A British grandmother has expressed disappointment over her recent holiday to Benidorm, claiming that her experience at the Hotel Poseidon Playa was negatively impacted by a lack of

suitable entertainment and what she described as discourteous fellow guests.

Freda Jackson, from Blackburn, Lancashire, said her long-anticipated getaway was “a disaster from start to finish.” The trip, booked in 2017 through a package deal with Thomas Cook, was paid for over the course of a year using her pension.

Ms Jackson, who is in her eighties and has mobility issues, was advised to stay at a hotel located on the edge of the popular Spanish resort. However, she was frustrated that the hotel primarily catered to Spanish holidaymakers, with little entertainment or accommodations aimed at international visitors.

At one point during the stay, she said she was nearly knocked over by another guest who didn’t apologise, contributing to her dissatisfaction.

Initially assigned a room on the 14th floor, she and her travel companion were moved to the second floor after raising accessibility concerns. Still, the new room remained inconveniently located—42 steps away from the pool area.

“The entertainment was all in Spanish,” she told the Daily Record. “Why can’t the Spanish go somewhere else for their holidays?”

Despite these remarks, Ms Jackson clarified she did not intend to make derogatory comments, but felt the hotel’s services didn’t meet the expectations sold to them.

The resort town of Benidorm, located in Spain’s Costa Blanca region, draws over 2.7 million visitors annually, including both domestic and international tourists.

Ms Jackson is now seeking a refund or a complimentary replacement trip, stating she and her companion spent £1,133 on the two-week break.

Thomas Cook responded by offering a £75 voucher as a gesture of goodwill. A company spokesperson also acknowledged that a flight change notification was delayed due to a system error, which they are currently investigating.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience this caused and are working to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” the spokesperson said. “We hope Ms Jackson and her companion will accept our offer as a step toward resolution.” Photo by William Helsen from Antwerp, Belgium, Wikimedia commons.