
Newlywed Brits say they had honeymoon from hell at five-star Greek hotel 'construction site' with deafening grinding tools beside the loungers and heavy machinery whizzing between the sunbeds
Newlywed Brits say they had the honeymoon from hell after their five-star hotel was a 'construction site' with machinery whizzing between sunbeds and the sound of drilling echoing across the resort.
Phil and Hannah Perkins got married on May 9th and were excited to jet off to Rhodes, Greece, for their holiday two days later.
But, their romantic getaway soon took a turn for the worse when they arrived to find the hotel 'in shambles'.
The couple claim they sat down by the poolside on the first morning of their trip, hoping to relax, but were shocked to hear a 'deafening' noise from building works taking place.
Phil, 56, said he could hear drilling and banging all day long for the duration of their £1,080 holiday, while the noise was so bad it drowned out the music from the bar.
Builders reportedly worked in between the sunbeds with trucks and machines, leaving guests having to move their chairs out of the way while they installed glass panels on balconies above the pool.
The father claims he and his wife were unable to take any romantic photos due to the hotel being covered in concrete, leaving them feeling like they have not had a honeymoon.
While Phil says he tried to get in touch with the holiday rep, he reportedly never received a call back.
Phil, from Newport, Wales, said: 'We didn't really expect any problems with it being a five-star resort. When we got there, everything looked nice, on the coast, it was a big place.
'After breakfast, I could hear this constant noise, we had a wander about and there was some building work going on but it was right by the pool, which was called a "relax" pool.
'You had trucks coming through with cement and you had to move your beds to make way.
'I had it for a day and went to see the rep but was told they didn't when she would be back. I gave them my number but she never came back to me.
'It was constant, I watched them put some glass railings above the relax pool and there were people in the pool while they were putting the glass panels in.
'I thought this is not right. There was concrete everywhere. It was just in shambles.
'It was constant drilling, banging. I told my wife, "let's go to the bar and leave this relaxed nonsense", there was a bit of music and we wanted to chill, we thought the music would drown that out, but we could hear no music.
'It was all day every day, it was unbelievable, I've never experienced anything like that. It was a proper building site.
The father claims he and his wife were unable to take any romantic photos due to the hotel being 'in shambles' and covered in concrete, leaving them feeling like they have not had a honeymoon. Pictured: Construction workers making noise while working
'I wouldn't expect all the building work, they could've told us before we went, and they're still not advertising it. It ruined our honeymoon.
'We didn't even take one honeymoon photograph, looking around it was so dirty. It was ridiculous, crazy.'
But Phil claims the problems had started when the couple first entered their swim-out room and saw the 'brown' sunbeds, leaving them unable to use the pool.
After arriving home, the couple complained to EasyJet who reportedly offered them a £281 refund, which the couple initially refused, until it was increased to £381.
Phil said: 'We booked a swim-out room, for a little bit of extra. When we got to the room, I opened the curtain to see the swim-out area, and the beds were really grimy and dirty.
'I understand people use tan lotions but it was just brown, they were full of marks we didn't really want to see. It needed a good clean up, hence why we didn't go in there.
'I did go back and asked if there's any chance I could have another room, I wasn't really happy with what I could see. He pretty much said no.
'I get things can go wrong and you can't please everybody but I'm easily pleased.
Phil, from Newport, Wales, said: 'We didn't really expect any problems with it being a five-star resort. When we got there, everything looked nice, on the coast, it was a big place
'We went down to see if there was any evening entertainment, there might have been karaoke but there was nothing happening to be honest.
'I complained to EasyJet and a couple of weeks later they apologised £280, the holiday cost us £1,080.
'EasyJet then came back and said they'd offer £380. I just want to forget about it.
'My wife is really down about it; it's like we haven't had a honeymoon. We didn't even take a [honeymoon] photograph. It wasn't right at all.'
Phil posted footage from his holiday on social media.
One comment on the post said: 'They owe you a free holiday at the very least.'
Another said: 'B***** nightmare!!!!!'
Another said: 'That's f******* terrible. Like hell could I stay there another day. I've gone fishing and had better holiday than that buddy and didn't catch a thing.'
An easyJet holidays spokesman said: 'We're really sorry to hear that Mr Perkins was unhappy with his experience, especially on such a special holiday.
'Once Mr Perkins returned home and got in touch with us, we immediately offered a partial refund. Our team has since been back in touch with Mr Perkins to apologise for his experience and offer a further refund, which was accepted.'

