I unwisely booked a room at the Kris for last Saturday night, 15 May, because it is a little closer to the bus station than the Irini, where I usually stay. The landlady, Maria, asked me to pay the 40 euros as soon as I arrived, as she would be going to church the next morning and would not be there when I left. Stupidly I paid her, but my heart sank when she showed me the small, airless, dingy room overlooking a tiny concrete courtyard (described as "a lovely little garden"). I asked if there wasn't a room available overlooking the harbour, and was told no, unfortunately those rooms were all full.
I thought, oh well, it's only for one night, and unpacked my toiletries. Then I took a look at the bathroom with its filthy floor, broken shower held together with a rag, sticky shelf and encrusted basin taps, and thought, No, I cannot stay in this room, not even for one night. A closer look at the bedroom revealed stained towels and a hard bed with dirty sheets, dirty blankets, and lumpy pillows. And a floor as dirty as the bathroom floor.
So I went around the corner to the Irini, arranged to stay there, returned to the Kris and packed up. I told Maria that I could not stay in the room, and that I thought she should return my money. There ensued a lengthy wrangle (I will spare you the unpleasant details) during which I was, perhaps not entirely surprisingly, offered a better room overlooking the harbour if I would wait 15 minutes for it to be made ready. I refused, and after ten minutes of wrangle she agreed to give me some of my money back, and actually did give me 30 of the 40 euros.
So it wasn't a very expensive mistake - ten euros and a wasted half hour - but it was a mistake I would advise anyone who reads this to avoid making. The Kris is a dump, a fleapit. Above all it is a ripoff, and there is NO reason to stay there, however little money you have.
My nice, clean, pleasant, well equipped, airy single at the Irini, with a large balcony, cost - guess what - 40 euros.
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