This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
On August 15, 2019, a family's dream vacation to a 5-star TUI resort in Mexico turned into a holiday from hell. Stephen Wright, a 36-year-old from Glasgow, booked the trip for himself, his partner, two nephews, and one of their wives, paying Sh1.1 million for the luxury getaway.
However, just hours after arriving at the RIU Cancun hotel, Stephen and his family realized it wasn't what TUI promised. They were offered drugs nearly every 10 minutes on the beach, and 'dealers' were openly counting cash and checking stock.
Before heading to the beach, Stephen's room, which was supposedly upgraded with a sea view, had mold on the walls, blood on the floor, and broken furniture. He described the room as 'soaking wet and dirty' with 'blood on the walls, the door, and cabinets' and 'black mold on the shower walls, taps, drains, the mirror, and window.'
After complaining about the room to a TUI representative, Stephen was promised that the hotel manager would contact him, but he never heard back. When the family decided to make the most of the resort beach, they were left horrified after being offered 'Charlie' (cocaine) and cannabis.
Stephen claimed that there was constant harassment from drug dealers, and they had to stop spending time at the private beach due to the constant offers of cannabis or cocaine every 10 minutes of the day. He also alleged that drug dealers would use the facilities and count money on the beach sun loungers and check stocks like a headquarters, all while children were running around.
Stephen, who works in management, estimated that he has spent around £32,000 with TUI over the years. He felt disgusted after being ignored by the travel company despite filing a complaint and sending images to TUI after his return to the UK.
A TUI spokesperson apologized for the Wright party's experience and stated that they were in the process of contacting Stephen to resolve the matter.