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Wales Online
43 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Welsh couple book 5-star easyJet hotel for honeymoon but are horrified when they arrive
Welsh couple book 5-star easyJet hotel for honeymoon but are horrified when they arrive Honeymooners Phil and Hannah Perkins, from Newport, South Wales booked a £1,080 easyJet package to historic Rhodes, Greece, in May. But their luxury break fell for short of the idyllic getaway they'd been looking forward to Phil and wife Hannah's honeymoon went terribly wrong Newlyweds Phil and Hannah Perkins from Newport, South Wales, were left dismayed when their £1,080 luxury honeymoon to Rhodes, Greece, booked through easyJet, was "ruined" by unexpected building work at their five-star resort. The couple had envisioned a tranquil romantic getaway with a "swim up" room offering direct pool access but instead found unsightly brown stains on the sun-beds upon arrival. Phil, 57, remarked: "We didn't really expect any problems, with it being a five-star resort," yet they were soon faced with the reality of extensive renovations. He added: "You had trucks coming through with cement and you had to move your beds to make way." The disruption continued unabated, and attempts to reach easyJet's holiday representative proved futile. Phil lamented the impact of the noise and chaos on their special trip: "It was constant," he explained. "I watched them put some glass railings above the relax pool and there were people in the pool while they were putting the glass panels in, "Phil added. Phil and Hannah, 38, were dodging construction workers as they tried to sun-bathe (Image: Kennedy News and Media ) Article continues below Phil told the tale of their holiday nightmare, saying: "I thought 'This is not right.' There was concrete everywhere. It was just in shambles. It was constant drilling, banging. I told my wife, 'let's go to the bar and leave this relaxed nonsense', there was a bit of music and we wanted to chill, we thought the music would drown that out, but we could hear no music." "It was all day every day, it was unbelievable, I've never experienced anything like that. It was a proper building site." PIC FROM Kennedy News and Media (PICTURED: PHIL PERKINS, 56, WITH WIFE, HANNAH PERKINS, 38, ON HONEYMOON) Newlyweds claim their honeymoon was 'ruined' as their five-star EasyJet hotel was a 'construction site' - with MACHINERY roaring between the SUNBEDS. Phil and Hannah Perkins got married on May 9th and were excited to jet off to Rhodes, Greece, for their honeymoon two days later. Phil claims the couple sat down by the 'relaxed' pool area on the first morning of their trip, but were shocked to hear 'deafening' noise from the building construction taking place. DISCLAIMER: While Kennedy News and Media uses its best endeavours to establish the copyright and authenticity of all pictures supplied, it accepts no liability for any damage, loss or legal action caused by the use of images supplied and the publication of images is solely at your discretion. SEE KENNEDY NEWS COPY - 0161 697 4266 (Image: Kennedy News and Media ) The first warning sign came when the couple first their premium swim-out room and were confronted with unsightly brown stains on the loungers. "We booked a swim-out room, for a little bit of extra," Phil recalled. "When we got to the room, I opened the curtain to see the swim-out area, and the beds were really grimy and dirty. "I understand people use tan lotions but it was just brown, they were full of marks we didn't really want to see. It needed a good clean up, hence why we didn't go in there." The sun-beds were particularly grubby (Image: Kennedy News and Media ) He mentioned trying to stay positive, but being let down by the lack of concern from the resort staff. "I get things can go wrong and you can't please everybody but I'm easily pleased," he admitted. Upon returning home, the disheartened couple took the matter up with easyJet, leading to an initial offer of a £281 refund, which was declined by the couple until it was raised to £381. Construction work was going on throughout their stay Article continues below A spokesperson for easyJet holidays expressed regret to the MEN, stating: "We're really sorry to hear that Mr Perkins was unhappy with his experience, especially on such a special holiday. "Once Mr Perkins returned home and got in touch with us, we immediately offered a partial refund. Our team has since been back in touch with Mr Perkins to apologise for his experience and offer a further refund, which was accepted."


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BBC News
2 hours ago
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Four countries welcoming sports fans
When it comes to passion and spending power, few groups rival sports fans. Whether through road trips, tournaments or international events, these loyal travellers spend big – and destinations are taking notice. According to UN Tourism, sports tourism already accounts for around 10% of global tourism spending and is projected to grow by 17.5% by 2030. In the US alone, it generated an estimated $114bn in 2024, bringing more than 100 million fans to venues across the country. "It's hard to coordinate a trip with a lot of friends, but when you have the game to schedule around, it makes it a lot easier," said Kimberly DeCarrera, who drives her RV to Georgia Tech college football games across the US with her friends, and has also travelled to Ireland to see the team play. "Road trips are often more fun than the home games, seeing new cities and campuses, making memories and stories with friends. Sports make it easy to have a purpose for the trip." Nearly 44% of global sports fans travel internationally for events, rising to 56% among 16-to-34-year-olds, according to Expedia Group's Sports Tourism Study. Trip spending typically exceeds $1,500 per person, with three out of five fans staying outside of the host city – delivering broader economic impact. From the Olympics to F1 races, the Super Bowl to football, sports are increasingly becoming many destinations' big draw. Here are four countries actively courting fans in the hope of scoring big. United States With the 2026 Fifa World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the calendar, the US is betting on global sports and the appeal of international travel – though stricter border enforcement from the Trump administration have some wondering if turnout will be affected. As the first US city to host an Olympics since 1996, Los