31 January 2024 , 12:13
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A grandad-of-three endured a night in a Turkish "hotel from hell" before he walked out in disgust.
Martin Willmott, 64, was looking forward to the eight-day holiday in Marmaris, having spotted a great deal in a brochure. On arrival, dad-of-two Martin claims he found fresh blood, urine, broken tiles and dodgy electrics in his hotel room.
The caterer was unable to stomach the problems and so walked out, just two hours after arriving. He has since complained - but claims package provider Galaxy Holidays are fobbing him off, prompting him to go directly to the CEO.
The travel firm has now claimed Martin did not tell staff of the issues before leaving and that he has since been offered compensation.
Martin, from Daventry, Northants, claims he found fresh blood and urine on the bedsheets and mattress, as well as electric plugs in the shower cubicle.
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He said: “There was blood on the sheets. The mattress protector had what looked like fresh blood on it and the mattress underneath filthy. There were stains that looked like urine. It was filthy and made me itch just being in there.
“It was the hotel from hell. I was abandoned in Turkey and they refused to do anything about it - no partial refund, nothing. They wouldn't acknowledge genuine complaint."
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Martin said he was alarmed by the state of the hotel room (Martin Wilmott / SWNS)
Martin said there were plug sockets in the shower (Martin Wilmott / SWNS)Martin paid £920 for the package holiday, which included flights, transfers and the hotel stay. He flew to Dalaman Airport on 13 September and picked up a transfer to Marmaris, where he was due to stay for the eight day break.
When he arrived at the hotel, Martin immediately thought that it looked scruffy from the outside and had broken tiles leading up the stairs. When he got into the room, he was horrified to find what looked like blood and urine on the mattress and holes in the bedsheets.
Martin says other issues included electric outlets in the shower, exposed wiring and dirty floors. In desperation, Martin booked another hotel within hours of being in the room, and at sunrise walked two hours to the other accommodation - paying an extra £260 for the stay.
On his return, Martin complained to Galaxy Holidays, but says he was offered no refund or compensation. He claims he was accused of lying about his experience.
He has now written to the CEO of Galaxy Holidays directly, but claims he has yet to get a response. Martin added: “The hotel looked really good. The location seemed good and it was 10 mins from beach, so I booked it.
“As I was going through the booking process, it was booked in sections. It was a package deal, and they were taking payment as I went along. Then they started adding things like luggage limits, but I’d already paid for part of it, so it was cheaper to go on than pull out.
“When I got there, there were broken tiles all over the stairs. It was dirty. It looked not very nice, and it got worse when we opened the door to the room. The place was a right state. I found somewhere a two-hour walk away and at first light dumped the room card in reception and walked there.
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“When I got back, I complained again to Galaxy Holidays - I got a letter back saying I was lying. They said they wouldn't give us any refunds. Their ads say the money is totally protected, but your money’s not safe at all with them.”
A spokesperson for Galaxy Holidays said: "We were disheartened to learn about Mr Martin Willmott's experience with his recent holiday booked through Galaxy Holidays. We strive to provide exceptional service, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience he may have faced.
"Upon investigating the matter, we found that Mr Willmott left the hotel without informing Galaxy Holidays or the in-resort team about the issues he encountered during his stay. It's crucial for customers to follow the proper procedures outlined in our terms and conditions to allow us to address concerns and rectify any issues promptly.
The grandad said he found fresh seeming blood on the sheet (Martin Wilmott / SWNS)"Unfortunately, Mr Willmott did not follow these procedures, hindering our ability to assist him in real-time. We understand that Mr Willmott experienced difficulties with the cleanliness of the room, including allegations of fresh blood on the bedsheets and exposed wiring.
"While we were not informed immediately, our suppliers have since offered him compensation as a gesture of goodwill. We are working closely with our partners to ensure that such incidents are thoroughly investigated and necessary actions are taken to prevent recurrence.
"Regarding Mr Willmott's request for a refund or contribution due to his poor experience, we would like to reiterate that adherence to the established procedures is essential for us to assess and respond to such requests appropriately.
"We encourage customers to reach out to our in-resort team or our customer service department during their stay to allow us the opportunity to resolve issues promptly.
"We understand the importance of addressing customer concerns, and we are committed to continuous improvement to ensure the best possible experience for our valued customers."