"Beautiful Location, but a Hugely Disappointing Hotel – Three Stars at Best
Overall, this hotel was a massive disappointment. Despite its beautiful location and obvious potential, the standard of accommodation, maintenance, cleanliness, food and customer service fell well below what we expected. In our opinion, this is a poor three-star hotel at best.
To be fair, we were extremely unlucky with the weather, as it rained throughout our entire stay. We fully appreciate that this made some of the negatives more noticeable and limited what we could enjoy. However, the majority of our complaints have nothing to do with the weather. Almost everyone we spoke to during our stay shared similar frustrations, with the notable exception of one couple who were visiting for the third time.
We still managed to have an okay holiday and found ourselves laughing at the ridiculousness of some situations, but that was largely down to our own attitude rather than anything the hotel offered.
Accommodation – Tired, Poorly Maintained and Neglected
Our room was spacious, the air conditioning worked well, and additional blankets were provided. Unfortunately, those were about the only positives.
The accommodation was incredibly dated, scruffy and poorly maintained. It genuinely felt as though repairs and general upkeep had been neglected for years.
Some of the issues we encountered included:
* A broken bed, damaged tiles, a broken shower and a leaking roof.
* Missing cupboard handles, missing shelving, broken mirrors and faulty lighting.
* Poorly fitted and damaged patio doors, along with a scruffy front door full of holes.
* A toilet flush that frequently stuck, leaving the water running continuously.
* Questionable repairs throughout, including stairs supported by small brackets that did not inspire confidence.
* Hairdryer wiring taped up rather than properly enclosed in a wall-mounted electrical connection.
* Paint splashed over tiles and light fittings, dated curtains and generally poor decoration.
* Damaged balcony railings and dividers, with very little privacy between neighbouring balconies.
* Dirty balcony doors and views overlooking a scruffy area containing rubbish and building works.
The room also lacked many basic amenities you would reasonably expect from a hotel. There was no working television, no Wi-Fi, no safe for valuables, no telephone to contact reception, no bottled drinking water and no tea or coffee-making facilities.
Even the wall-mounted soap dispensers felt cheap and poorly maintained, with some not properly replenished.
Housekeeping was particularly disappointing. During our five-night stay, our room was cleaned just twice. Our towels and bed linen were never changed. Even when housekeeping did visit, the effort was minimal, with bedding left untucked and pillows simply thrown onto the bed. It gave the impression that very little care was taken.
To make matters worse, our accommodation was situated a considerable distance from the main hotel, at the top of an extremely steep hill. Getting to and from the room was exhausting, particularly in the rain.
Hotel Grounds – Beautiful Setting, Poor Accessibility
The hotel is situated in what should be an idyllic location, nestled into a valley beside a genuinely stunning beach.
Unfortunately, the layout makes getting around unnecessarily difficult.
The complex is spread over a large area, with confusing pathways, extremely steep hills and uneven surfaces. During wet weather, many of these became slippery and unpleasant to navigate.
We are a young, reasonably fit couple, and even we found getting around challenging. I would strongly discourage anyone with mobility difficulties from booking this hotel without first checking the location and accessibility of their accommodation.
The general appearance of much of the resort also leaves a lot to be desired. While some accommodation close to the main hotel looks picturesque and enjoys beautiful views, other areas are noticeably dated, neglected and in need of considerable attention.
Another issue was the extraordinary number of wasps around the outdoor dining and seating areas, which made sitting outside uncomfortable.
Food – Repetitive, Limited and Disappointing
The food was another major letdown.
Although there was generally something available to eat, the selection was repetitive and uninspiring. Lunch and dinner were almost identical most days, with the same salads, desserts and side dishes, and very little variation in the main courses.
Pork seemed to feature heavily, simply prepared in slightly different ways. We also found it surprisingly difficult to put together a proper, balanced meal from the choices available.
Considering we were holidaying in Greece, the almost complete absence of traditional Greek food was particularly disappointing. Apart from tzatziki, there was very little that reflected the local cuisine.