Angeles' infrastructure is already taking shape. The new LAX/Metro Transit Center just opened, connecting the airport to two major Metro lines via a shuttle, with an automated people mover to follow in 2026. The city also will host the 2025 US Women's Open golf tournament, eight Fifa World Cup matches (including the US men's opening game) and Super Bowl LXI in 2027. Meanwhile, Las Vegas has also made substantial investment in sports – going from no major league professional sports teams a decade ago to having a National Hockey League team, a National Football League (NFL) team and a future Major League Baseball team. The city also hosted its first F1 Grand Prix in 2023 and will continue the annual tradition until at least 2027. Nearly 175,000 out-of-town visitors came for the 2024 race, generating an estimated $934m economic impact. Many of these visitors are first-timers. "We hear from people who tell us they would have never considered visiting Las Vegas if it had not been for a sporting event," said Brian Yost, chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. While the average Las Vegas visitor spends $1,290 per trip, sports tourists spend $1,980. "Some of that is the cost of the ticket of the sporting event that they paid for, but the remainder is a higher propensity to spend in categories like food and beverage, entertainment, gaming and hotels," noted Yost. On the East Coast, Miami is investing in football. After signing Lionel Messi in 2023, Inter Miami CF is building the 25,000-seat Miami Freedom Park, set to open in 2026. The 131-acre park, complete with retail and park and plaza spaces, is expected to generate $40m in tax revenue per year. The city will host seven 2026 World Cup matches, including the Bronze Final, with up to a million visitors expected and a $1bn economic impact. Spain With more than 60% of citizens identifying as sports fans (particularly football), Spain has some of the world's best sporting facilities and an international presence that continues to draw fans. Its sports tourism market is expected to grow to more than 13% from 2024 to $64m, according to Travel and Tour World. "I've seen how massive soccer tourism is. I may not plan trips around matches, but plenty of travellers do," said Vega Lopez Romero, originally from Spain and blogger at Her Asian Adventures. "Some fly in just for El Clásico [the twice-annual match between rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid], others build entire vacations around a game at Camp Nou or Santiago Bernabéu. Cities like Madrid and Barcelona have fully embraced it, with stadium tours, club museums and fan zones that make fútbol feel like a cultural event. Even if you're not there for the match, the energy is everywhere." Valencia, Spain's third-largest city, has also embraced the trend, launching a dedicated sports tourism programme in 2019 and investing more than €1.4 million in marketing and training for local businesses. "Valencia has become a benchmark in sports tourism thanks to the dedication and attention that we offer to athletic and active visitors," said Paula Llobet, the city's Minister of Tourism. "[It is] setting us apart as a destination that truly understands and caters to their expectations." Two major venues are under construction: Roig Arena, which will be Spain's largest basketball arena when it opens in late 2025; and Nou Mestalla, a new 70,000-seat stadium for Valencia CF. Valencia will also host a Moto Grand Prix in 2025 and the 2026 Gay Games, a 38-sport inclusive event. Australia As the host of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, Australia launched its ambitious "Decade of Green & Gold" campaign, named after the country's official colours and aimed at solidifying the destination as a must-visit for sports fans. "Over the last three years we have been showing travellers why Australia is one of the best destinations for sports tourism, full of spirit, sights to see and incredible people," said Andrew Boxall, Tourism Australia's regional general manager. "Just this month we begin to see 40,000 UK fans arriving Down Under for this year's British & Irish Lions Tour." More like this:• Seeking tourists: Four countries that are actively welcoming travellers• Why Minneapolis is one of the world's happiest places• Five countries helping you reconnect you with your roots Major events include the Ashes cricket series, which sees Australia face off against England, and the men's and women's Rugby World Cups (2027 and 2029). The state of Victoria hosts the Australian Open and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, with its capital Melbourne hosting the NFL's first official Australian game in 2025 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. "With the Los Angeles Rams as the designated home team, the upcoming NFL game is poised to set a new record for the highest-ever attendance at an international series match," said Brendan McClements, CEO of Visit Victoria. "Sport is part of Melbourne and Victoria's DNA – it unites our communities, energises our cities and plays a vital role in driving our visitor economy." In New South Wales, Sydney's annual marathon was recently upgraded to Abbott World Marathon Major status, joining the ranks of New York, London and Tokyo. The city expects more than 35,000 runners this August. "Images of world-class athletes running over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and across the finish line at the Sydney Opera House will be beamed around the world," said Steve Kamper, NSW's Minister for Tourism. South Africa South Africa's mild climate, coastline and sporting legacy have made it a rising star in global sports tourism. The sector generated nearly $4bn in 2024 and could grow to $10bn by 2034, according to Future Market Insights. South Africa's cricket team, the Proteas, recently won the World Test Championship, with excitement rising as the country prepares to host the Cricket World Cup in 2027. The nation also remains a popular destination for golf, with 400 courses country-wide and major events like the Nedbank Golf Challenge, known as "Africa's Major". "South Africa's sports culture is not just about the numbers or the games; it's about our people," said Nomasonto Ndlovu, acting chief executive officer of South African Tourism, in a recent post. "I see sports tourism as a conduit for social transformation, economic growth and international unity. It has the power to transcend boundaries and resonate with people from all walks of life." -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.