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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Lucy John & Milica Cosic

Women refused Pontins refund after finding dead mouse and filth in their room

A woman who thought she was in for a relaxing weekend away has revealed she was greeted by a dead mouse and a room covered in "filth".

Mariah, 24, travelled for three hours from their home in Birmingham to Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Wales in May with her friend Brittanie, but said their girls night away turned into a nightmare.

The 24-year-olds claimed the company refused to refund them for their stay, despite issuing a formal complaint, report Wales Online.

After arriving on May 20, Mariah said she was left horrified at the state of the room, and was left questioning how the rodent got into the room in the first place.

Despite being offered a second room, they were also left horrified at the state of it (Mariah Sutton)

She said: "We got our keys and went to find our apartment, which was on the top floor. We got in, I put my bags down and all of a sudden, my friend screamed.

"I couldn't see it at first but there was a dead mouse right by my bags. It looked fresh and I thought it was fake at first. We were confused because it was a top-floor apartment - how did it get in?"

Mariah added that within minutes of entering the room, they put their bags back in the car and headed to reception to let staff know.

Despite the low price of the apartment, the women said that 'that's not the point' (Daily Post Wales)

She added: "We told them what happened and my friend asked how often are the apartments are cleaned. They assured us they are cleaned every day prior to arrival. We showed them the mouse and they were in shock."

The friends - while appalled at their room - said that they could not afford to pay and sleep anywhere else, especially since they had travelled a long way.

They asked the staff if they could have a new apartment, and although they felt relieved when staff agreed, Mariah said she was shocked by the state of their second room.

Speaking about the horror of what she saw, she said: "We went to the second apartment and it didn't have a dead mouse in it but it was filthy. There was dirt all over the floor such as leaves, and there was dust everywhere. There was mould in the fridge, which was residue left over from whoever was in there before us.

"There was pubic hair in the bath. There was stuff on the windows which looked like old condensation. It just looked old."

Despite being assured by staff at Pontins that rooms are cleaned every day prior to arrival, the women were left horrified tat their state (Mariah Sutton)

Mariah said she and Brittanie went back to reception to complain again, but this time they wrote a formal complaint and spoke to a manager.

She said: "We spoke face-to-face with the manager and were offered a full refund of £80. It might only be £80, but that's not the point. The fact we found a dead mouse in an apartment, you'd instantly think we'd be getting a refund."

However, since leaving Pontins on May 23, the women still have not received a refund. In fact, Mariah claimed the company had flat-out refused to reimburse them despite the manger's promise.

"For months now we've been fighting a battle to actually get a refund," she said.

"Since leaving, all we've been offered is 20 per cent off our next stay. It's a slap in the face. We went higher up in Pontins with proof and we sent them the written complaint and they still refused.

"I looked up the policy from Pontins and it says if you leave on the day of arrival, you are eligible for a full refund. It might have been our mistake to stay, but we were tired and it was a long journey. We didn't have money for other accommodation. We literally just needed to get in and rest."

Mariah said she has been left very disappointed about her experience and would not return to the park again. She said: "Prestatyn means a lot to me. Every year growing up we'd come here for a family holiday or to other caravan parks. it's been ruined now because of this and we definitely won't be returning back."

Pontins has been approached by The Mirror for a comment.

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