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Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Daily Mail
British kicked out of Corfu hotel and banned from TUI flight home after they complained about 'tepid' food at resort
A British couple were kicked out of their hotel in Corfu and denied boarding on their flight back after they made a complaint about the food. Paul Bell, 64, and wife Ellie, 65, who live in a coastal town near Newcastle, booked a week-long half-board getaway at the Terezas Hotel in Sidari after previously enjoying a stay there. However, their Greek island vacation was cut short when TUI removed them from the accommodation and said they wouldn't be able to get on their return plane journey - despite the couple booking a package deal. The pair were left hundreds of pounds out of pocket, having to arrange an alternative route back with Jet2, splash out for taxi to the airport instead of a transfer, and book into another place to stay for the remainder of their vacation. Paul says that he cannot understand why they were booted out - but added that his wife had previously been critical about the food they were served. Earlier in the holiday, Ellie had complained to the manager about the quality of the meals, which Paul described as 'tepid' and 'not very nice'. 'Some of the things you would get were rice with sprouts, or another time you'd have rice with a slice of beetroot in it,' he told Chronicle Live. 'My wife spoke to the manager twice, she complained about the food being inedible and he didn't seem interested. 'She asked him to join us for breakfast the next day so we could show him what we meant, but he never turned up.' The Terezas Hotel did not respond to request for comment. The couple went out for the day and said they 'had a word' with the holiday rep when they returned. The next day, while waiting for a day excursion to Corfu town, Paul and Ellie claimed they were handed a letter informing them they were unable to stay at the hotel for the remainder of their trip. TUI claimed that the decision was based on repeated incidents during their stay which were considered unacceptable and disruptive. However, Paul disputed this and alleges that TUI never asked him or Ellie for their version of events. The letter, dated May 20, read: 'You caused a serious disturbance by shouting inside the hotel restaurant in front of other guests, resulting in significant distress and disruption to the peaceful environment of the hotel'. It added: 'You directed aggressive and disrespectful language towards both hotel staff, the hotel owners, and TUI representatives on site.' Paul claimed that this is not the case and says the decision was made without anyone from TUI approaching them for an explanation. Paul says that he cannot understand why they were booted out of the four-star Terezas Hotel (pictured in a stock image) 'I don't remember anybody shouting,' he remarked. 'We only spoke to the rep on the day she was at the hotel and there was nothing disrespectful shown to her. 'They've never come and spoken to us to find out what happened, they've decided off what the manager has told them. But surely there are always two sides to a story? I was furious, because it spoiled the day we had planned.' Paul and Ellie said they were told to contact the UK consulate if they required any further assistance. Then, on May 21 at around 10.30pm, the couple said they had received another letter saying that Ellie was barred from flying home on the TOM1531 flight on May 23. Just more than 12 hours later, another email said that both Paul and Ellie would be blocked from boarding the flight. The travel company said that this decision had been made in accordance with their terms and conditions and that the decision was 'due to your conduct and behaviour'. Paul booked flights home from Corfu with Jet2 a day earlier than intended on May 22, which cost them €328 (£279). But after arriving back in North Shields, the couple received another email from TUI saying that 'the refusal of carriage for Paul Bell and Eleanor Bell has now been revoked, and you will now be allowed travel on your inbound flight'. 'That doesn't help us now, because we were told we have to make our own travel arrangements and we came home,' Paul added. 'We had to pay €60 (£51) for a taxi to the airport as well, because we weren't allowed on the transfers. 'When we go on holiday, we try to go somewhere nice and quiet, sit and chill, try the local stuff, go to the towns and see the scenery and to have food like we did (in the hotel) was really disappointing. We got no back-up whatsoever from TUI. 'They took whatever the manager said as gospel and came to a decision just like that. Had we been drunk and disorderly, fine, but we weren't - we've never had any bother on any holidays before, until this time with TUI.' MailOnline understands that TUI plans to refund the couple's flights home with and their travel to the airport. TUI declined to comment further but said they had a 'zero tolerance policy' towards staff abuse.
