Honeymoon from Hell!

Evening and Hello, 

"Well at least until next week when we can submerse ourselves in newly-wedded bliss again as we head off on honeymoon! Egypt here we come!" - Oh famous last words ... 

So firstly I should apologize. This is the first time I have spoken to you all since October and we are now mid-November. Most of which will be unveiled in this blog post but in short a melting pot of stress, anxiety, upset, and being poorly led to me not being able and/or well enough to write which has been hard but I am ready to now tell all. After having to postpone our wedding multiple times from October last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, I married my husband a little under a month ago, and following this, we decided to go back to Hays Travel (after we had used them back in September 2020 for the trip to Marmaris in Turkey which was incredible). Walking into the travel agents in Bedford we were there to book a very special trip indeed - Our Honeymoon. Paying over £1,600.00 for a five-star, all-inclusive hotel with flights, transfers, and airport parking at Gatwick, we were excited. 

Websites and the agent described the Continental Plaza Beach Resort as a "5-star resort in Sharm el-Sheikh located in El Pasha Bay, otherwise, known as Garden Reef Bay due to its beautiful beach reefs teeming with marine life. Adjacent to Naama Bay, it was described as having 5 restaurants, an aqua park, an extensive spa, and with the bright rooms we were sure to be relaxing in Luxury. Rooms with large windows opening onto a terrace or balcony overlooking the sea or beautiful gardens and grounds, the facilities including satellite TV, an electric kettle, and marble bathroom would all be bonuses. The agent informed us of all the restaurants at the Continental Plaza Beach Resort, serving world cuisine, ranging from Italian to Indian to barbecue specialties. And for the times when your belly was full and you wanted to laze by one of the 4 pools, there were also swim-up bars serving refreshing cocktails and light snacks. There was also a Gym for all those who couldn't escape a workout but for me the only working out to do was what I was going to do first and how I was going to fit it all in.

Arriving in Sharm El-Sheikh I was unprepared for the overwhelming safety procedures and the crowds of men waiting at the front of the airport to try and offer a lift or services to weary travelers and naive tourists. For this reason, I was grateful for a private shuttle but the chaos and the intense atmosphere at the airport arrivals had left me feeling unsafe and having a panic attack in the back of the cab. Sadly, the stress of the wedding and all that went with it was nothing in comparison to what we experienced whilst in Egypt. And it was only just beginning!

Following our arrival at the hotel, we discovered very quickly that the Continental Plaza Beach Resort Hotel booked was far from the advertised and sold five-star, all-inclusive, and was more like a 2* on the comparison. We were not made to feel special and our first room (Note first room) was basic without the bare essentials you expect including a kettle as promised in the brochures. This was far below the standard we paid for. 

The TV barely worked, the mirror in the bathroom was old and worn with paint peeling off and the bathroom itself was dirty and disgusting with toothpaste on the wall and chunks missing from the tiles and walls. The curtains were not clean and had burn marks from cigarettes. I mean I could barely open the wardrobe door without the door handle coming off in my hand. 

Calling reception, a serviceman came out to look at the TV and basically shrugged and left with little to no words said. Tired from a whole day of traveling my new Hubby and I tried to make the most of it, hoping the view, food, and facilities would make up for the poor hotel room conditions. This was not the case. 

The following morning and the first day of our Honeymoon, I woke up and within moments broke down into tears. Without hesitation and straight away I went to speak to reception and complained explaining that it was our honeymoon (as we had when we checked in just hours before) and that we were not happy. They helped us to move rooms however after being shown the third room by a teenage boy who spoke very little if any English I was told in broken words that there were no "better looking" rooms and all of them were "in the same condition". 

Sadly, despite the move, our new room was not much better. There were stains, the TV remote is rusting where the batteries are (which we could clearly see as there is no back). Again, as with our first room, bathroom mirror worn and old, the bathroom itself was dirty and disgusting with drawings and marks on the walls. The curtains were not clean and had burn marks and in addition, we had walls with weird, suspicious splash marks on them. A cardholder/reader was hanging off the wall, floor tiles chipped, and a bathroom phone with wires hanging out the back of it. This was horrendous. 

