'It's disgusting': Tourists forced to sleep on beaches after lockdown

Tourists have resorted to sleeping on beaches because hotels they booked are still closed, according to a new report.

The unlucky British travellers were left disappointed when they turned up to their destinations and discovered some hotels were still closed following the coronavirus lockdown.

Consumer watchdog Which? said travel agency Loveholidays was one of the main culprits for booking hotels that were not open, the Times newspaper reported.

Other Brits who decided not to sleep on beaches or return home had to find alternative accommodation.

Paul Davis, 48, booked a $2720 trip to Spain on July 1 when international travel advice was relaxed in the UK.

But when he arrived three days later in Salou on the Costa Daurada, the 4R Regina Gran hotel he was meant to stay in was closed and he had to arrange an alternative.

He lost a $450 deposit when he later transferred to a Loveholidays hotel, according to the report.

Mr Davis, from Lincolnshire, told the Times he thought he must’ve had the wrong hotel when he arrived.

“When we pulled up I thought we must have the wrong hotel – it was all shut and hadn't been opened for a good while,” he said.

“It's disgusting. We were fortunate enough to have the money to stay somewhere else but lots of other people probably aren't in that position.”

Another Brit, Sammy Liperis, was also left disappointed when she arrived in the Canary Islands and found the Sol Fuerteventura Jandiá hotel was closed.

A couple who arrived in Spain with their son, 10, also said their hotel was not open.

“We wholeheartedly apologise to the affected customers for the inconvenience and distress this has caused,” a Loveholidays spokesperson said.

“Our customer services team is in contact with them to resolve matters to their satisfaction and ensure that they can enjoy the rest of their holidays.

“We are not aware of customers sleeping on the beach and would be horrified if this was the case as we have a 24/7 in resort helpline number that customers can – and should – call if they face issues at their destination using the number set out in their booking documentation and on our website.

“We are working closely with all our suppliers to understand which hotels are open for customers but unfortunately some closures were not communicated to us prior to customers travelling to those hotels.”

Yahoo UK

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