Wales Online
25-06-2025
- Wales Online
TUI couple who complained about 'inedible' food kicked out of hotel and banned from flight
TUI couple who complained about 'inedible' food kicked out of hotel and banned from flight Paul Bell and his wife Ellie, from North Shields, Tyne and Wear, had booked a package deal with TUI but their week-long holiday in Corfu was cut short after they were barred from flying home Paul Bell from North Shields had a nightmare TUI holiday in Corfu. (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle ) A British couple's holiday in Corfu was abruptly cut short when they were ejected from their hotel and barred from their return flight to the UK. Paul Bell, 64, and his 65 year old wife Ellie, from North Shields, Tyne and Wear, had booked a package deal with TUI but found themselves at odds with the tour operator. According to TUI, the couple allegedly used "aggressive and disrespectful language" in the restaurant of the Terezas Hotel in Sidari, where they had previously stayed without a problem. The couple disputed the claims, insisting they had not shouted in the restaurant. However, Ellie had voiced her concerns about the subpar food quality to the manager. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Paul described the hotel's culinary offerings to Chronicle Live as "tepid" and "not very nice", recounting instances where they were served uninspiring dishes such as rice with sprouts or a solitary slice of beetroot, reports the Mirror. Food at the Terezas Hotel in Sidari, Corfu, which the Bells were unhappy about (Image: Paul Bell/Chronicle Live ) Ellie complained to the manager on two occasions, inviting him to join them for breakfast to demonstrate their grievances, but he failed to appear. The dispute ultimately led to the couple's expulsion from the hotel and denial of boarding on their scheduled flight back to the UK. Article continues below As a result, they were forced to spend several hundred pounds to salvage their holiday, securing a new hotel, flight, and transfer arrangements. The experience left a sour taste, prompting the couple to vow never to use TUI again. Paul and Ellie received a letter the following day declaring that they could not remain at their hotel for the rest of their holiday. The letter, dated May 20, read: "You caused a serious disturbance by shouting inside the hotel restaurant in front of other guests, resulting in significant distress and disruption to the peaceful environment of the hotel," and went on to say "you directed aggressive and disrespectful language towards both hotel staff, the hotel owners, and TUI representatives on site." However, Paul disputed this account, claiming TUI hadn't asked him or Ellie about the incident. He explained: "I don't remember anybody shouting. We only spoke to the rep on the day she was at the hotel and there was nothing disrespectful shown to her. "They've never come and spoke to us to find out what happened, they've decided off what the manager has told them. But surely there are always two sides to a story? I was furious, because it spoiled the day we had planned." Instead of being offered an opportunity to respond or challenge the decision, Paul and Ellie were instructed to get in touch with the UK consulate for further help. Then, on the evening of May 21, at 22:28, the couple received yet another letter stating that Ellie was prohibited from boarding the return TOM1531 flight to Newcastle on Friday, May 23. Just over 12 hours later, another email arrived stating that both Paul and Ellie would be barred from boarding the flight. TUI justified this decision by citing their terms and conditions, attributing it to "due to your conduct and behaviour". Paul arranged return flights from Corfu with Jet2 on Thursday, May 22, for later that day at a cost of €328.56 (£280). However, upon their return to North Shields, they received yet another email from TUI stating that "the refusal of carriage for Paul Bell and Eleanor Bell has now been revoked, and you will now be allowed travel on your inbound flight". The man explained: "That doesn't help us now, because we were told we have to make our own travel arrangements and we came home. We had to pay €60 for a taxi to the airport as well, because we weren't allowed on the transfers. "When we go on holiday, we try to go somewhere nice and quiet, sit and chill, try the local stuff, go to the towns and see the scenery and to have food like we did (in the hotel) was really disappointing. We got no back-up whatsoever from TUI. "They took whatever the manager said as gospel and came to a decision just like that. Had we been drunk and disorderly, fine, but we weren't - we've never had any bother on any holidays before, until this time with TUI." ChronicleLive has learned that TUI intends to reimburse the couple for their return flights and their airport transfers. TUI chose not to provide any additional comments to the publication. Article continues below
The Sun
25-06-2025
- The Sun
Brit couple kicked out of Corfu hotel & barred from flight after ‘complaining about food' & moaning rice was ‘inedible'
