Golden Mare Resort

"Unfortunately, our stay was so disappointing that we ultimately left and moved to another hotel. We arrived with our six-month-old baby to find our patio door left wide open and the room unbearably hot. We closed it, put the air conditioning on and informed reception. The room was also poorly cleaned, with dirt on the bathroom floor and a dead spider that remained there throughout our stay despite housekeeping attending. The following day, housekeeping once again left our patio door open, creating both a security risk and another unbearably hot room for our baby. The air conditioning then began leaking profusely, requiring us to put a bin underneath it to catch the water. More concerningly, my husband’s wedding ring went missing after housekeeping had been in the room. It appears to have accidentally been left inside a clear carrier bag. We may have assumed the whole bag had simply been mistaken for rubbish, except it appeared to be the only thing removed while obvious dirt — including the dead spider — remained untouched. After reporting the leaking air conditioning again, we were told maintenance would attend. We returned from breakfast to find our patio door wide open yet again. Reception initially suggested maintenance must have left it open. We then discovered that maintenance hadn’t actually been in instead, two hotel employees had entered our room and gone through our luggage and personal belongings looking for the missing ring, without our permission. We found video evidence of this on our baby monitor. At that point, we no longer felt comfortable or secure staying there and moved hotels. The poor maintenance extended throughout the property. There were multiple leaks in the cafeteria, which nobody seemed particularly interested in resolving beyond placing towels and buckets underneath them. Communal areas were also dirty, including around the pool where dirt and debris accumulated. In our experience, this hotel is barely a 3-star standard. Poor cleanliness and maintenance would have been disappointing enough, but repeatedly leaving our room unsecured, a missing wedding ring and staff going through our personal belongings without permission made the situation completely unacceptable. We would not return or recommend this hotel."

"As someone who is not picky at all and can adapt to almost any conditions, I have to say that this was, without a doubt, the worst hotel I have ever stayed in. My husband and I arrived at the hotel in a great mood, excited to enjoy our holiday. This was not our first time in Greece, so we knew what to expect and we certainly were not expecting luxury. We simply wanted a clean, comfortable place to stay. The moment we entered the hotel, we were hit by an awful smell. It wasn't just unpleasant – it was a terrible stench. Then we got into the elevator to go to the second floor. The elevator was filthy and looked as if someone had vomited or spilled bodily fluids inside. When we stepped out into the corridor, the same horrible smell was everywhere. Unfortunately, it didn't get any better when we entered our room. We found a torn curtain, a dirty floor, dirty mirrors covered with splash marks, an awful bathroom full of limescale, a broken bathroom cabinet, and even small bugs. I was honestly shocked. It looked as if the room hadn't been properly cleaned for several guests. Even the mirrors still had visible stains when we arrived. The windows were dirty. Everything was dirty. The common areas were no better. The swimming pool was cloudy, with visible algae, and looked disgusting. The sunbeds were in terrible condition—I will attach photos because words cannot describe them. We didn't even want to lie on them. The cutlery and glasses were dirty. The drinking water, which seemed to be desalinated seawater and was also used for all the soft drinks and cocktails, tasted awful and was impossible to drink. The coffee was equally bad, so we ended up buying coffee from nearby cafés every day. The restaurant was also very dirty. The windows, tables, and even the walls were filthy. On top of that, there was the same terrible smell in the dining area. I don't know whether it was coming from the sewage system, but it completely ruined the experience. The food was another huge disappointment. There weren't even any proper Greek olives, and the feta tasted like the cheapest supermarket version. Breakfast was by far the worst meal of the day. Even the bread was inedible. There were only two kinds of low-quality ham and some yellow cheese that was literally sweating because there was no air conditioning in the restaurant. The tomatoes looked old, the cucumber had no flavour, and the selection was very limited. The melon looked as if it had been sitting there for four days because it had already dried out. The only things we actually enjoyed were the French fries and the ice cream. However, even the ice cream scoop was left sitting in cloudy water, so I would recommend using your own spoon. I think the best recommendation I can give is the fact that we changed hotels after only two days. We simply couldn't stay there any longer. The only positives are the bus stop right outside the hotel and the beach, which is within walking distance. I am genuinely concerned that this hotel has a four-star rating. For the price they charge, the level of cleanliness, the quality of the food, and the overall standard are completely unacceptable. Even the plates in the restaurant were often still wet, which is unhygienic and allows bacteria to multiply. In my opinion, for the same money you are much better off renting an apartment from a local host and eating in nearby restaurants. You will almost certainly have a much better holiday than we did"

"My friend and I stayed at the Golden Mare Hotel last week and had a fantastic time. All of the staff were so welcoming, especially Ronaldo, who was always friendly and happy to help. The restaurant was amazing, with a great selection at every meal. There was plenty of variety each day, so there was always something new. We had a wonderful holiday and would happily recommend the Golden Mare Hotel to anyone visiting Corfu."