Canary Island holiday infested with cockroaches – even in toaster

A teacher looking forward to a relaxing holiday after battling kidney disease ended up being re-hospitalised due to the stress of her Canary Islands trip. Her £740 apartment was so infested with cockroaches that they were even found in the toaster.

Melissa Hamilton, 38, from Norfolk, was rushed to hospital in June 2023 when her kidney disease caused her potassium levels to plummet, leaving her feeling drained and struggling to walk.

After her recovery, she and her sister, Joanna Hamilton, a 31-year-old HR adviser, decided to book a three-week holiday to Arguineguin, Gran Canaria, for further recuperation. They booked their accommodation for £742.67 through Booking.com and were scheduled to stay in the apartment from July 1 to July 22, 2023.

However, they left after just one night when they discovered a horde of cockroaches on the floor, flying around the apartment, and even in the toaster.

The sight made Melissa “feel sick” and “so upset”. Despite reaching out to Booking.com and the apartment owners, she claimed she was denied a refund, reports Bristol Live.

The owner reportedly told them they shouldn’t have come to a hot country where cockroaches “are everywhere”. Just three days into her holiday, Melissa began feeling drowsy, light-headed, and experienced heart palpitations.

She was hospitalised and it was discovered that her potassium levels were “extremely low”, which she believes was due to stress.

Melissa’s husband, Vladimir Lungan, 37, rushed to her aid by flying out and paying an additional £1,600 for hotel accommodation. On their return home, the sisters were offered a “goodwill” partial refund of roughly £200 from Booking.com, but the nightmare had already “ruined” their holiday.

Melissa vowed never to use the service again.

Melissa recounted her infuriating experience to PA Real Life, saying: “I felt really angry: you pay for your holiday and you don’t get the service you deserve,” she said. “It was beyond cleaning, it was an infestation problem that needed to be dealt with, it wasn’t in our hands.”

She continued to express her disgust, saying: “I said to Joanna, we just need to go, it needs to be fumigated … you know, cockroach on toast anyone? It felt really unsafe, after seeing that, I wouldn’t even want to use the oven, it made me feel really sick and ruined what was meant to be a relaxing break.”

The following month, Melissa’s health took a turn when she started suffering symptoms of extreme fatigue, severe constipation, and weakening legs due to the impact of kidney disease lowering her potassium levels. This led to a three-day hospital stay where she received potassium through an IV line.

Information from the National Kidney Foundation explains the necessity of potassium for many body functions. It is vital for electricity conduction throughout the body, playing a significant part in keeping the heart beating regularly and muscles working correctly.

Kidney disease sufferers are particularly at risk of decreased potassium levels, especially during the early stages of the condition.

Upon returning home from the hospital, she and Joanna decided they were in dire need of a holiday. They turned to Booking.com to find accommodation and, after separately booking their flights, stumbled upon a “basic but clean” apartment in Gran Canaria that had received positive reviews.

They believed it would serve as the ideal base, being conveniently located near amenities and the beach, and also suitable for Joanna to continue her work remotely as a HR adviser so they secured it for a three-week stay at £742.67. Presently, a three-week stay in July for an apartment in Gran Canaria via Booking.com averages around £1,600 for three weeks and approximately £70-£80 per night.

However, their arrival at the apartment on July 1 left them deeply disappointed. “On the surface, it looked fine apart from the television lead being broken and the bathroom window being jammed shut,” Melissa detailed.

“I was extremely tired and I felt something buzzing around my head and I thought ‘What’s that? Perhaps it’s just a wasp’. But it turned out to be a flying cockroach. I thought, maybe it’s just the one but it didn’t really dawn on me (that there might be more).”

“My sister spent the night in the living room and she mentioned that something felt off and she kept spotting these flying creatures.”

The following morning, Melissa discovered a small room with a fridge that was infested with “cockroaches everywhere”. She said they even found the insects in their toaster. Melissa and Joanna immediately reached out to Booking.com, who apologised for the inconvenience and suggested they contact the property owners regarding potential compensation or a refund.

Melissa messaged the owners through the Booking.com app, informing them of the cockroach problem. In a message shared with PA Real Life, the owners responded: “But seriously if you do not like cockroaches you do not have to come to hot countries (they) are everywhere in the street.

“Nobody ever complained about anything.”

Booking.com insists that the owner offered a solution to the cockroach issue, but Melissa disputes this. She stated: “The owner provided no solutions at all – she had an assistant … but all she did was look at the ‘roaches and jump over them.

“The owner mentioned using chemicals and said that they use pest control every three months.”

The owners also declined to offer a refund or compensation, she said.

Melissa expressed her disappointment, saying: “I was really upset and it just wasn’t what we expected. We just wanted somewhere to relax and do our own thing and instead we were having to call Booking.com. Booking.com’s customer service was terrible. They basically said: ‘What do you expect with cheap accommodation?’

“I was like, I don’t see nearly 800 euros as cheap for three weeks regardless, I don’t know why money would be bearing on it. I just don’t think any of the people could put themselves in our shoes.”

The sisters were forced to find alternative lodgings for two nights, shelling out approximately £62 each, with Joanna ending up in a shared Airbnb due to the scarcity of last-minute options. “It was so stressful because we weren’t getting any money back and my insurance only covered the health side of things, not accommodation, and we didn’t pay on a credit card,” she explained.

“We were essentially going to be homeless in a foreign country … it was meant to be a relaxing holiday.”

In a desperate bid for a refund, Melissa and her sister relentlessly pursued Booking.com, bombarding them with calls and emails several times daily. Melissa recounts that the ordeal led to her potassium levels plummeting to “extremely low”, resulting in her hospitalisation and treatment with a potassium tablet just three days into their trip.

Melissa’s husband had to fly over to support her, and together with Joanna, they forked out an extra £1,600 to secure a hotel for the rest of their stay. It wasn’t until Melissa got back home that Booking.com issued a £200 refund, she said, which was less than half of what she initially paid.

Looking back, Melissa feels there was nothing she could have done to prevent the disastrous holiday but vows to steer clear of Booking.com in the future. She remarked: “I think Booking.com needs to check their apartments more before listing them on their website.”

“Next time, I might pay on a credit card so it might be easier to get some money back, but it was just an insult that we didn’t even get a full refund.”

Booking.com stated: “We always strive to support our customers in the best way possible and were in touch with the customer about this reservation in July 2023, after concerns were initially raised about the street noise levels. We offered further support by liaising directly with the property owner who provided a number of solutions, all of which were unfortunately declined by the customer.”

“While the property, which is responsible for the experience guests have staying at their property, did not opt to provide a refund, we can confirm that we offered a gesture of goodwill.”