‘Pontins stay was horrific - it has put me off for life’
RUBBISH LEFT IN ROOM, STAINS ON WALL AND HAIR IN BATHROOM RUINS TRIP AWAY
WOMAN has vowed never to return to Pontins after her “horrific stay” at the holiday park “put her off for life”.
Debbie Press, from Leicester, booked a stay at the Sand Bay resort’s park, near Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, for her and a friend at the end of July.
But she says “from start to finish, the stay was horrific”.
She told the Mercury: “There was rubbish left in the room, hairs all over the bathroom and a foul smell in the chalet and on the beds.”
Debbie had booked the stay for just one night on Saturday, July 31, allegedly under the impression that the stay was to be an “adults only” one and they would have access to the park’s swimming pool.
But she says there were children running around, while the pool was closed for maintenance.
She said: “We were told that checkin would be at 4pm and when we arrived, there were more than 100 people crammed into a doorway and the receptionist was yelling at people for not social distancing, even though there was nowhere else to go.”
After checking in, Debbie says she was “extremely disappointed” to hear that the pool was closed because that was the main reason they wanted to stay.
She says the experience then went from bad to worse when she arrived at her chalet.
Debbie said: “What we received you would not have put an animal in, let alone a human.
“As soon as we walked in, there was a foul smell that hit the back of your throat.
“I don’t know what it was, but it was unbearable. There was rubbish left in the bin from the guests before, with another bag just placed on top of it.
“When we went into the bathA
room, there was hair and stains on the sink and in the shower, and stains on the wall of the chalet.”
Debbie said she went to complain to a receptionist but there was noone around.
Failing to find someone, she claims: “By then we were starving, so we went to have some food. It was
a horrid experience I’d never want to repeat.
“There was no juice to drink, just water. The dessert station was all tipped upside down as people were just grabbing handfuls and then dropping them back in.
“Plates were filthy and there were paper cups chucked all over the floor.
“The food was cold, too.
“I again went to find someone to complain to but it was like everyone had disappeared. Reception was shut with no one around.”
That night, Debbie says the pair of them struggled to sleep due to the smell of the beds in their chalet.
“We couldn’t sleep in the beds, they stunk,” she said.
“We put some clothing on top of the bed and slept like that. We had to put a mask over our noses as the stench was awful.
“We couldn’t face breakfast the next day and left as early as possible at 7am.
“I planned to complain at this time but reception was shut so we just left the key and drove home.”
Once back in Leicester, Debbie said she tried many times to ring the company.
She claimed: “I raised a complaint with guest services and they seem to have no interest whatsoever in trying to resolve this, as apparently I did not raise it with reception, despite me trying and there was noone around.
“Their only response was to offer a 30 per cent discount for another stay. I wouldn’t be paid to go back there.”
The Mercury has attempted multiple times to contact Sand Bay Pontins, as well as hotel group Britannia Hotels for comment on this matter. We are still awaiting a response.
Debbie added: “I am so disappointed and all I want is my money back. The stay was horrific from start to finish. It has put me off from ever going back for life.”
What we received you would not have put an animal in, let alone a human
Debbie Press