I booked a holiday through a local Danish travel agency for one week to Santorini between18th and 25th August. First time I saw Santorini was in a Bollywood movie, where I got pretty facinated by the beautiful blue see, blue/white houses on the hill and wonderful blue sky. I said to myself, this is it! I have to go there. Finally after 4 years of waiting and saving money, the dream came true and we arrived to this wonderful island! What can I say about Santorini.... I think I will say only one thing... the Island itself was worth all the money and excitement! Hotel Astro.... what can I say? Horrible! I travel a lot myself and have been staying in hotels a lot. Hotel Astro... I won't call it a hotel at all! For the money we paid, it gave us nothing in return! It was me, my girlfriend and my little brother, who were travelling together. First off, we had asked for a 1 room apartment, and they told us that there will be a bedroom for me and my girlfriend and a small entrance room with a place for couch for my litte brother But guest what? They put us all in one single room with 3 beds beside each other? Now tell me how hard that is for a young couple with a little kid sleeping beside? OK.... we managed somehow.
Dirty hotel! The shower was some kind of barbie bathroom shower and worst of all.... no curtains and door lock. So, anyone took shower, the whole bathroom would get wet. And during a toilet visit, we had to scream out and let each other know that do not come in, since there's no door lock.
Breakfast which was not included although we paid so much! We had to buy it seperately for 6 € pr person. Trust me, it was only one day we ate there, just to try and it was only bread, juice, butter and some other food, totally not worth the money. We used the local restaurants instead.
Cleaning... Me and my girlfriend delt with it ourselves basically. I personally dried the floor myself everyday. To change the sheets and towels, we had to go and ask it ourselves. The cleaning lady was there only twice during our one week stay.
Staff.... only one nice guy there, who barely understood english, luckily I can speek russian and he could speek serbian, so figure out yourselves how me managed ;) Although we managed to communicate, he couldn't do much to help us, since the hotel itself does not have the resources to facilitate its' guests. The hotel manager was the angriest man I had ever seen. He looked at us as if we were staying in his bedroom without his persmission!
The only good thing about Hotel Astro: Location!! And that's the ONLY good thing! It is located only 100m from the beach and 20 min from Airport. We had rented a car and guess what? The hotel doesn't even have a parking lot. Upon arrival, when I asked where to park, the staff said, just park on the street and FYI.. you are not allowed to park everywhere.
Generally... for that money, we could have gotten a 1 room apartment for 3 persons right infront of the beach with much better facilities. If you are thinking of picking this hotel.... I'm telling you... please don't! Don't believe the positive reviews of the people who gave the hotel 5 out of 5. They are probably not those who travel a lot and haven't seen and experienced how the prices are around europe and Santorini itself.
I would never go to this hotel again! But Santorini.... deffinately!!!
Ask me if you have questions. I'll do everything you help and send you pictures. I took on purpose many photos of this hotel, so future travellers won't make the mistake I made, by booking this hotel!!
- Astro Hotel Kamari
