Destinations that have most exceeded/failed to meet your expectations
Jul 14, 2006, 7:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 342
Destinations that have most exceeded/failed to meet your expectations
I searched and couldn't find anything relating to this so here goes. Although I swore I read something similar I couldn't reproduce anything from searching. What destinations have most exceed or most failed to meet your expectations.
Exceeded-
Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland - maybe the most beautiful place I've ever been
Venice - Heard some bad talk of it but I found it to be a beautiful and fascinating city.
Failed-
Milan - Seemed kind of dirty and seedy to me in most spots, but maybe it was just me.
It's early so I'll see what pops into my head later.
Exceeded-
Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland - maybe the most beautiful place I've ever been
Venice - Heard some bad talk of it but I found it to be a beautiful and fascinating city.
Failed-
Milan - Seemed kind of dirty and seedy to me in most spots, but maybe it was just me.
It's early so I'll see what pops into my head later.
Jul 14, 2006, 9:58 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: (not Montana. Nor is my name really Helena, nor am I female)
Programs: Delta, USAirways, Starwood, Priority Club, Marriott, Amex
Posts: 2,557
You list the Lauterbrunnen valley as maybe the most beautiful place you've ever been. That suggests to me that you didn't take the opportunity while you were there to visit either Wengen or Muerren, both situated partway up the mountains on either side of the Lauterbrunnen valley.
But I agree with your two "exceeded" candidates. I'd say Venice may depend on the time of year. If you're there in the middle of peak tourist season, the throngs may detract significantly from the charm. And in the dead of winter it can be a bit less charming, too, or at least the charm is different.
Other "exceeded" locations:
Hallstatt, Austria
Sagrada Familia church, Barcelona
The Passion Play, Oberammergau, Germany, every 10 years
Paris (despite its exalted reputation)
Bernini's angels on the Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome
The "Peter & Paul" prison cell in Rome
Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam
Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Wies Church, near Schwangau, Germany
On my "failed' list:
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
Heidelberg, Germany
Interlaken, Switzerland
Lucerne, Switzerland
Zermatt, Switzerland
Sweden (I was an adolescent boy expecting the Swedish Bikini Team cavorting across Norwegian scenery, so the fault is mine, not Sweden's)
Trier, Germany
But I agree with your two "exceeded" candidates. I'd say Venice may depend on the time of year. If you're there in the middle of peak tourist season, the throngs may detract significantly from the charm. And in the dead of winter it can be a bit less charming, too, or at least the charm is different.
Other "exceeded" locations:
Hallstatt, Austria
Sagrada Familia church, Barcelona
The Passion Play, Oberammergau, Germany, every 10 years
Paris (despite its exalted reputation)
Bernini's angels on the Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome
The "Peter & Paul" prison cell in Rome
Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam
Musee d'Orsay, Paris
Wies Church, near Schwangau, Germany
On my "failed' list:
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
Heidelberg, Germany
Interlaken, Switzerland
Lucerne, Switzerland
Zermatt, Switzerland
Sweden (I was an adolescent boy expecting the Swedish Bikini Team cavorting across Norwegian scenery, so the fault is mine, not Sweden's)
Trier, Germany
Jul 14, 2006, 11:22 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: YYC
Programs: AC MM
Posts: 1,410
Exceeded - Rome. I knew it was going to be amazing but was even more amazing that I assumed. And for that matter all of Italy. We enjoyed it so much last year we are going on a 13 day cruise later this fall around Italy. I can't believe I have spent so much time in Europe but so little in Italy.
Failed - Honestly, I have been to some pretty spectacular ##it holes but have always managed to find something that I enjoyed, whether it be food or people. I enjoy the journey.
Failed - Honestly, I have been to some pretty spectacular ##it holes but have always managed to find something that I enjoyed, whether it be food or people. I enjoy the journey.
