A family of four cut short their stay at a TUI partner hotel in Sousse, Tunisia, after describing the conditions as "unfit for humans," leaving their two children in tears. The family later rebooked alternative accommodation privately at a cost of £3,200 after TUI declined to move them.
Arrival Reveals Green Pool and Faulty Room
Vikki Ashton, a clinical resourcing partner from Leeds, travelled to Tunisia in July with her husband Nicholas, 49, and their daughters Brooke, 19, and Esme, 12, for an £1,800 two-week all-inclusive holiday. Upon arrival, the family noticed the pool was green rather than the blue shown on the website.
Entering their room, they found side lights hanging off wires, a toilet that would not stop flushing, a broken bathroom door handle, and dirt in the public toilets near the all-inclusive bar. Vikki said the daughters found ants "all over the room and all over the bed."
TUI Refuses Move During Peak Season
Vikki called TUI to raise concerns, but said the company told her they could not move the family because it was peak holiday season, despite her seeing availability online. The family then decided to rebook with another hotel privately, costing £3,200 for the remaining 13 nights.
Vikki said: "We told reception we need moving. We rang TUI again the next morning and they told us they couldn't move us because it was height of the season. But they could've moved us because we could see right now there were several hotels in the area with availability today."
Compensation Offer and TUI Response
After returning to the UK, Vikki said TUI offered £105 in compensation, which the family declined. TUI has since stated they reviewed the matter, contacted Vikki, and offered to fully reimburse the cost of the alternative accommodation.
A TUI spokesperson said: "We're very sorry to hear about Ms Ashton's experience. We want everyone who travels with us to be able to do so with confidence and to receive the standard of holiday they expect. We have since resolved the matter directly with the customer and, following the concerns raised, taken the decision to remove the property from sale, meaning it is no longer available to book through TUI." The original hotel has been removed from sale.