A BRIT couple were kicked out of their Corfu hotel and yanked off their flight home after complaining about the "inedible" food. Paul Bell, 64, and wife Ellie, 65, swear they have "washed their hands" of travel firm TUI after a nightmare week-long, half-board holiday at the Terezas Hotel in Sidari, Corfu. 5 5 5 The couple had enjoyed a previous stay there, but this trip ended in sparks. TUI ejected them from their hotel and barred them from flying home - despite the couple having booked a package deal - leaving them hundreds of pounds down. They were forced to arrange an alternative flight home with Jet2, take a taxi to the airport instead of a transfer, and book into another hotel for the rest of the stay. Paul says he cannot understand why the couple were booted out. TUI said they had been disruptive throughout their stay. But Paul disputes this, and claims TUI never even asked him or Ellie for their version of events. Trouble began when Ellie complained to the manager about the quality of the food - which Paul described as "tepid" and "not very nice". He told the Newcastle Chronicle: "Some of the things you would get were rice with sprouts, or another time you'd have rice with a slice of beetroot in it. "My wife spoke to the manager twice, she complained about the food being inedible and he didn't seem interested. Moment Brit passenger hauled off Ryanair flight heading to Corfu after mid-air brawl as plane forced to divert to Italy "She asked him to join us for breakfast the next day so we could show him what we meant, but he never turned up." The couple went out for the day and "had a word" with the rep when they returned. The next day, the couple were hit with a letter telling them to get out of the hotel while waiting for a day trip to Corfu town. It explained they were barred from staying in the hotel for the rest of the trip. The letter, dated Tuesday May 20, said: "You caused a serious disturbance by shouting inside the hotel restaurant in front of other guests, resulting in significant distress and disruption to the peaceful environment of the hotel." It added: "You directed aggressive and disrespectful language towards both hotel staff, the hotel owners, and TUI representatives on site." 5 5 Paul said: "I don't remember anybody shouting," and claims they were evicted without any conversations beforehand. He said: "We only spoke to the rep on the day she was at the hotel and there was nothing disrespectful shown to her. "They've never come and spoke to us to find out what happened, they've decided off what the manager has told them. "But surely there are always two sides to a story? I was furious, because it spoiled the day we had planned." Paul and Ellie were allegedly denied any chance to appeal the decision and simply told to contact the UK consulate if they needed further help. On the Wednesday, the couple got another letter saying that Ellie was barred from flying home at the end of the week. Yet another correspondence came through 12 hours later blacklisting Paul from the plane as well. TUI said that this decision was based on their terms and conditions and driven by the pair's "conduct and behaviour". Paul promptly booked flights back from Corfu with Jet2 on Thursday, May 22, - at a cost of €330. Brit gran moans: No English food at Corfu hotel By Patrick Harrington A BRITISH gran's dream holiday to Corfu fell flat because her all-inclusive resort "didn't have any English food" on offer. Susan Edwards, 69, from Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, vowed she'll never book with TUI again after being less than impressed with the grub on offer. Susan jetted off in May with three cousins and her daughter for a seven-night stay at the Lido Corfu Sun Hotel on the Greek island. They were looking forwards to a week of relaxation, but the ordeal was "horrendous from the minute they got there," Susan said. After paying £750 each for the week, the sun-seekers were expecting slap-up meals and drinks on tap. But Susan told Chronicle Live: "There was no food we could eat and we couldn't have anything to drink. We had to pay €1.50 for water." The family discovered there was "no English food" on offer whatsoever. Instead, Susan said: "On a morning you could have toast, a hard-boiled egg, or something in sauce. "For breakfast there was mozzarella and sliced tomatoes. There was no hot bacon or sausage." After they got home, TUI then revoked the ban - meaning they could have caught the Friday flights after all. Paul said: "That doesn't help us now, because we were told we have to make our own travel arrangements and we came home. "We had to pay €60 for a taxi to the airport as well, because we weren't allowed on the transfers." TUI said the couple would be refunded for the extra flights they bought. Reflecting on the whole experience, Paul said: "When we go on holiday, we try to go somewhere nice and quiet, sit and chill, try the local stuff, go to the towns and see the scenery and to have food like we did (in the hotel) was really disappointing. "We got no back-up whatsoever from TUI. "They took whatever the manager said as gospel and came to a decision just like that. "Had we been drunk and disorderly, fine, but we weren't - we've never had any bother on any holidays before, until this time with TUI."
