A British couple's hearts sank when they arrived at their hotel in Gibraltar to find it fully booked.
Paul Herbert and David Grieg jetted out to the green list destination earlier this week for some much need sun and relaxation.
David suffered a heart attack in March and, having had stents fitted, was desperate for some time to recuperate.
The Manchester couple were shocked when they arrived at the Eliott Hotel in Gibraltar to discover their room had been double booked.
They are thought to be two of dozens of holiday makers who made reservations at the hotel only to discover it full.
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David says the blame lies with hotels.com, which staff at the Eliott have reportedly told to stop overbooking.
"It was horrendous. All hell broke lose," David told The Mirror.
"I had a heart attack back in March and I needed a break, a bit of de-stressing.
"When I found out about the room I lost it and started crying due to all the stress I've been through."
If they couldn't stay at the Eliott then the couple were in a real predicament.
Demand for hotels and Airbnbs in Gibraltar has been sky high in recent weeks, due to its status as the primary holiday hotspot on the green list.
Before he jetted off the only rental property David could find on the headland cost £6,000 for a week.
While they could have travelled into amber list Spain to find accommodation, that would have required them to self-isolate for ten days on their return.
Paul said: "I wasn't in a panic about the room, I was scared for David because he had his heart attack in March.
"I knew this would cause stress for him.
"My heart just dropped. Even though he's had his stents put in, you don't want anything else to happen."
Thankfully the staff at the Eliott - who David said were "amazing" sat the couple down, brought them a free drink and readied a room that was being refurbished.
Other couples were less lucky, according to Paul.
"I feel so sorry for the other people," he said.
"One couple turned up after us and we know they weren't going to be offered a room. The receptionist said six to eight couples were turning up to double-booked rooms a day."
The Eliott and hotels.com were contacted for comment.
