A British holidaymaker has expressed his frustration after arriving at a so-called four-star hotel in Corfu, Greece, only to discover what he described as an “ant-infested hellhole.”
Will Marsden, 30, along with a friend, had spent £1,000 for a five-night stay, only to be deeply disappointed upon arrival.
Describing the hotel to Luxury Travel Daily, Marsden, who runs an online art business called Mawgo, explained how the photos of the resort had painted a far different picture than reality.
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What they encountered was a scruffy, outdated room with a distinct odor, a bathroom caked in limescale, and a pool that was unusable due to a layer of green algae.
“We looked around, and our hearts just sank,” he said, reflecting on the stark contrast between the luxury depicted online and the rundown state they found themselves in.
The pool area, which had been advertised as pristine, was empty and filthy.
“The whole place was a complete dump,” he added, noting the abundance of mismatched, broken sun loungers and dirt strewn about the grounds.
The once lush grass had turned to brown mud, and the bar, crawling with flies, was attended by a rude staff member casually holding a cigarette.
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Marsden and his friend were also unimpressed by the cocktails, which he described as “just spirit with soda water and grenadine,” despite the menu claiming fresh juices would be used.
As a vegetarian, Marsden was dismayed by the limited snack options, which included ham sandwiches and stale biscuits wrapped in clingfilm.
The pair had booked their stay at the Porto Demo Boutique Hotel through easyJet holidays. Marsden said he quickly realized they’d been “catfished” by the hotel’s misleading portrayal online.
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Upon arriving at the reception, the musty smell and dated decor set a discouraging tone. They even witnessed another couple complaining about an ant infestation and a broken shower.
Climbing several flights of stairs to their room, lugging their heavy suitcases, only deepened their regret.
When they finally opened the door to their room, Marsden said their jaws dropped. The room smelled bad and appeared much more worn than the photos suggested, with marks all over.
The bathroom was so cramped that the door hit the toilet when opened, and it was covered in limescale with standing water in the shower.
Marsden and his friend contacted easyJet, providing photos of the conditions. However, it took an entire day to receive a response.
When he called back, the case handler’s explanations left them unsatisfied. He was told that poor drink quality is often the norm at all-inclusive resorts and that the patchy grass was due to the hot summer.
The handler also mentioned that Marsden should have notified them of his dietary needs in advance, even though the hotel’s website claimed to cater to vegetarians.
In the end, Marsden was offered only a £50 refund on their £1,000 holiday, which he rejected. “It’s not good enough,” he said, demanding to be moved to a new hotel.
While they waited for a resolution, they spent an uncomfortable night in the hotel before being offered a slightly increased refund of £75.
Frustrated, the pair decided to take matters into their own hands, paying an additional £500 to stay at a different, much nicer hotel.
Marsden said they were there for less than 24 hours before moving, but others have since reached out to him with similar complaints about the Porto Demo Boutique Hotel.
“We’re absolutely gutted. We were so looking forward to the trip and were devastated by the experience,” he said.
In response, an easyJet holidays spokesperson said, “We’re really sorry to hear that Mr. Marsden is unhappy with his hotel experience.
We regularly review our hotel content to ensure it accurately reflects what’s on offer, and we’re currently investigating this case.
Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and we have reached out to Mr. Marsden with a gesture of goodwill.”
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