The WiFi we were assured of throughout the hotel is non-existent apart from the Lobby and that's only when it's quiet which is almost never as everyone in the "resort" is doing the same. I even had to go and buy a local Egyptian SIM card so we can just get by (without it we would have had no way to fill in our passenger location form for re-entry into the UK). I can only thank my lucky stars for knowing this and having the facilities to purchase this (at a cost of £20.00). After meeting with what we thought and were told was our rep Mr. Warehouse and I spent the day exploring the surroundings and just walking around the hotel grounds. We desperately tried to enjoy ourselves however this is far far FAR below what we expected and what we were sold. 

There were only 2 pools, no swim-up bar, no aqua park, no heated pool, the sun loungers are as tired and worn as the hotel with yet more stains and marks. Even the patio and walkways are crooked and broken. Building works seem to be taking place everywhere and there was even an abandoned part of the hotel which was unlocked, unsafe, and filled with health and safety hazards, bad enough already not to mention being mere meters from a children's playground and swimming pool and with a wraparound balcony any child (or adult) could have fallen from. 

The five "world class" restaraunts? Well ...

The food from the buffet 2 restaurants was not appealing or appetizing at all with food being left out so long it is going brown or had a skin on top (sauces including soups and gravy). However, the food was being constantly swapped and changed between the two, serving the same stuff over and over and over again with no change and rotating it between the two floors. The BBQ restaurant did not exist. The seafood restaurant did not exist unless we specifically asked to go there and even then, there was no information on how to do this? A La Carte restaurants were Italian and Oriental which we will get onto later. There was not even the opportunity to venture out of the hotel and eat somewhere else as we are miles from anything and unlike as we were promised it is nowhere near any other bar or restaurant that we could walk to. The place is honestly far below anything we thought or promised it was when we booked and despite trying to remain positive, my husband and I already wanted to pack our bags and come home. It had not even been a day and rather than being bonking in the sheets, we were balling our eyes out and feeling pretty low. 

It was at this point on the Sunday evening, barely a few hours after landing that we emailed Hays Travel and detailed our issues. This was not a positive email gushing about how wonderful it was. Far from it. This was not the honeymoon we wanted or expected. This was not the honeymoon we paid for, putting not only all of our wedding guests' wonderfully generous gifts into but also a fair amount of our savings too. Savings that could have been used better. 

The following day I had a reply to sort something out as we were totally unhappy. The response was not great though as the offered two alternative hotels - Dreams Beach Resort and the Aurora Oriental Resort were as bad as where we were if not worse. Both hotels of which were, according to the reviews posted on the likes of trip adviser and Google Reviews (some of which had only been submitted most recently as a few hours or days beforehand) confirmed that both the Dreams Beach Resort and the Aurora Oriental Resort's conditions and appeal was the same if not worse than what we were currently experiencing at Continental Plaza Beach Resort Hotel. 

"I don't know if anyone bothered to check these out but I would have expected that if something has gone so wrong and serious as moving hotels due to the condition and appearance then the most recent reviews and a full check on the hotel we would be moved to would be checked out for its suitability, not to mention keeping in alignment with something close to what we actually booked and paid for," was part of my furious reply to Hays Travel. Neither was 5*. Neither had the variety of restaurants or food quality we expected, booked and paid for. Neither had the variety of facilities we expected, booked and paid for. 

After refusing these and giving ample opportunity to fix the situation we were sick and tired of just "making do". We wanted to come home. In floods of tears (again), we explained this over email to which Hays Travel point blank refused, stating if we wanted to come home then this would not be something they would fund as there was an offered "alternative accommodation option" and should we wish to come home, we would have to sink another £800+ into flights to come home from a honeymoon which was a constant waking nightmare. 

In the meantime, someone had obviously contacted the hotel manager who accosted us walking back from the Lobby that evening and argued with us regarding the complaint we had made on the run-down state and poor condition of his hotel. He was unhelpful, unaccommodating, unapologetic, unsympathetic, unempathetic, and quite rude. He seemed more concerned that someone had made a complaint and gone into an undesignated area and taken photos of unsafe and dangerous rooms than actually sorting the issue. I recall him even saying his own words "we cannot satisfy you so you should leave" ... 

Unable to come to an agreement let alone a resolution Mr. Warehouse and I walked away as the conversation was getting more and more frustrated and rude (from the manager's direction). As we went to walk off, we were approached by another hotel guest who had their own string of complaints and problems with the hotel and who had been met with the same hostile approach. 

That evening the Hubby and I went to the "Italian" A La Carte restaurant, hoping that with everything else failing miserably that this would be the jewel in the alloy crown. You guessed it. It was not. 

