2 days ago
'We have holidayed in Mallorca for 20 years but now we won't ever go back'
One family of former regulars to the holiday hotspot have vowed never to return.
Many of us have our favourite holiday hotspots; places that we will visit year after year because we love it so much. In most cases, it would take something massive for the annual holiday plans to be changed.
And that is just what has happened for one family. But rather than a single incident, for them it was a gradual but worrying change.
The family, from Ireland, have been regulars in Mallorca for the best part of 20 years - but no longer. They claim that prices are "going through the roof" across the Spanish island, and it has caused them to reconsider their vacation plans in future, The Express reports.
Among the eye-watering costs on their latest holiday was spending €45 (£39) on beds and umbrellas at the beach. They had cut their holiday from a full two weeks to 10 days in order to make savings too.
Even more worryingly, after they got home, they looked up a trip to the same hotel for next year, and balked at the price, which had shot up by €600 (£518) from last year.
While before they would enjoy "a 3-course meal with a bottle of wine and maybe a couple of cocktails on the way home", they had to change their dining habits on the latest trip.
This time around, they chose to have 'main course with a glass of wine and a beer", while their desserts "were replaced with ice cream on the way home'.
Although price rises are a feature of life everywhere at the moment, Mallorca is seeing costs surge at a higher rate than mainland Spain, according to Petra Mut, manager of the Regional Transport Federation.
The Irish family made their feelings known in a letter to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, where they revealed they were "searching next year's holiday destination elsewhere".
The letter, published on August 18, read: "We are a family of four from Ireland who have visited Mallorca many times over the last 20 years. Unfortunately, this year will be our last unless something changes. Prices have gone through the roof.
"We are not big drinkers but we like to eat out and have nice meals on holiday. Last year we would have a three course meal with a bottle of wine and maybe a couple of cocktails on the way home. All at a reasonable price and always cheaper than Ireland.
"This year we found it so expensive we ended up just having a main course with a glass of wine and a beer. No starter, no dessert and no bottle of wine as we weren't in the restaurant long enough. Desserts were replaced with an ice cream on the way home."
The adults even made cutbacks on their big anniversary meal on August 2. They would normally have "celebratory steaks" at The Blue Bar, but swapped their favourite meal for paella and saved the evening's bottle of wine for the hotel balcony, rather than the restaurant.
The letter continued: "The other issue we had was the beach. We prefer beach to pool. We expect to pay less than €15 for two beds and an umbrella at the beach.
"We had to get four beds and two umbrellas as kids are now young teens but it cost us €45. That's just crazy money. €45 before you spend a cent on lunch. In the end we split our time between pool and beach but brought a packed lunch to the beach."
The surging costs had the family considering other options, especially when they looked at next year's prices. They said: "When I got home, I looked up the hotel for next year and the price has risen by €600. It's just too expensive."
Despite having some of "the happiest times of their lives" on holiday, the letter concluded: "Regrettably I think Mallorca next year for us will be out of reach. Now searching next year's holiday destination elsewhere."
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