Most disappointing holiday/tourist destination/attractions?
Discussion
Inspired by a pub conversation at the weekend, what has been your most disappointing holiday destination or visited tourist attraction? By disappointing, I mean the one that fell furthest behind your initial hopes and expectations?
On a personal level, as a place I'd nominate Las Vegas - was expecting it to be far more fun - instead I found it dirty, trashy, and pretty horrific. Likewise Niagara Falls City - the falls themselves are impressive from the Canadian side, but the city sitting behind is truly awful.
As an attraction, The Mannekin Pis in Brussels, much smaller than you might imagine, and in the middle of nondescript area of the city. It's not even the real one, rather a recreation. Or the Leaning Tower, which is marginally interesting in itself, but if you look beyond the tower and nearby church, Pisa is actually quite a dump.
Just my opinions really - I certainly don't want to start an argumentative thread, so would welcome yours, in a constructive fashion.....
On a personal level, as a place I'd nominate Las Vegas - was expecting it to be far more fun - instead I found it dirty, trashy, and pretty horrific. Likewise Niagara Falls City - the falls themselves are impressive from the Canadian side, but the city sitting behind is truly awful.
As an attraction, The Mannekin Pis in Brussels, much smaller than you might imagine, and in the middle of nondescript area of the city. It's not even the real one, rather a recreation. Or the Leaning Tower, which is marginally interesting in itself, but if you look beyond the tower and nearby church, Pisa is actually quite a dump.
Just my opinions really - I certainly don't want to start an argumentative thread, so would welcome yours, in a constructive fashion.....
had ham said:
On a personal level, as a place I'd nominate Las Vegas - was expecting it to be far more fun - instead I found it dirty, trashy, and pretty horrific
Where did you stay/visit and what time of year?We've been twice and found it the exact opposite. Aspects of it are admittedly a bit trashy but surely that's part of the appeal and we also found it was all done with a degree of style (if you can believe such a thing - I know it sounds counter-intuitive).
Eating out in Vegas is just amazing. More choice than can actually be processed and the standards are world class.
I found the Mona Lisa completely underwhelming.
Small, dark and kept well back from the viewing public. Definitely not worth shuffling through a ten-deep crowd for.
Crossflow Kid said:
Where did you stay/visit and what time of year?........
.......I found the Mona Lisa completely underwhelming.
Small, dark and kept well back from the viewing public. Definitely not worth shuffling through a ten-deep crowd for.
I should perhaps qualify my opinion - it was a while ago, so things may have changed, and I was there for a weekend only, as I found myself in that part of the world on business for two and a half weeks - and perhaps the weekend gives you a slightly different perspective? It was May/June if I recall, and I'd have to do some digging to recall the name of the hotel - suffice to say, it was huge, anodyne, and lacking in any sort of character - the exact opposite of what I look for in a hotel........I found the Mona Lisa completely underwhelming.
Small, dark and kept well back from the viewing public. Definitely not worth shuffling through a ten-deep crowd for.
Perhaps the gods of tourism conspired to bring all those things together to create an overall dislike of the place and a reticence to go back? If I'm in the US, there's so much more to see to make any effort to return to LV.
Completely agree on the Mona Lisa, very underwhelming, too high mounted, behind glass (for the obvious reasons), with a general melee in front of it. The Louvre has so many other worthwhile things to see!
Blackpool - why anyone would want to go is beyond me!
New York - went around mid december a few years ago. Really did not get what all the fuss was about if I'm honest. It was nice but not wow.
Niagara - As someone elses has already said, falls are amamzing, the town is werird. Like a clean blackpool but utterly dead. Spent 3 days there, 1/2 is enough
New York - went around mid december a few years ago. Really did not get what all the fuss was about if I'm honest. It was nice but not wow.
Niagara - As someone elses has already said, falls are amamzing, the town is werird. Like a clean blackpool but utterly dead. Spent 3 days there, 1/2 is enough
I know this an opinions thread but all those people saying Hong Kong was a disappointment are disgusting idiots and should be banned from any holiday and travel threads for ever.
I can’t possibly imagine what any of you did when you visited there to find it “disappointing”
I lived there for 24 years and it’s clearly an awesome place.
I can’t possibly imagine what any of you did when you visited there to find it “disappointing”
I lived there for 24 years and it’s clearly an awesome place.
AshVX220 said:
A tad worried to read about the views of Vegas, Montreal and Niagara as doing those area's this year. with a one day stop at Niagara on the way home.
See the falls from the Canadian side, maybe do the Maid of the Mist, then haul ass to Niagara on the Lake, which is a lovely place to spend some time - it could't be more different to Niagara City.Girlfriend and I have both agreed that neither of us ever want to go back to Paris.