After 5-minutes of waiting around for someone to show us to a table, we were seated. Neither I nor Mr Warehouse were asked what we would like to drink - at - all. 

Our starter arrived - which we had not ordered. This was a "salad" which was closer to a Mexican salsa than any salad I have ever eaten as it only consisted of finely chopped tomato, onion, and cucumber with some coriander thrown in for good measure. When I queried what it was and why this had been brought out as opposed to a menu for us to choose from, we were told that there was no choice. The meal was a "salad", Pizza and chocolate cake (which was no different from the one served at the buffet restaurants). The menu we were told was also the same regardless of whether you booked for the "Italian" or "Oriental" A La Carte restaurants. Yet again different restaurants serving the same food. At last check, Pizza is not Oriental and neither is a salad or chocolate cake. 

By this point, our third, nearly fourth day into our Honeymoon and I had barely eaten anything as so unappetizing and gross. I was starving and so was Mr. Warehouse. As the waiter turned, leaving our table, I was so heartbreakingly disappointed and on the verge of tears again. My new husband however was fuming. At no point had we been offered a choice of what we were getting as the phrase A La Carte means - having choices. This was no better than a goose being force-fed for Foie gras. 

Soon enough the main course of Pizza arrived and still, we had not been asked what we would like to drink (not that it mattered since you couldn't get a glass of wine in the entire hotel without having to ask no less than 5 times which I know due to first-hand experience). At no point had we been asked about allergies or intolerances (thank the fucking lord) and we had no clue about what was in any of the food we were presented. 

Luckily neither I nor my husband have any allergies or intolerances, however, we have close friends and family who are and that being even within close proximity can cause a huge anaphylactic reaction which could be, in some circumstances critically life-threatening. We refused the pizza, again explaining not only to the waiter but also to the manager of the restaurant that this was not A La Carte. We were told that it was a set menu. Again this is not the case as even with a set menu you would be offered a choice of what we were getting. Neither were the case. 

With this, we left and proceeded up to the Lobby where we waited for our actual rep to arrive. He was over 30-minutes late with no apology or explanation. On relaying all of the above and writing this all down (more than thirty items of failure) we made it clear we wanted results. This. Was. Not. Acceptable. 

We were then soon offered the choice to transfer to the Jaz Fanara Resorts Hotel or one of the other less than satisfactory accommodation suggestions or to pay a further £800.00+ we didnt have to come home. We accepted the Jaz Fanara Resorts Hotel and arrived to a warm welcome and continued our Honeymoon then with a pleasant stay, however with no thanks to Hays Travel as we had the further stress of having to try and locate a taxi and explain to them where we needed to go and how much it was going to cost (£20.00). 

As I am sure you can already tell, we are still not happy and, regardless of the improvement in hotel standards at the end we have made a complaint. Although this was delayed slightly as whilst out in Egypt still and as a result of the poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions, both I and Hubby contracted Food Poisening which meant that even the remainder of our Honeymoon was virtually unsalvageable as we were both very poorly with vomiting and diarrhea. Our holiday which was let's be fair TOTALLY ruined and now forever etched and scarred on our memory as to how our Honeymoon was and not how it should have been. 

As yet we have no reply and are no closer to a resolution. Hopefully, we can get something by next week and I can update you with more regarding our Honeymoon from Hell!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou x

Remember, if you would like to purchase anything then please feel free to check out my store at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Wooftys or visit our Instagram @WooftysDogTreats and use "TATOATS21" to get 10% off your first order over £15.00.

This. Sucks. Ass.

Hello everyone, 

Waking up that morning, sunlight just peeking through the blinds I was not looking forward to the day. There was so much to take in and so many new things and experiences it was all a bit much. Dressing in something more presentable than leggings and donning a bra for the first time in like six months, I was as prepared as I was ever going to be. Packing up my lunch, Slimming World books for the after-work entertainment and swimming costume for the Aquafit class after that I was nervous for all that Tuesday had to bring. 

Arriving at the office, feeling like my Mom had dropped me off for my first day of school and hearing Mr Warehouse pull away in the car I knew this was it, but walking through the gates I met a couple of friendly faces and slowly my fear and anxiety started to melt away. It took most of the day though and it felt ever so clunky being back at a desk I haven't been crafting and sticking stuff to. Struggling through my first week being half-and-half-back in the office and at home has been a struggle, but I have enjoyed seeing peoples faces again and missed the human interaction one normal has in an office environment.  

