Her Dream Family Vacation Turned Into a Stay at a Nursing Home

A British mother of three and grandmother of six thought she had booked a relaxing all-inclusive getaway to Tunisia for 4,000 pounds—about 384,000 rubles. Instead, Tracy Haslam and her eight family members ended up sharing their hotel with elderly residents receiving round-the-clock care.

The 52-year-old booked the four-star resort through tour operator Loveholidays. But when the group arrived, they quickly realized something was off. Their neighbors were not other tourists but seniors in wheelchairs, attended by nurses. Hotel staff explained that the rooms were part of a care center, typically rented by relatives visiting loved ones.

Haslam described the experience as anything but a vacation. “Every five minutes, someone with dementia was wheeled past my sun lounger,” she told The Sun. “I’m not discriminating against older people, but some were disruptive and moaned as they passed. It wasn’t suitable for children. If I’d known, I never would have booked.”

Initially, Loveholidays refused a refund. But after the story gained media attention, the company changed course. “We’ve apologized to Ms. Haslam and offered her a full refund for the stay,” a spokesperson said.

The incident follows another hospitality controversy in Germany, where a hotel in the Bavarian town of Lamm reportedly greeted guests with the words, “We don’t accept Jews.”