped past the house of the only English speaking person in the village so they could come to the garage to translate. So a few hours later, and a trip to Toulouse airport for a hire car and we were back in the road. Our car had to stay at the french garage for a week and we were going to pick it up on the way home.
We headed for the Pyrenees only to get lost and end up taking a huge detour finally getting into Estartit about 11pm.
The week there was fine, nothing great.
We had 2 nights to fill in France on the way home then we had 3 nights booked at DLP.
We went to the garage to get our car back, and after a bit of time spent arguing with them about having to pay for the ‘special water’ they put in it ( we didn’t pay as they eventually thought I spoke french when I asked if they had a phone I could use in french and called the RAC) we were on our way again.
We had a night in Cahors and a night just outside Lyon, the finally arrived in DLP.
The first day there was a bit strange as my friend wanted to sit beside me on the Indiana Jones ride and my dh and her fiancé were stuck behind us. She had also asked us the night before if we wanted to go with them on their honeymoon. We said we couldn’t afford it rather than a straight out no. So about lunchtime she suggested we go our own way and meet up for the parade. When we met back up she said they had something to tell us. I honestly though that she was going to tell us that she was pregnant. But no, they had split up the night before... and could we leave to go home first thing in the morning. OMG. Imagine that journey home. They just didn’t say a word to each other the whole way from Paris to Glasgow. It was awful.
They dropped us at our front door and I was quite upset saying goodbye to her fiancé as we all got on really well. That was the last time we ever saw him.

I have 2 best holidays. The first time we went to Vegas in 2001. We eloped and had an Elvis wedding with a surprise party when we got back. I just loved that holiday. And 2016 when we did a West Coast trip. Just amazing.

Sorry for the long post. ( I even left bits out)

See more...

Oh to be young and carefree again and be brave enough to drive abroad with a tent and no plan!
Actually spat my tea out at the man opening his robe 😂