A woman has blasted TUI after alleging her friend awoke to find a bedbug entering her ear during their £1,300 getaway in Majorca.
Selina Dalglish, who celebrated her 41st birthday on the trip, recounted how what was supposed to be her dream celebratory holiday turned into a nightmare when she and her companion spotted ‘little red bugs’ marching across their beds at the Sol Katmandu Park and Resort in Magaluf. They even found what they claim were ‘bloodstains’ on their sheets, presumably from squashed insects.
They complained to the hotel staff, who, according to Selina and her friend, suggested that the offenders were likely bedbugs. In an attempt to rid themselves of the intrusive critters, the duo says they had to launder all their attire and chill their footwear for an entire day.
The holidaymakers flew out from Manchester Airport on September 14 and upon arrival described the resort as ‘perfect’. However, by Monday 16th, Selina, from Salford, woke with a bite mark on her arm.
“I assumed it was a mosquito bite and didn’t think anything of it, although I’ve never been bitten before,” she told the M.E.N. “Then I noticed a bug in the bathroom and just squished it, I thought it had probably just gotten through the doors.”
The morning of Selina’s birthday she claims her friend woke up to the feeling of something ‘crawling in her ear’. She claims her pal managed to catch it and ‘squish’ it against the sheet, leaving a bloodstain.
“She then turned her phone torch on and found more bugs in the bed,” she added. “Then I noticed there were more bloodspots on the bedding where we must have been squishing them overnight. So we went down to reception and told them, and eventually got hold of the housekeeper.”
The pair claim they were then told they needed to wash all their clothes and even freeze their shoes for 24 hours to get rid of the bugs. They were provided with a new room, but Selina said they were left constantly ‘on edge’.
It ruined the holiday,” she said. “It was horrible. I couldn’t stop scratching and checking the bed every two minutes. We were counting down the days until we came home!”
After they returned to Salford, Selina submitted a complaint to TUI and was offered £50 compensation – despite the holiday having cost £1,300. She called the offer ‘insulting’ and was later offered an £100 voucher – but the complaint was closed before she could claim it.
The M.E.N has contacted TUI and the Sol Katmandu Park and Resort for comment. Neither provided a comment following our requests.