Why did I agree to go to Crete with my boyfriend when I wanted to end our relationship - because the holiday was free so it serves me right. The hotel was still being built; there were several bricks missing from our bathroom which backed on to the bathroom next door; I made huge efforts to clean my teeth silently and use the dining room lavs as often as possible. Meals were hit and miss, mostly miss - whatever animals were served had definitely run up one hill too many. And the company... Two business colleagues plus appendages joined us (the holiday was a sort of prize for the most insurance sold) - one of the wives whined constantly. Pleading a headache I quietly packed my bags and headed for the port to take a ship to Rhodes but rough sea prevented it from docking so I slunk back to the hotel only to meet the group returning from their outing. Nobody spoke to me for the rest of the holiday - Margaret Beveridge, Llantwit Major, South Wales
My husband, as he now is, and I travelled to South America in 2002. After three days in Rio, he developed headaches and double vision. A doctor diagnosed constipation and adminstered two large suppositories. Funnily enough, this did not cure the headaches and double vision. A public hospital diagnosed kidney stones but he was still getting worse so I phoned the British Consulate, which advised an upmarket and expensive hospital. In two minutes they diagnosed meningitis. A painful lumbar puncture was followed by five days lying in the dark, alternately sleeping and being dosed with drugs. After discharge, we carried on with our holiday and went to Iguacu Falls, which was amazing. We went on to Peru, which was fascinating, except that we went for lunch in a very rustic local restaurant, recommended by our guide, where we were robbed of a bag containing travellers cheques, cash, credit cards, phone, camera, and eight films containing all our photos. Thinking our bad luck must be over, we continued to Lima, where my husband developed dysentery (from the food at the said rustic local restaurant) and where we were robbed of another bag on an overnight bus (this time they only got a bottle of water and a book - all we had left by then!) Finally, we travelled to Quito, only to find no flights home due to a volcanic eruption. After four days, during which we walked the ash-covered streets, the airline offered us flights from Guayaquil. Without transfers. There was no aircon on the 10-hour boneshaking trip in 30 degree heat. We checked into a hotel (again at our own expense) which had no windows or aircon. After a sleepless night, we got up early to go to the airport - and were bumped off the flight - Caroline Jaggard, Tulse Hill, London
A long weekend birthday surprise for my husband. We took off on the Friday night to Reykavik starving after a days work. Open up the lid of the food on the plane - nothing - an unusual choice for vegetarian option. Next morning, whale watching trip. Up at 5.30am, drive for three hours to the boat. Out at sea for two hours and not a peep of even a dolphin. Then the storm hits. Two hours out but four back due to the huge waves. Everyone on the boat was running out of sick bags...not a pleasant day trip. Still, next day I'd hired the 4-wheel drive. Drive two hours to the glacier. Fog. It's here, but damned if we can see it. We figure we'll drive around the other side. Potholes - end up on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere after experiencing what it's like to have been in a washing machine. Eventually some tourists drive past and see us. Six hours later we arrive back in town with the tow truck. Somehow it didn't surprise me when the screaming baby was sat next to us on the flight home - Tina Haslem, London
In January, 2005, we experienced a First Choice Holiday Village in Lanzarote. Being parents of feisty two-and-a-half-year-old twin boys, we wanted the comfort of a family holiday where everything was set up for families and we would be able to enjoy ourselves in an all inclusive environment. We were met with a concrete jungle, and none of the nine pools were warm enough to dip a toe in. The villa was open plan - not ideal for two young children so they ended up having our room and we slept on the put me up and the sofa in the living room. There was no baby sitting service, so it meant eating separately at evening, then we were both back in our non cosy villa by 9pm with satellite television that had Spanish and German channels - but no English. We found the food okay. All in all, it so put us off that this year we stayed at home and went to Centre Parcs in Longleat. Bliss - Sharon Hobbs, Lynmouth, Devon
The Pontins brochure looked good - excellent accommodation and facilities on site, including a fantastic waterworld facility, with slides, wave machines and the like. The childrens' favourite characters would all be there. All of which is why we booked a week at Pontins Southport in Summer 2004 for my wife and I and our two grandchildren, aged three and four. On the second night we were evacuated following a fire in an unoccupied chalet next door. Our 'new' chalet was worse than the one we had left. Our compensation was a voucher for free breakfasts. The waterworld was a 50s-style swimming pool with very basic facilities Happily there was a regular bus service into Southport. The only redeeming feature of the week ws the resident children's entertainer whose 5pm nighty show was a huge success with the children. Well done Uncle Harry!! - Kevin Dunne, Chester-le-Street, Durham
()My worst holiday was a trip to Rhodes back in 1990. Balancing shifts, we booked a last minute trip and kept the fingers crossed. We arrived at the hotel, told to be five minutes from the beach, more like 5km downhill. Got settled in and found a cat was in residence as so were its companions - fleas. We then took a stroll to the beach - the scenery was lovely, quaint little houses until we reached the outskirts, then on one side a bar advertising Newcastle v Everton, the next "Eastenders shown here nightly". Into the town we came across Asda. Being old fashioned, I like to experience the country's cuisine but it took all week to find a restaurant which did not serve Indian, Chinese or chips. To round the holiday off, someone in the same hotel as us molested the hotel owner's daughter, so the police were called and all males in the hotel were strung out in an inpromptu identity parade - Andrew Hall, Epsom, Surrey
I visited Newcastle for a weekend with my parents, mainly to visit both my boyfriend and aunt. The disasters started even before we left - my dad got a nasty 24 hour stomach bug and we had to leave a day later than planned. I have MS and as a result use a wheelchair fulltime - but my “fully disabled” hotel room only had a normal bath! My boyfriend came for dinner only to end things with me. So instead of spending a lovely weekend meeting his friends, this was the start of a weekend staring at hotel walls in floods of tears. The next day my mum developed the stomach bug Dad had before. So I spent Saturday still in tears while my poor mum continuously ran off to the bathroom. The next day we were due to go home. By now it was snowing and absolutely freezing outside. We were leaving the hotel when Dad dramatically fell down some steps and the staff had to lie him in the recovery position. Fortunately he was ok but we were glad to go - Lizzie Gilchrist, Buckhurst Hill, Essex
I tend to travel independently but my youngest sister who lives in Canada suggested I meet her and a friend in the Dominican Republic for a fiv-star all-inclusive holiday. The trouble was that she arrived on New Year's Day, I on New Year's Eve. Using a Lonely Planet guide and trawling the net, I made several fruitless enquiries. I had to accept: I was going to arrive without accommodation for a night. On arrival, I struggled with a phrase book to explain my predicament and a few locals shook their heads and shrugged. Plan C was hatched: a list of hotels and guest houses was drawn up, and a driver negotiated. My driver spoke no English but a local said that in the worse case scenario, that there was a motel on a highway. Two hours later, we arrived there. My driver, seeing my weariness, negotiated the accommodation for US$100. I don't understand much Spanish but I soon had an inkling of the place. The sign outside the entrance showed prices per hour. Inside my room was a king sized bed on a raised platford with mirrors, a sunken jacuzzi and side table with towels, soap and condoms. I tried to order some dinner but the kitchen had closed. I could have a beer... but I don't like beer, And the TV only had five channels of hardcore porn. I started getting text messages from friends in the UK, wishing me a Happy New Year. I couldn't help but laugh then cry at the hilarity of staying in a brothel - Jennifer Jackson, London
