Widow claims Jet2 gave her 'broom cupboard' as hotel room 'because she's single' - leaving her in tears

Alison Owen jetted off on her annual holiday with her two sons but when she arrived at the three-star hotel she was stunned to find that her room was 'wrapped around the lift shaft'.

The 57-year-old says she was 'stood at the foot of the bed' as soon as she opened the door to the 'claustrophobic' room.

Alison says her entire room was the same size as the bathroom in the twin room her sons were staying in - despite forking out £1,959 in total for the holiday.

The holidaymaker claims she was able to stand in the middle of the room and touch both sides of the wall with her fingertips - and that the room was so small it was 'impossible' to open the suitcase to unpack.

The mum-of-two says she went down to reception to complain about the room and requested to be moved.

But she claims she was 'left in tears' when a Jet2 member of staff told her there was nothing he could do to help - unless she paid an additional 150 euros to move rooms.

Alison says her 21-year-old and 23-year-old sons clubbed together to pay the charge, with one of them even dipping into his savings, so that she was able to move rooms.

The tourist believes she was 'misled' by the online listing and she returned from the holiday feeling 'depressed and scammed'.

The widow shamed the room online where she said 'I am not second class because I'm single'.

Alison has since complained to Jet2 after her holiday in May but says she did not receive a response until journalists approached the firm.

Jet2 said their in-resort team and the hotelier 'did all they could to address the issues raised' on the holiday but admitted they were disappointed to hear how upset she was and that they were now investigating the issue.

Alison, from Colne Bay, North Wales, said: "As soon as walked in I opened the door and I hit the foot of the bed.

"I immediately felt really claustrophobic and I thought I can't possibly stay here for 10 days.

"I was cross and I was just upset because we'd travelled and we were looking forward to it [the holiday].

"The room is not fit for purpose. It was a cupboard room.

"I've worked in hotels and in my view it was more fit for purpose as a linen cupboard than a bedroom.

"For one night you could put up with it, but not for ten days."

The semi-retired secretary says that even though she paid extra to move to another room, she returned home feeling 'depressed and scammed'.

Alison said: "It had an impact on the rest of the holiday.

"A Jet2 rep showed up on the second day and I was just sat there crying.

"I was upset and I felt the staff thought I was being fussy or something. I was glad to leave at the end of the trip.

"I came home feeling depressed and scammed."

Alison says the ordeal also left her sons feeling so upset that one of them even dipped into his savings so that she could move to a different room.

Alison said: "Two days in my son confessed and said he used some of his savings to pay for the upgrade, which is the last thing I wanted them to do.

"It upset me so much that it upset them.

"Jet2 said they couldn't do anything, the manager said they couldn't do anything, the rep said they couldn't do anything.

"If I'd have been on my own, and perhaps not had any other income to pay for an upgrade, that would have been terrible."

Alison, who is a widow, says she was made to feel like a 'second class citizen' because she is single.

Alison said: "It made me feel like a second class citizen.

"There's a lot of single travellers out there and there's probably a lot of people my age in the same circumstances who want to get out.

"But to be put in a room, it's just not funny. It was fit for a five-year-old, not a grown adult.

"We did try and make the most of it after [I'd moved rooms]. I'm a widow so it's nice that my boys want to come away with me."

Alison says that even though the holiday was cheap at £690 per passenger, she expected Jet2 to have higher standards.

Alison said: "I can understand, it was cheap.

"I expected it was going to be no frills but what I didn't expect was to be stood at the foot of the bed as soon as I got through the door - I don't think anybody if they paid over £500 would expect that.

"It wasn't a budget, it was three stars.

"I'm upset with Jet2 for them thinking it's acceptable - I thought they would have better standards really, I did feel misled."

When she shared photos of the room on social media, many were appalled at how small it was.

One said: "I couldn't have stayed in that it's a broom cupboard."

Another wrote: "It looks like a prison cell. I would be so disappointed too."

A third added: "That's awful, people who commit a crime are given bigger rooms!"

However some thought that the room suited the price that Alison paid.

One said: "So £69 a night with breakfast and flights, I'm sorry but what did you expect????"

A Jet2 spokesperson said: "As an award-winning holiday company, we always want our customers to have the very best experience when travelling with us, so it is disappointing to hear Ms Owen was dissatisfied with her holiday.

"We can confirm that our in-resort team and the hotelier did all they could to address the issues raised while Ms Owen was on holiday.

"As we have now received correspondence from Ms Owen since returning from holiday, we are investigating her complaint fully and will respond to the customer directly once this has come to a conclusion."