But regardless of the safety measures and socially distanced desks, the virus is still haunting my life and figures from the BBC released today (Monday 14 September 2020) confirm that the number of new cases of coronavirus is continuing to rise fears over a second spike are real. Whilst the figures do not suggest an upward turn for the pandemic, the figures are certainly damning when you look at where we are now and base it on the last six-months, figures for new COVID-19 cases are about the same levels as they were in late-March/early April this year. With coronavirus related deaths in the last 24-hour period were only recorded at just nine, a huge improvement to where we have been as a nation,  Boris Johnson announced that from today the Government’s advice would be changing and that "There are three simple actions we must all do to keep on protecting each other" - Wash hands, wear a mask and keep 2-metres apart. Hands. Face. Space. 

The rules around socialising and meeting up with friends and loved ones have also changed. Now, when seeing friends and family you must not meet in a group of more than 6, indoors or outdoors. This is something which is now against the law and the police will have the powers to enforce these legal limits which could include issuing fines of £100, doubling for further breaches and flouting of rules up to a maximum of £3,200. However, there are exceptions to this where groups can be larger than 6 people including for work, childcare, education, wedding and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions (not that it will benefit us as still up to 30 people including the bridal party) and public place funerals. So it seems for now at least, Mr. Warehouse can breathe easy as I cannot plan any sort of party or social gathering without facing the prospect of a fine. Halloween? Cancelled. My birthday? Semi-Cancelled.  Christmas Dinner? Who fucking knows at this rate but Christmas parties and New Years Eve celebrations are all up for the chop. 

This sucks. All of it sucks ass. So much fucking ass. I hate it. I hate what it has done to my plans and preparations and has put a massive fucking dampener on life and all future bloody plans. I thought, with less than 3-weeks before my planned wedding day I would at least have something to look forward to. A beach holiday somewhere hot where I can complain about the sand in-between my toes and indulge on one too many cocktails made by Alejandro the barman as I look at the clock and wonder where me and my groom and my wedding dress would be doing. 

But no. It looks as though Corona has fucked that one for me too as quarantine rules change so fast now, Mr Warehouse is worried about having to be off work if the rules change whilst we are away. Rules stipulate at the moment that "You will need to self-isolate if you visited or made a transit stop in a country or territory that is not on the travel corridor list in the 14 days before you arrive in England" says Gov.uk. So I suppose I can kiss goodbye to dreamy Greek islands or lush Italian breaks. I'm not going anywhere!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Clifford the big red car!

Hi All, 

Leaving the office, the clouds were grey and certainly far from partying in the sky above Bedford this afternoon as I jumped out of a work colleagues new car as she dropped me to the car dealership. I thought about the first time I came here and how I missed my little orange Ford Fiesta, Vivienne. Alas that chapter had ended with the haulage truck turning up last week to take her away, sparing me the anguish of seeing her leave whilst I had gone off to get my hair done! 

As I skipped into the dealership I was excited to see my new arrival outside, glinting in the overcast silver sky. The cute little Fiat 500L in red was to be christened "Clifford". He is big. He is red. He is mine. The 1.3 liter, 5-door multijet needed to be moved closer for me to have a proper look around the car and following a visit to meet him on Wednesday of last week I finally got a chance to have a whizz around town. A full panoramic glass roof, touch screen on board computer system, cruise control and even a trusty CD player I was certainly glad of some of the mod-cons. With just over thirty-thousand miles on his 2013 plate clock, it was certainly a steal at £140 per month on a Hire Purchase finance deal. 


But I know what your thinking. With several grand sat in the bank, would it not have been better and more cost effective to put that money towards my new car, whatever it may be? However whilst I have essentially walked away not only unscathed but very-much essentially up on my investment, the money would be of much more use to me not tied up and with easy access should I need it in the future, that and the wedding would be nicely taken care of. Why didn't I consider a brand spanking new motor? The fact is that it would depreciate by over a third just by driving it off the forecourt which is always a huge factor in why I have chosen and will probably continue to choose to buy second-hand over new. 

