A mum has claimed her 40th birthday getaway was ruined after she broke out in a ‘gruesome’ rash after spending some time in the hot tub at a rural lodge in Wales
A mum claims a “dirty” hot tub ruined her 40th birthday getaway – leaving her covered in a “gruesome” rash and too self-conscious to leave the house for two weeks.
Francesca Newton had been celebrating her milestone birthday on March 9 with two pals at a rural lodge in Wales. But the trip turned sour after a half-hour dip in the hot tub, which she says reeked of strong chemicals, resulted in a painful skin condition.
Within 24 hours, Francesca, a copywriter from Stockport, Greater Manchester, noticed small spots breaking out across her chest. By the following day, they’d flared into an “absolutely wild” itchy rash stretching across her neck, chest, and back.
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“It was unbearably itchy,” said Francesca. “Looking in the mirror and seeing all of these lumps was really depressing and upsetting. I felt really gruesome and ugly and diseased.”
The mum-of-one was reportedly diagnosed by her GP with folliculitis – a bacterial skin infection also dubbed “hot tub rash” – and was prescribed antibiotics, antihistamines and cream.
She said the ordeal left her too embarrassed to go outside, skipping gym sessions and staying home for fear of how others would react.
“I had to cover myself as high up on the neck as possible. I looked like I had some horrific disease. It was really gross,” Francesca said.
“If I went to the gym, people would’ve been horrified. I mainly just stayed at home and tried to keep out of public view.”
Francesca says she followed all hygiene guidance, including showering before getting in the tub. But she believes the problem was due to poor maintenance, not personal cleanliness.
“From what I’ve read, it’s not about putting in all the chemicals – it’s about cleaning it properly,” she said. “I can only think it’s nothing to do with the chemicals, therefore it’s something else – it’s a bacteria.”
The lodge insists hot tubs are cleaned thoroughly between stays, and say hygiene issues are usually due to guests not showering before use.
“Despite every hot tub being freshly cleaned, flushed, and chemically balanced prior to guest use, failure to follow basic hygiene instructions can introduce bacteria directly into the water via the user’s own skin,” a spokesperson said.
They added that across the thousands of guests they welcome annually, just 10 to 15 hot tub-related issues are reported – and that the “vast majority” involve poor guest hygiene, prolonged usage, or ignoring usage rules.
Francesca says she raised her concerns with the lodge straight away – only to be met with silence.
“I contacted them the next day, then followed up twice more as it got worse. They said the general manager would respond within 10 days, but I never heard back.”
One of her friends also suffered a rash, though theirs was confined to the underarm area. Francesca’s, however, took nearly a month to clear up.
“I was on antibiotics for five days and continued with creams for two weeks. Then it took another week to fully go down. Thank God it wasn’t permanent, but it really did look gruesome.”
The lodge stressed they provide clear guidance on safe hot tub use, including showering before and after use, limiting time in the water to 20 minutes, and avoiding food, drink or smoking while in the tub.
“Unfortunately, these instructions are not always followed, but we remain committed to maintaining the highest operational standards,” they added.
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