British couple's vacation ruined by island closure despite bookings

A Romantic Getaway Turned Disappointing

A British couple, Leah Williams and her partner Joshua Scully, had high hopes for a romantic trip to Greece in October. However, their experience turned out to be far from what they expected. The couple had planned a getaway to Mykonos, hoping to enjoy the island’s famous beaches and vibrant atmosphere. Unfortunately, their trip was cut short due to poor weather, empty beaches, and limited activities outside their hotel room.

Leah shared that they were excited about the trip, especially since they have children and rarely get a chance to travel. They were given a few dates in October to choose from, and they decided to go because they were told that the season would be ending by the end of October. However, upon arrival in Platis Gialos, they were met with downpours, cloudy skies, and wind. The shops and bars around their hotel had their shutters down, making the experience even more disappointing.

The couple had made reservations at several restaurants and bars before their arrival, but most of these bookings were canceled just a week before their trip. According to Leah, there were no bars or shops open near their hotel, leaving them confined to their accommodation for most of their holiday. She explained that they had confirmed their bookings, and many places sent them emails canceling their reservations as they decided to close for the season.

Leah noted that while she expected the weather not to be extremely hot, she didn’t anticipate the lack of availability of food and drinks. She mentioned that they could only eat during the times the hotel restaurant was open. If they wanted a drink outside those hours, they couldn’t find anywhere to get one. They walked for about half an hour and checked all the shops around them, but they were all shut.

The final disappointment came on the second day of their five-day trip when the sunset boat tour Joshua had booked as part of his surprise proposal was canceled. Leah said that this was the last straw for Joshua, who had been looking forward to the proposal. He was so stressed that he decided not to proceed with the plan in the hotel room. Instead, they ended up cutting their trip short and flying to Cyprus, where the weather was nice and everything was open.

Leah and Joshua spent £110 on flights and £600 on a new hotel in Cyprus. The couple eventually managed to have the proposal on a sunset boat trip in Paphos, which left them over the moon. Sharing their experience online, Leah warned other holidaymakers not to believe everything they see on social media. She posted footage of deserted, rain-soaked streets in Mykonos and cautioned others against visiting in October.

Leah also claimed that some venues post old photos from the summer season on social media to attract tourists during autumn and winter, when many establishments are closed. She recalled that she had seen posts on TikTok and Instagram featuring sunny days and sunsets, which made her expect a similar experience. However, when they arrived, it was dark and miserable.

Despite the couple's claims that they had spent a long time planning their trip and were disappointed by the reality of Mykonos during the off-season, some social media users expressed skepticism. One person wrote about their own disappointment with skiing in June in the Alps, while another questioned why they chose to go to Mykonos in October. Others suggested that they should have done more research before booking their trip.

• Why on earth would you go to Mykonos in October or Greece?
• What did you expect by almost the end of October? I mean if you wanna party come until September but you choose October because it is super cheap.
• Did you not research before you went? Not being mean, genuine question. I always research for weeks before a book anywhere.

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