A Manchester family’s dream £12,000 luxury Jamaican holiday turned into a ‘nightmare’, with Lucy Hylton, 39, slamming the five-star resort for its ‘filthy’ buffet and ‘broken furniture’. The Hyltons were horrified to find their rooms in a dirty state, one reeking so badly it was almost unbearable to breathe, especially concerning as they had a young child with them.
Lucy and her husband Zata, 30, had forked out £6,000 for a two-week all-inclusive stay at Royalton Negril, Jamaica, eager to introduce their four-month-old son Leo to his Jamaican family. Accompanied by Lucy’s parents, Sheila, 69, and Graham Hoy, 68, who also paid £6,000, they looked forward to celebrating Leo’s first trip abroad as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
Luxury resort
The resort, which boasts of providing guests with a “luxurious experience, mouth-watering gourmet meals and superior, friendly service at every turn”, left Lucy declaring: “It was a nightmare from check in.
“Our room was dirty,” she added. “Mum and Dad’s room was horrendous. It stunk so bad you could barely breathe, the shower door was broken, the couch was broken, and the TV was broken.”
The buffet’s state, with its unkempt floor and damaged fixtures, left her utterly aghast. “The floor was dirty. It was unbelievable” she said, reports the Mirror.
Holiday horrors
Lucy shared the horrors of their holiday experience, describing the deplorable condition of their accommodation: “The grills were thick with grime, and the microwaves looked like they’d never been cleaned.”
Despite shelling out £6,000 each for an all-inclusive getaway, the family felt compelled to eat elsewhere: “We would never usually eat out because it was all-inclusive, and we paid £6,000 each, but we were scared to eat from the buffet, so we ate out seven times.”
She recounted a particularly alarming episode involving her son Leo: “On the second to last night, the fire alarm was going off at 11pm.. “We thought they might be testing it, even though it was a weird time. The fire alarm in the room next door was going off constantly.
Chaos strikes
“Our fire alarm was going off every ten minutes from 1 am to 5 am. They came and removed the bit that makes the noise, which is dangerous,” she continued.
The chaos took a toll on the whole family, as she explained: “Leo was screaming so he had to wear ear defenders, and we sat on the balcony until 5am. Some issues are small, but together they’re a problem. Because we were stressed, Zatar and I were arguing.”
Even her parents couldn’t escape the distress: “My mum and dad were desperate to go home from day three.”
Downgraded
The holiday of a lifetime turned sour for a family who saved for an entire year to introduce young Leo to his Jamaica family.
Their getaway was booked with TUI, which two months prior informed them of a downgrade from their coveted platinum range, whilst promising that the opulent five-star amenities would remain intact.
Battle rages
Following uproar, the family saw improvements with a room clean-up and the offer of an alternate suite. They even received complimentary beach cabanas complete with waiter service and a goodwill voucher for future use.
Yet, the battle rages on as the couple demands a refund for the hotel expenses, which has been met with resistance from TUI.
Disgusting response
Lucy aired her grievances: “They said there’s nothing they can do. Their response is disgusting, but I’m not shocked by it. It was our first family holiday, and we were so looking forward to it, but it was horrible.
“I felt terrible for my mum and dad, and I felt responsible because I’d recommended it. My husband is so upset because I’ve got a stale taste in my mouth for Jamaica, and that’s his home country and my son’s heritage.
Only company
“He had high expectations of introducing Leo to his family.
“I’ll never use TUI again, ” she vowed. “TUI is the only company that flies from Manchester to Jamaica.”
Jamaica is still the best
For Lucy, this visit represented her fourth to the resort, which she asserts has declined notably since her previous jaunt in 2021.
She voiced her disappointment, stating: “I’ve always said Jamaica is the best Caribbean island, the people are friendly, it’s authentic and there’s loads to do, but this has put me off.”