We appreciate that buffet restaurants operate set mealtimes, but the hotel was exceptionally rigid about these. Food was removed immediately when service ended, sometimes accompanied by the dining room lights being switched off. Rather than creating a relaxed holiday atmosphere, it felt as though guests were being hurried out.
There is an à la carte restaurant on the beach, which the hotel promotes, but this comes at an additional cost. It was frustrating to feel encouraged towards a paid alternative when the food included in the holiday was so underwhelming.
Drinks – Extremely Limited Choice
The drinks offering was equally disappointing.
Soft drinks came from dispensers that were frequently either empty or switched off, and the overall selection was limited.
Coffee was available from a machine offering little more than espresso or Americano. Although milk was provided, it was cold, making it difficult to enjoy a properly hot milky coffee.
For an all-inclusive-style holiday, we expected considerably better.
Staff and Customer Service – A Real Lack of Hospitality
One of the most noticeable problems was the general attitude of the staff.
Many appeared visibly overworked, exhausted and unhappy. While we appreciate that working in hospitality can be demanding, the result was an atmosphere that often felt unwelcoming.
Customer service frequently seemed to be an inconvenience rather than a priority. Questions and concerns were often met with indifference, shrugs or minimal effort to help.
There was one member of the reception team who stood out for being genuinely polite, friendly and willing to assist, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, this seemed to be the exception rather than the rule.
It is difficult to know whether this reflects poor staffing levels, management or simply a lack of training, but something clearly needs to improve.
Communal Facilities – Poor Maintenance and Hygiene
The communal toilet facilities were particularly poor.
There were relatively few toilets available around the resort considering its size, and those we found were often dirty, dated and badly maintained.
We encountered toilet doors without functioning locks, broken toilet seats and empty soap dispensers, including in facilities serving the restaurant.
These are basic standards of cleanliness, hygiene and maintenance that any hotel should be getting right.
Additional Charges
Something else worth considering is the number of activities and facilities that come at an additional cost.
Despite the hotel being directly beside the beach, guests have to pay for sun loungers. There are various watersports available, but these are chargeable too.
The hotel also offers a daily shuttle service to the Old Town, which is useful, although again this comes at an extra cost.
Individually, these charges might not seem unreasonable, but collectively they add to the feeling that relatively little is included beyond the basics.
The Positives – There Is Genuine Potential
It would be unfair not to acknowledge the things this hotel does have going for it.
The location is undoubtedly its greatest asset. The surrounding scenery is beautiful, and the beach is stunning. With better weather, I can imagine the setting being a fantastic place to spend a holiday.
There are three swimming pools, each with its own bar, providing a choice of areas in which to relax. There are also plenty of watersports available for those willing to pay extra.
Some of the rooms and buildings nearer the main hotel look particularly attractive, with lovely views across the resort and surrounding landscape.
Our room was also spacious, the air conditioning functioned properly, and extra blankets were available.
The frustrating thing is that the hotel has so much potential. With investment, better maintenance, improved food and stronger management, it could be a genuinely lovely resort.
Final Verdict
This hotel relies far too heavily on its beautiful location to compensate for its many shortcomings.
We certainly didn’t expect perfection, and we understand that different people have different standards and expectations. However, basic cleanliness, functioning facilities, safe accommodation, decent food and friendly customer service should not be considered luxuries.
We also recognise that the constant rain significantly affected our experience. Had we enjoyed glorious sunshine, we would undoubtedly have spent more time relaxing by the pools and on the beach, and perhaps some of the hotel’s shortcomings would have been less noticeable.
But good weather would not have fixed the broken facilities, poor housekeeping, repetitive food or general lack of maintenance.
If you are someone who can make the best of almost any situation, overlook a considerable number of faults and simply wants a beautiful beach and somewhere to relax in the sunshine, then there is certainly the potential to enjoy a holiday here.
However, if you expect a well-maintained hotel, comfortable accommodation, reasonable food choices and good hospitality, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.
We’ve managed to make the most of our time away and have even laughed about many of the things that have gone wrong. Nevertheless, this has been a hugely disappointing experience, and we would not choose to return.
The setting deserves a much better hotel than the one currently operating here."