Las Vegas has got worse in the last few years, it seems to me that people are trying to rip you off more than ever. Taxi driver from the airport to the Wynn charged me $45 and then turned his nose up when I gave him a $50. It had been 12 years since I had last been and I thought it wasn't the right way but was not sure enough to question.
Streets are full of "street entertainers" who just want your money plus I was constantly asked for money by people who had hard luck stories and needed "$10 for gas". I think Las Vegas is really struggling and the people are getting more and more desperate which just puts people off from going back there due to being ripped off.
On the way to Vegas we had some time so popped into Hollywood to see Hollywood Boulevard. What an absolute dump, seriously a place where you do not feel safe walking the streets.
Las Vegas has got worse in the last few years, it seems to me that people are trying to rip you off more than ever. Taxi driver from the airport to the Wynn charged me $45 and then turned his nose up when I gave him a $50. It had been 12 years since I had last been and I thought it wasn't the right way but was not sure enough to question.
Streets are full of "street entertainers" who just want your money plus I was constantly asked for money by people who had hard luck stories and needed "$10 for gas". I think Las Vegas is really struggling and the people are getting more and more desperate which just puts people off from going back there due to being ripped off.
On the way to Vegas we had some time so popped into Hollywood to see Hollywood Boulevard. What an absolute dump, seriously a place where you do not feel safe walking the streets.
Rider007 said:
Absolutely love HK. Bustling markets ,food ranging from street food to Michelin restaurants. Excellent transport (trams, buses, subway, ferries ). Victoria peak views, laser show of the skyscrapers at night. Racing at Hong Kong jockey club. Vodka Martini's at the Peninsula hotel. Hydrofoil over to Macau for the casinos. Lamma Island. Excellent expat community. Cooler than Singapore which I wasn't really impressed with apart from Marina Bay Sands.
I quite like Singapore but it’s a bit sterile. It’s basically Hong Kong without all the naughty bits. Fluffsri said:
Oh yeah and Paris, never want to back there again, expensive s
thole
I liked Paris (but not Cairo). thole I really like boat trips and the ones down the Seine are excellent, the architecture and history on the river are stunning, the Louvre is great as are the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.
Obviously there are drawbacks in the traffic and the thieves and jihadist terrorists but i think it’s a great city for a weekend break.
El stovey said:
I quite like Singapore but it’s a bit sterile. It’s basically Hong Kong without all the naughty bits.
There's plenty of naughty bits in Singapore - but it's reasonably well hidden behind the Govt-sponsored 'perfectly integrated crime-free society' veneer. I quite liked it there, especially the weather and the food, but after 2 years residency, I was going stir-crazy - it is indeed, quite sterile, 'Asia-Lite, if you will. I think Hong Kong is legendary - taking a Star across the harbour is utterly amazing, and I've had some monumental nights out there too. Food is also wonderful, and I love the buzz, the 'edge', the character. Arrival is not quite the same nowadays though, no longer landing at Kai Tak.Paris - expensive
New York - expensive and overrated
Chicago - cold, windy, unsafe.
Los Angeles - hot, dirty, unsafe
Don’t like any of them and I’m back in New York early March, some of my colleagues haven’t been before so have booked our intensity to include a night in central Manhattan.
I really enjoyed;
Seville (as much as it pains me to say)
Kuala Lumpur
Borneo (relatively unspoilt paradise)
New York - expensive and overrated
Chicago - cold, windy, unsafe.
Los Angeles - hot, dirty, unsafe
Don’t like any of them and I’m back in New York early March, some of my colleagues haven’t been before so have booked our intensity to include a night in central Manhattan.
I really enjoyed;
Seville (as much as it pains me to say)
Kuala Lumpur
Borneo (relatively unspoilt paradise)
Lord.Vader said:
Chicago - cold, windy, unsafe.
I've travelled extensively in the US, and I love Chicago, been there many times on business. There are areas which you must absolutely avoid of course (South Side, Englewood, Riverdale, etc), but stick to the more central areas (I was lucky as my office was on West Wacker, and I'd typically stay in River North), and it's a great city. Loads of culture, fab cuisine, great night life, interesting architecture, the lake, etc, with none of the 'belligerence' you typically find in NYC (which I also love). In summer it can get too hot and sticky, and in winter, bloody cold - but get there between the extremes, and it's lovely. bad company said:
Lord.Vader said:
Paris - expensive
New York - expensive and overrated
Chicago - cold, windy, unsafe.