Jul 14, 2006, 11:55 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA MM, AA MM, IC Plat Amb, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 3,146
For me, the "most exceeded" and "most failed" ocurred during the same trip:
Most Exceeded: Hong Kong. My flight on Cathay Pacific had a connection in Hong Kong, so I decided to make it a stopover. My coworker dismissed it as a big city not nearly as interesting as my final destination, but I found it a fascinating city to explore, and I made lifelong friends who have also come to visit me at my home in SJ. Enjoyed the food, sights, and the nightlife, even though HK is relatively expensive.
Most Failed: Bangkok. This was my final destination recommended by my coworker as far more culturally intersting than Hong Kong. But after enduring the stifling heat and humidity to visit Yet Another singing/dancing/golden/wooden/giant/invisible Buddha statue, I couldn't wait to leave! I made no lasting connections and was all but ignored in any clubs I went to. Best thing about it was the cheap, deliciously flavorful food.
Even though I didn't enjoy Bangkok, I will give it another try someday. But HK remains one of my favorite cities in Asia.
Most Exceeded: Hong Kong. My flight on Cathay Pacific had a connection in Hong Kong, so I decided to make it a stopover. My coworker dismissed it as a big city not nearly as interesting as my final destination, but I found it a fascinating city to explore, and I made lifelong friends who have also come to visit me at my home in SJ. Enjoyed the food, sights, and the nightlife, even though HK is relatively expensive.
Most Failed: Bangkok. This was my final destination recommended by my coworker as far more culturally intersting than Hong Kong. But after enduring the stifling heat and humidity to visit Yet Another singing/dancing/golden/wooden/giant/invisible Buddha statue, I couldn't wait to leave! I made no lasting connections and was all but ignored in any clubs I went to. Best thing about it was the cheap, deliciously flavorful food.
Even though I didn't enjoy Bangkok, I will give it another try someday. But HK remains one of my favorite cities in Asia.
Jul 14, 2006, 1:09 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Brighton England
Programs: AA Plat, various hotels
Posts: 1,220
Theres no place thats really failed me, ive enjoyed seeing everywhere ive been. There are some places i wouldnt particularly want to visit again having seen all i wanted to first time round.
Exceeded expectations include Sydney, i had no real desires to visit Australia but stopped off on my way to New Zealand. I couldnt have been more wrong about Australia and will be returning in October.
Scottsdale just does it for me, its a place ive found i can really chill out in, and go back year after year.
I wouldnt say Hawaii exceeded expectations, i expected it to be lovely and it was.
Cape town and more particularly cape point was incredibly beautiful and well worth o long flight.
Exceeded expectations include Sydney, i had no real desires to visit Australia but stopped off on my way to New Zealand. I couldnt have been more wrong about Australia and will be returning in October.
Scottsdale just does it for me, its a place ive found i can really chill out in, and go back year after year.
I wouldnt say Hawaii exceeded expectations, i expected it to be lovely and it was.
Cape town and more particularly cape point was incredibly beautiful and well worth o long flight.
Jul 14, 2006, 5:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, IHG Spire Elite, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Hertz President's Circle, HH Silver
Posts: 806
Originally Posted by LemonThrower
Florence fell below my expectations, and Rome greatly exceeded my expectations.
Jul 14, 2006, 5:57 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Count Your Blessings
Posts: 1,548
Originally Posted by mikew99
Most Failed: Bangkok.
I wasn't going to post "Thailand" so as to not badmouth it, but it was a letdown.
The Phi Phi Islands had a real seedy patina to it, overrun by backpackers and especially Israelis who were just nasty to each other and everyone else. Good god, you're supposed to be on holiday.
Jul 14, 2006, 6:29 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: OTP
Programs: PC
Posts: 507
Moscow managed to fall well below my already-infinitesimal expectations, but St. Petersburg surpassed the already very good opinion I had of it. Macau and Penang were extremely pleasant surprises, while Washington D.C., famous monuments notwithstanding, was pretty crap.
Jul 14, 2006, 6:33 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Cerritos, CA
Programs: AA Plat; HH Gold; Marriott Silver; UCLA Fan
Posts: 798
Originally Posted by izzik
Failed: Miami (seedy), Shanghai (smoggy), Houston (skanky).
