A British woman was left in tears after claiming her holiday to Benidorm was ruined by “too many Spanish people”. Freda Jackson, a pensioner in her 80s, told Spanish people to “go somewhere else for their holidays” after her two-week trip to the popular resort.
The woman, who suffers from mobility issues, claimed her accommodation was filled with “rude” Spaniards. Retired care assistant Ms Jackson said: “The hotel was full of Spanish holidaymakers and they really got on our nerves because they were just so rude.
“One evening a Spanish guy nearly knocked me flying and he just walked off without even apologising.”
Freda also complained about the entertainment on offer at the resort, saying: “The entertainment in the hotel was all focused and catered for the Spanish – why can’t the Spanish go somewhere else for their holidays?”
Freda had booked to stay at the Poseidon Playa, located on the outskirts of Benidorm in southeast Spain.
The pensioner says the travel operator Thomas Cook had even recommended the hotel and despite her request for flat ground access, it was located on a slope instead.
Grandmother-of-six Freda and her 61-year-old friend paid a total of £1,133 for the holiday and have demanded a full refund or a free trip.
Freda, who lives in Blackburn, Lancashire, said: “I have never complained about a holiday before – but this one was a disaster from start to finish My friend and I paid for it from our pensions and it was a struggle trying to fund it over 12 months and the holiday was totally ruined – I cried after.
“To top it off once we got to reception they told us we had been put on the 14th floor, thankfully we were moved to the second floor, and that it was 42 steps down to the hotel’s swimming pool.”
The pair travelled 1,500 miles from Manchester Airport to Alicante on May 10, after not being notified by Thomas Cook that the dates of their flights had changed. Freda, who has previously visited Greece, Turkey, Portugal and Tenerife, claims Thomas Cook “mis-sold” and “ruined” her dream holiday.
Thomas Cook bosses initially offered Freda and her friend a £75 holiday voucher as compensation for the “disappointing” trip abroad.
But after declining the initial “goodwill gesture” made by the travel company, they made an improved offer of £566 to be split between Freda and her friend.
A Thomas Cook spokesman said at the time: “Due to a system error Ms Jackson was not informed of a change to her flights until six days before departure. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this caused and are investigating to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We have offered Ms Jackson and her travel companion a gesture of goodwill to try and put things right which we hope she will accept.”
Later, the grandmother denied to the Mirror that she had made derogatory comments about Spanish people.
