I had debated booking this hotel but had contacted the owner to request a room with Double bed and sea view and was promised such and the website looked ok so I figured it would be a decent enough choice.
I couldn't find any reviews for this hotel on here , but some users on the Aegina forum had suggested that the hotel might not be the best choice but by then I'd made my booking and paid a deposit which I thought would be difficult to get back so decided to take the chance.
How naive of me !!
Where to start , on arrival the hotel looked clean and modern enough. However the room we were showed was much smaller than expected, did not have a double bed and looked out to the parking lot / kitchen of a local restaurant.
In fairness we could see the sea over the rooftop!
I asked about the Double promised on booking and the owner Maria at first denied ever saying we could have a double, then said we should push the twins together ,( which was unfeasible because the style of frame wouldn't allow it ), when I said I could produce the email confirmation she admitted a mistake had been made and said she may have a room with double in a day or two if the guests in there didn't decided to stay longer.
The bathroom was tiny and I know Greek bathrooms are traditionally a little step over ledge and are basic but this was dirty and had gaping hols around the taps where the shower had been put in but not replastered around the damaged tiles and pipework, the drain was dirty as was the sink.
The Fridge did work but was splashed with dirt up the outside of door, we didn't use it.
The room smelled very stale and musty.
The aircon didn't work and we had to leave the doors to the small balcony open but because the room looked over the parking lot and kitchen door of a restaurant and as said kitchen door was left open it meant we could hear the plates being stacked and washed etc into the early hours.
The Balcony was dirty and the Awning was all tattered and ragged.
The beds ( twin ) were so uncomfortable that neither my husband nor I slept and both felt we had been hit by a truck our muscles were so stiff the next morning.
We decided to look for another hotel at first light and didn't even wait for breakfast before we went in search of another hotel.
On informing Maria we were uncomfortable and the room was not as we'd agreed so we were leaving she at first said we could have a better room, by then we'd lost faith in the standard of room we would be offered, then when we declined informed me that I owed a nights rate.
Even though I had sent a cheque deposit weeks in advance ( as is the hotel policy before they will confirm any bookings ) and checked with her she had recieved it and with my bank that it had been cashed, which meant I was actually owed a refund, she completely denied ever receiving my deposit and asked me to show a receipt.
I had asked for a receipt on sending the deposit and enclosed a return envelope but it never came so I hoped that an email confirmation from the hotel would suffice , no chance unfortunately !! She was adamant I had not paid a deposit and I couldn't produce a valid receipt so after much debate I refused to pay for the room but had to write off my deposit and put it down to experience. We just wanted to get out of there.
I was even told I was lying about the aircon not working !
Lesson definately learned.
I really would not recommend this hotel to anyone and am kicking myself that I didn't research even deeper than I did and follow the advise on this site as it really ruined the start of our first holiday in Greece. My husband had been ill and we were so looking forward to some much needed R&R but the room was a real disappointment and the blatant dishonesty of the owner left me speechless. Thankfully we found a much nicer room at the Hotel Karyatides for the rest of our stay.