TUI customer refuses to book again after ‘nightmare’ Corfu trip with ‘no English food’.uk
Susan Edwards set off on a seven-night £750 per person all-inclusive holiday to the Greek island last month
Susan Edwards from Westerhope, who had a “nightmare (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)
A disgruntled holidaymaker has vowed never to book with TUI again following a “nightmare” all-inclusive trip to Corfu, bemoaning “no English food” and entertainment at her hotel. Susan Edwards embarked on a seven-night stay in the Greek island from May 12.
Accompanied by her elderly cousins, daughter, and second cousin, Susan checked into the Lido Corfu Sun Hotel. However, the 69 year old from Westerhope described the getaway as “horrendous from the minute [they] got there.”
Susan recounted: “It was all-inclusive, £750 each we paid and there was no food we could eat and we couldn’t have anything to drink. I have to be careful because I have ulcerative colitis so there’s certain things I can’t eat. The all inclusive drinks were wine, lager, ouzo, or brandy. Yes, there were soft drinks, but we had to pay €1.50 for water.”
Upon arrival at the hillside retreat around 2pm on May 12, Susan and her party anticipated a welcoming spread of food and drinks. After scaling a steep ramp to the reception, she was told that pool-side snacks would be served at 5pm, which turned out to be merely a “one-inch square of baklava”.
The next day, Susan’s disappointment intensified upon discovering the absence of “no English food” at the hotel. She detailed the limited breakfast options, saying: “On a morning you could have toast, a hard boiled egg, or something in sauce.”, reports Chronicle Live.
Food on offer during Susan’s holiday (Image: Susan Edwards)
“There was no bacon. For breakfast there was mozzarella and sliced tomatoes. There was no hot bacon or sausage.
“We got chips one day. One day out of the whole lot. There was fish, sardines and rice – I was sick to death of looking at rice. There was pasta and salads, none of this was marked (labelled). One night there was a Greek night and they had kebabs, I couldn’t eat that. It’s the worst holiday I’ve ever been on.”
Susan also expressed her disappointment with the beverage options during her stay, as she doesn’t enjoy ouzo or brandy. She explained that her preferred drinks, bottled lager or a Bacardi and Coke, would have set her back €9 and wouldn’t have been her usual brand.
“By the time we paid £750 for the holiday, €70 tourist tax for me and my daughter and an extra £450 for both of our meals, I could have been to the Caribbean on that”, Susan lamented.
TUI’s website paints a picture of holidays at the Lido Corfu Sun Hotel as being all about relaxation, with ping pong and pool being the most energetic activities on offer, along with occasional live music and Greek nights. The site also boasts of the four-star hotel’s private beach located just a few steps away.
Susan took picture of the ‘unaccetable food’ on offer (Image: Susan Edwards)
However, Susan disputed these claims, stating that the hotel lacked entertainment and was “stuck there in the middle of nowhere”. She added: “There was a private beach but it was so steep we couldn’t get down to it and it was 150 yards from the hotel.”
Susan expressed her frustration with the hotel’s accessibility, stating: “There’s a ramp at the side of the hotel that you have to try and pull your case up when you arrive. My daughter was up and down, up and down, trying to pull everyone’s case up for them.”
She also voiced her disappointment at being denied a second room key, which would have allowed her daughter to access their shared room without disturbing her. Susan explained: “I asked for a second key for my daughter because sometimes I get tired in the afternoon and rather than lying in the sun and getting burned.”
However, her request was rejected due to the additional cost. Susan mentioned that she typically vacations in Spain with her cousins and prefers to fly with TUI, feeling secure with the backing of a large company in case of any issues.
Food on offer during Susan’s holiday did not meet her expectations (Image: Susan Edwards)
Nevertheless, her unsatisfactory experience has led her to reconsider flying with TUI in the future.
Although TUI offered her £100 in holiday vouchers, Susan declined, claiming that other holidaymakers she met at the hotel received more generous offers after complaining. She concluded: “In the past I’ve paid more to get on a TUI flight because if anything happened I’ve always thought you’ve got a big company behind you if anything goes wrong. Not anymore. This holiday was a nightmare.”
A spokesperson for TUI UK and I stated: “Our priority is to ensure customers have the best possible holiday experience, so we are sorry to hear that Mrs Edwards felt dissatisfied with her holiday. We have been in touch directly with Mrs Edwards to come to a resolution.”
