Vacationers searching for answers after finding chewed mattress, missing toilet seats at resort

A relaxing vacation in Cuba was what Jeff Phelps thought he was signing up for when he booked a 20th wedding anniversary trip with Sunwing. 

That's not what they got when they arrived at the Grand Memories Varadero, listed as a 4.5-star facility, during the holidays. 

The family opened the door to the room and "the first thing that comes out at us is this cockroach," Phelps said from Calgary, telling the story a week later.

"And it just gets worse from there. The toilet seat is missing, something has eaten the side of the bed."

CBC News spoke to multiple people who booked recent stays at that resort through various vacation sites. They all detailed similar experiences with unsanitary rooms, missing items and broken amenities.

Now, they're trying to get answers from the travel companies.

When the Phelps family tried to move rooms, the front desk said there were no others available.

Eventually, they were moved to another room — with a toilet seat — but Phelps said the problems didn't stop. Activities and buffets were closed, the alcohol they paid for in the room wasn't there and the iron was missing. 

The travellers say trip brokers — like Sunwing, Air Canada and SellOffVacations — should bear some responsibility for selling stays at resorts that clients feel don't meet basic health and safety standards. 

"They should have some kind of checkpoint meeting or a review of those resorts on a regular basis and provide that feedback to the parent company. And that, to me, is why I hold someone accountable. They took my money. They should know what I'm buying," Phelps said.

Sunwing, in response, said it regularly reviews facilities and communicates with the destination partners to address issues that arise. 

"Sunwing Vacations consistently shares feedback with our hotel partners from our reviews and insights gleaned from these various sources, including this customer's, to ensure the best possible customer service and standards in destination," the company said in an emailed statement.

"We regret the customer's vacation experience in destination fell short of the standards we stand by at Sunwing."

But a travel agent also warns these issues are widespread at most major beach destinations, especially since the pandemic — and customers should also try to apply extra layers of due diligence.