Totally agree that laminate timber is awful. And you can't get them too wet. Any spills have to be wiped up immediately or you risk the boards swelling and warping....you should see my kitchen.

We have tiles and carpet in the house we own and that is my preference, but my ILs have laminate tiles that are made from recycled car tyres. They look very similar to our tiles but are much softer to walk on and more durable.