Los Angeles - hot, dirty, unsafe
Don’t like any of them and I’m back in New York early March, some of my colleagues haven’t been before so have booked our intensity to include a night in central Manhattan.
I really enjoyed;
Seville (as much as it pains me to say)
Kuala Lumpur
Borneo (relatively unspoilt paradise)
Wow, I couldn’t disagree more.New York - expensive and overrated
Chicago - cold, windy, unsafe.
Los Angeles - hot, dirty, unsafe
Don’t like any of them and I’m back in New York early March, some of my colleagues haven’t been before so have booked our intensity to include a night in central Manhattan.
I really enjoyed;
Seville (as much as it pains me to say)
Kuala Lumpur
Borneo (relatively unspoilt paradise)
New York - Exciting, always something new to see and do.
Chicago - Great city but not in winter.
LA - Vast, I love the Beverly Hills and some other areas. Rarely cold.
Seville - Haven’t been.
Kuala Lumpur - Dull, Dull, Dull
Borneo - Largely ruined by the destruction of the rain forests replaced by palm oil plantations.
Agree in some respects about Borneo, it’s horrific what they are doing, but we stayed in a nature reserve hotel so it was fantastic.
Seville is great for a weekend if you avoid the summer, it’s a mix of North African / Muslim and Spanish, the food is good too.
Another vote for Barcelona here, were had two attempts at being pick pocketed (about 12 years ago). I went with some workmates at the time, they ended up chasing kids onto the underground to get one of their mobile phones back. I felt more safe walking through the centre of London than there. It completely spoils the break if you are conscious of everything in your pockets all the time. Loads of homeless on the streets, one bloke with his top off begging and you could see his spine arched up in a weird shape 
We did a boat trip around the harbour, a catamaran trip, and visited the aquarium. Not even an unexpected airshow on the sea front or partial solar eclipse changed my view on the place.
We only found one bar, the Hard Rock Cafe.
Very overrated destination for what it is.
The women were all stunning though.
We did a boat trip around the harbour, a catamaran trip, and visited the aquarium. Not even an unexpected airshow on the sea front or partial solar eclipse changed my view on the place.
We only found one bar, the Hard Rock Cafe.
Very overrated destination for what it is.
The women were all stunning though.
prand said:
Have to disagree with that....
The first trip was a revelation actually, wandering around the back streets, then stumbling across some of the architectural or historical wonders of the world. Stroll down the road from our hotel, round the corner - bam! the Coliseum! Thinking "what a pretty fountain" found down some backstreet, then realising it was the Trevi fountain! Round the corner, some impressive steps - aha these must be those Spanish Steps I've heard so much about!
I love Rome. As far as European capital cities go, it's one of my favourites - great food, drink, nightlife, culture to die for, and in 7 or 8 visits I've always found folk to be very friendly and welcoming, which is somewhat unusual for anywhere with a very transient and tourist dominated clientele, as Rome and many other capital cities tend to be.The first trip was a revelation actually, wandering around the back streets, then stumbling across some of the architectural or historical wonders of the world. Stroll down the road from our hotel, round the corner - bam! the Coliseum! Thinking "what a pretty fountain" found down some backstreet, then realising it was the Trevi fountain! Round the corner, some impressive steps - aha these must be those Spanish Steps I've heard so much about!
It's not too expensive either, certainly not compared to Scandinavia, Paris, London, etc, and it's got real character in spades.
It's f
king hot too, if you find yourself there for a week in August, like I did last year.....
Riley Blue said:
I was in very packed St Peter's Square one Palm Sunday and saw gangs of little kids running into the crowd to return shortly afterwards with bags, wallets, cameras which they threw through the open back windows of waiting cars. The cars roared off to be replaced by another, then another and so on.
I've seen no real evidence of a significant petty crime problem in Rome in my many visits, but have most certainly seen it in Venice. On one visit, we were sat outside some bar on one of the streets/alleys, when we saw a teen girl snatch an American tourists purse from her bag and leg it. Unfortunately she hadn't considered said tourist's son/acquaintance who clearly was an Olympic sprinter/wrestler hybrid, who gave chase, caught, and American-cop-stylee robustly 'took her down'. The crime victim waddled up and slapped the dipper as hard as I've ever seen a woman slap. Calls made, cops arrived, dipper thrown in a van and carted off.
Great entertainment, but it's rife in Venice. And per the thread title, I'm no real fan of Venice anyway, it stinks in Summer, is hugely crowded if you are there at the wrong time, and you can be badly ripped off with food/drink if you haven't got your wits about you.
Back to Rome - the immediate access roads to St Peter's are now all closed/Police controlled - or at least they were last June and August, so they've obviously cottoned on to that scam.
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