I agree that Shanghai was smoggy, but otherwise fascinating. I couldn't believe I was in a Communist country!
Jul 14, 2006, 6:46 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,007
Exceeded: Florence, Capri, Luxembourg, Toronto, Alaska, Hawaii, St. John
Failed: Milan, Dublin, St. Maarten, Bahamas, Jersey Shore last week
Failed: Milan, Dublin, St. Maarten, Bahamas, Jersey Shore last week
Jul 14, 2006, 6:59 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: RSE
Programs: AA Exp|VA Platinum
Posts: 15,504
I thought I would be the only one what had failed expectations of Milan, and would get flamed no end, but its good to see so many FT'ers share my sentiments. To me it was a big boring city, one of those places you will have a great time in as long as you know people who live there.
The rest of my list
Exceeded:
Melbourne (I thought would be like small version of Sydney, but completely different)
Hong Kong (great East meets West vibe)
Buenos Aires (Paris of the South, at 50% off need I say more
)
Texas
Guangzhou (my first trip to China I guess I was just in awe at how everything was so different going to Beijing and Pyongyang in a couple of months though
)
Failed:
Cuzco (Should be renamed New Berlin, while I have no problem with tourists, it has become like Venice just and overpriced tourist trap everywhere you look there are Germans on tour)
Santiago de Chile (smoggiest place I have been and sooo boring)
New York (I guess I went with high expectations and they just werent met)
The rest of my list
Exceeded:
Melbourne (I thought would be like small version of Sydney, but completely different)
Hong Kong (great East meets West vibe)
Buenos Aires (Paris of the South, at 50% off need I say more
)Texas
Guangzhou (my first trip to China I guess I was just in awe at how everything was so different going to Beijing and Pyongyang in a couple of months though
)Failed:
Cuzco (Should be renamed New Berlin, while I have no problem with tourists, it has become like Venice just and overpriced tourist trap everywhere you look there are Germans on tour)
Santiago de Chile (smoggiest place I have been and sooo boring)
New York (I guess I went with high expectations and they just werent met)
Jul 14, 2006, 7:26 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Dallas, TX USA
Posts: 2,117
Exceeded: Easter Island, Seychelles, Mauritius, Dominica, Rome, Kuching,
Hong Kong, Iguassu Falls
Failed: Delhi, Jaipur, Cape Town (ok, but probably the most over-rated place
I've ever visited), Seoul, The Santa Monica Pier (How can such a big
nothing be world famous? All I saw were losers dressed up like robots
looking for handouts, tacky T-shirt and trinket stands, overpriced
crappy fried seafood and nasty-looking brown water below.)
Hong Kong, Iguassu Falls
Failed: Delhi, Jaipur, Cape Town (ok, but probably the most over-rated place
I've ever visited), Seoul, The Santa Monica Pier (How can such a big
nothing be world famous? All I saw were losers dressed up like robots
looking for handouts, tacky T-shirt and trinket stands, overpriced
crappy fried seafood and nasty-looking brown water below.)
Last edited by dogcanyon; Jul 15, 2006 at 7:10 am
Jul 14, 2006, 8:04 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: rural Indiana - IND
Programs: DL reject, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Jelly of the Month, formerly NWA Plat (RIP)
Posts: 947
Everyone has their own standards and many will disagree with me, but here goes anyway.
Exceeded: Iceland. Although expensive, it was one of my most pleasant destination surprises. I only went because Icelandair had a good deal fare and allowed free stopovers. I am very glad I did and look forward to returning when I can stay longer.
Failed: Las Vegas. I just don't get the attraction.
Exceeded: Iceland. Although expensive, it was one of my most pleasant destination surprises. I only went because Icelandair had a good deal fare and allowed free stopovers. I am very glad I did and look forward to returning when I can stay longer.
Failed: Las Vegas. I just don't get the attraction.