That being said, my settlement doesn't make me stupid with money as the dealership found out in more ways that one. Following the visit to meet Clifford on Wednesday and our test drive, I was informed that there had been some minor damages on the vehicle and that they would be fixed before collection in a couple of days time, one being the rear brake light was cracked and the other being the front passenger seat belt casing was missing. Assured that the car would be fully checked and valeted as well before Clifford was ready to come home I was taken into the offices of Evans Halshaw Vauxhall in Bedford, offered a hot chocolate and the paperwork to sign and read through. 

However, reading down the page I could see that there was something blatantly obvious that had not been picked up and was potentially a huge issue. The Interest rate. Now cast your mind back to when I initially bought 
Vivienne I did not necessarily know about the best way to get finance on a car. I assumed, and rightly so I would be charged a slight premium for opting to go through the salesman who puts on their percentage, and then through the dealership who puts on their percentage to go to the finance company who, you guessed it, put on their percentage. But I never knew of the horrendous rate I was on until the accident. Nearly. Twenty. Percent. 

I was shocked, to say the least, and when I discovered what I had been paying for the two and a half years nearly I felt stupid. Normally I am so money conscience and always wanting to know if there is a way I can get it or a similar product cheaper or getting the best deal on something, only to be faced with an extortionate interest rate. Now I know that things were different back then and interest rates were higher, however when reading through the paperwork this time I was certain to make sure that the interest rate was no more than the ten-percent advertised by the saleswomen. But now, as I read through the pages and pages it stared be dead in the face. There it was in black and white. 12.9% APR interest rate. I asked why this was different to a few days ago when I initially enquired about the car and was met with a rude response. 

The rotund, grey-haired gentleman told me that it was what it was and it had always been that rate whether I was to borrow five pound or five thousand pounds. 
"Well it is only a three-percent difference, I can't see what the issue is?" He scoffed as I continued reading through, trying to work out my next move while deciphering the technical language and car jargon. 
"This is not was agreed or explained to me," I said boldly as I pushed the paperwork back across the desk. I stood up and thanked the sales lady for showing me the car and stated I would be in touch as the car was not the issue, the interest rate (and the old farts attitude) was. Spinning on my heels I turned and left, hoping they would call me back and offer a more reasonable rate. 

They did not, however arriving back home I had no sooner sunk into the black couch then I had a phone call. It was the finance manager. 
"I am sorry you have had this experience," he explained "I do hope that you will let me rectify this. You see I could essentially give you the car for 0% APR but that would mean I would be in negative commission and wouldn't make any money from the sale, so I am happy to beat the initial offer and settle at 9.9% if you are happy with this?" He continued. I thought long and hard about what he had to say. Time was running out on the hire car and I needed to make some decisions and fast. On agreeing that I was happy to settle at the now reduced rate (not that 0.01% is hardly a huge discount) I explained that considering I could go to a bank or online and get a loan for less than a third of what I was expected to pay, and I was already sensitive about the interest rate since last time I bought a car I was taken for a ride (I would excuse the pun but I love it too much)!

Happy I went along my merry way and was excited to pick up my car in a few days time once the work had been completed on the rear brake light and the front passenger seat belt casing. Although less than twenty-four hours after the APR debacle I had another phone call from the dealership. 
"So the front passenger seat belt casing will not be replaced due to the age of the car (its a 2013 plate car - less than six years old) but also because the part is a couple of hundred quid as the part comes only as a set and goes right the way under the seat." The sales lady explained. Fuming I ended the phone call and wondered what to do next. I had even less time now until my hire car went back and needed something soon. 

After getting some advice from work colleagues who knew the car industry well, I called the general manager of the dealership and asked why this could not be fixed as part and parcel of the works, considering all the issues I have had, and with special thought to the fact that whilst I am buying a used car, this was now a broken car with an issue that was not detailed on the pictures, nor on the information held on the website. Going off to investigate I was prepared to ask for something cheekily to be thrown in if they could not fix it free of charge, however I needn't have put on my boxing gloves, for when the manager called back moments later I was told that this would be done as soon as the part was in and without any cost to myself. 

With no noticeable damage or scratches to the paintwork and after being shown around and how to use him, I bid farewell to the sale lady (although I am certain she was more pleased to see me go) and with that, Clifford's almighty diesel engine steered me homeward bound. I am certainly looking forward to more adventures together, and hopefully even sharing it as Mr Warehouse and I expand our family in the future. Road trips, holidays and sneaky trips to the shops, I will be sure that Clifford and I will be riding high!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx