They booked a luxury hotel and there was "no more room": these French people's vacation turned into a nightmare
It's a popular destination for French vacationers looking to enjoy a sunny holiday in heavenly hotels. But for many summer tourists, that dream turned into a nightmare this year. Overbookings, overpriced restaurants, umbrella rentals, and illegal beach snacks have caused consternation.
This August, nearly 80 tourists were getting impatient about their stay at White Beach, a 5-star, "adults only" and "all-inclusive" hotel with pools overlooking the sea. The promise of a dream vacation, but upon arrival, it was a cold shower.
Dylan, a French tourist who had gone to Morocco with his parents and girlfriend, told our colleagues at Le Parisien : the travel agency told them "that basically the hotel was overbooked and there were no more places," and they were offered the Palais des Roses, another 5-star hotel. "The only difference," he continues, "is that we're in Agadir and we're with children, but overall it's a hotel that has just been renovated. He tells us that we won't regret it and that it's truly incredible."
But it's all a lie according to these French people who paid around 1,000 euros per person: "the setting is absolutely not the same" and the young student describes to the regional daily an establishment that is "family-friendly, noisy, damp, under construction, without a private beach." They then realize that they are far from being an isolated case: there are around thirty vacationers in the same situation, and 50 others who experienced the same scenario the previous week: all resigned to staying there after numerous unsuccessful attempts with the agency and the hotel...
Their troubles don't end there. As bladi.net , the Moroccan news site and forum, points out, "between overpriced rentals and disappointing services," many Moroccans on vacation in their country have denounced other abusive summer practices, such as accommodations whose descriptions in no way correspond to reality: "In five days in Agadir, I spent the equivalent of my monthly salary. And my children couldn't even properly enjoy the pool; it was green," reported Salma, a mother of two.
Another opaque practice observed this summer: restaurants have hidden their prices to better take advantage of the seasonal crowds. As Khalid explained to the Moroccan website: "We were with family at a restaurant in Fnideq, which is very well-known. There were no prices on the menu, we suspected, but hey... When we got the bill, they asked us for double what we expected."
Other problems have been encountered even at the water's edge, with umbrella and snack bar rental companies illegally occupying Moroccan beaches, limiting the space available for users who wish to settle freely with their own towels. "A young man came to tell us to clear out because this part of the beach was reserved for snack bar customers," says Rachida, on vacation in Tangier...
L'Internaute
