AN outraged holidaymaker decided to quit his “dreadful” TUI hotel after just two hours, shelling out an extra £1,200 to change accommodation.
Lee Parker found exposed electrical wiring, stained bedding, blocked plumbing and cracked tiling at the “four star” hotel in Tenerife.
When the 39-year-old complained, a TUI rep admitted they had wrongly graded the hotel.
They told Lee, from Beccles, Suffolk, that moving to a genuine four star hotel would cost the same again as the £1,200 he paid for the original break.
The businessman, who is holidaying with his teenage daughter, decided he had no choice but to fork out the extra but will chase TUI for compensation when he returns home.
Lee requested a four-star hotel, nice beach and good night life when organising his trip to Tenerife, which started on Thursday.
He complained on Facebook: “We got to our room and this is when the real horror became apparent, no way on Earth were we in a 4 star hotel, not even a 3 star!
“The room had dangerous exposed wiring, the toilet didn’t flush, broken door jams leaving razor sharp metal, the food was disgusting and room completely filthy. Not what we asked for or expected for a 4 star hotel!”
One picture of the Punta del Ray in Las Caletillas shows exposed wiring above a bathroom mirror, creating a clear hazard if in contact with moisture.
Another picture taken by Lee shows the extent of the poor drainage system from the toilet, which still had faeces floating in the water.
Despite requesting good night life, the hotel he was given was located in an area which he was told translated to “Sleepy Town”.
Lee added: “We arrived at about 3pm on Thursday and by 5pm I was downstairs demanding we move. The food was inedible, the toilet wouldn’t flush and the wiring was dangerous.
“Somebody will be electrocuted there before long with wiring like that.
“The rep admitted the four-star rating on the booking confirmation was wrong and I had been mis-sold the holiday.”
Lee was told he could only move to a two- or three-star hotel for the money he had already paid.
Instead, Lee bypassed Tui and booked a four star hotel but could not move with his daughter, Sophie Parker, 17, until the next day. To add insult to injury, getting there cost him a 70 Euro taxi fare on top.
Single father Lee, who has raised Sophie on his own for five years, says getting an immediate transfer had to happen after gauging his daughter’s reaction.
He said: “Sophie didn’t say anything. I had promised her it would be lovely but her face just dropped when we got there.
“She was devastated. I had no choice – we had to move. I have never in my life seen such a horrendous hotel.”
Reacting to Lee’s story online, Rose Natasha said: “Oh my god I would be raving mad.”
Mikey Lee James wrote: “Take the w*s to court.”
Cheryl Anderson said: “Looks like a 1 star… jezzz.”
A TUI spokeswoman said: “We are so sorry to hear of Mr Parker’s experience in Tenerife, and we would like to thank him for bringing these issues to our attention.
“We are currently investigating this and will be in direct contact with the customer.”
