No, Lindy, can't say thats ever really happened to us, to be honest, the amount of research I put into a holiday, I would expect it to be bob on !
Also, if I book a holiday, and its on a budget, my expectations are usually on the realistic side and 9 times out of 10 I'm pleasently surprised by how good it is !!

I have to agree with Juby, I spend so long researching that I feel I know a place quite well before I even go & work out a rough (but flexible) itinerary of what I want to do & see. I have to opt for budget places too, so I know it will only be basic accommodation, that's fine, as long as it's clean & I can sleep & shower, what else do I need? A far as choosing accommodation is concerned I thoroughly check 3 things, price, exact location & reviews.
The more detailed the research, the less disappointment or nasty surprises!

I know what you mean Lindy. Like the previous two posters I put in months of research so invariably end up with a good hotel and nice resort, so always have a good holiday. However, at times new places will have to be tried and no matter how much research you put in, you can't help comparing it to somewhere you've been and loved.

This was the case for my holiday in Olu Deniz this year. We had a lovely holiday- the hotel was spot on, people were friendly, weather hot and food was good but...it didn't have the wow factor for me. Yes, the scenery coming down into the resort was beautiful but I've seen better on some of the Greek islands....and there lies my problem.

For me, Turkey will never live up to Greece. In fact I only went there, thinking (wrongly) that it would be cheaper. As said, we had a lovely holiday (always do) but it didn't have the wow factor and it's back to my beloved Greece next year We live and learn.

Definately agree with shirley about comparing places, you can't help it but really shouldn't do it ! we had the most amazing time in mexico at easter and i'm a bit worried, in fact i'm convinced, that no other place for me will match up, but am prepared to go on my next holiday ( nowt booked yet !!) with the determination that its gonna be a corker, no matter where we go !!

I'm not quite sure I need or expect the WOW factor on most of my holidays. No amount of research you put in can tell you how you will really feel when arriving at a new destination. All I want if I spend a week in Greece/Spain/Portugal or most of any other countries within a few hours flight is a decent hotel, good food, pleasant people and interesting scenery, oh and a few days of sunshine. . It has to be something pretty special to make me say WOW.
Seeing Mount Everest towering above the clouds made me say WOW as did my first glimpse of the Grand Canyon and the Manhattan Skyline is a pretty awesome sight so I probably said WOW when I saw it. But I don't expect to get that feeling at every destination I travel to.
Llindy if you enjoyed your holiday that's the main thing. But as Shirley says you can't help comparing and no two places are alike,so just be happy that your holiday was enjoyable, nothing nasty occured and next time you can choose somewhere else.

Better than my expectations in fact. I was a little worried before going, as it was the first time for around 5 years that we went on a fortnight's holiday as a couple rather than with a group of friends. I can't say there was a waw factor, but as others have said, I don't really expect one. The accomodation was better than I'd hoped, the people were lovely, restaurants served good quality food, at a reasonable price and it was easy to get round the island. We couldn't have asked for more

Well I go to the same resort every year, so yeh fuengirola and the costa del sol in my eyes has the wow factor, I stayed at the angela this year, and yeh it was brill, however a couple of niggles, the mattress was a nightmare ,to hard, and no wifi, and then I wasnt with my partner this year travelled with my mum and sister so didnt get to do the things we normally do, ie go to malaga for the feria, or travel, and walk about, as me and partner like to get about by bus and wandering the spanish streets, and sample local cusine, which I did a bit but my mum and sister only eat rubbish english food, so If I see another chip,burger batttered cod or same old again, Il throw myself in the manchester ship canal, as soon as I got back, I went straight to our local tapas place in manchester and had a selcetion yummy tapas....

Next year fuengirola with my fella.....roll on july 2011....:O)

We go back to the same resort year in year out - Cala Bona/Cala Millor in Majorca so know exactly what we're getting.

We tend to try new apartments but as we know where they are in the sresort there are generally no unexpected or unpleasant surprises. Booked this year's apartment 'blind', knew where the apartment was (right on promenade) but hadn't seen inside till we got there - basic but clean as is the rule of thumb for all our holiday accomodation (with 3 kids a luxury apartment would have my nerves well and truly jangled).

We visit the same hotel several times a year and always say that when we arrive and
don't say WOW, then that will be the time we stop going!
We go to other places for short breaks, having done the research and have not been
disappointed but for our main holiday, we stick to what we know and love.

I always go into every holiday with an open mind, especially if it is somehwere I have never been before. I have never been disappointed because a holiday is what you make it anyway. I have been pleasantly surprised on holidays..notably when I did the liveaboard in the Red Sea earlier this year. To be honest, I had agreed to go on he liveaboard because it was something Rob really wanted to do..attend die boot camp so to speak and I wasnt sure if I would enjoy it that much..but I loved it..far more than I thought I would..so much so that I made Rob re book for another one later this year!

I know what you mean Lindy but luckily I can say that's not really happened with us. Think the closest we came to being disappointed was our city break to Prague, we still enjoyed it (as we weren't at home!) but both of us thought we could have done with coming home a day or 2 earlier; but on the other hand our city breaks to NYC and Paris weren't long enough so they are both definitely up for a repeat visit.
To be honest if I'm going to Europe I'm not really expecting a WOW factor, just a lovely holiday with decent weather, good food & sightseeing. Yes, I will admit that the times we travel further afield I'm looking for something more; for instance I fully expected it to and sure enough China blew me away because it's such a different culture and way of life. I did say "WOW" lots during that holiday.