Monte Cristo Hotel with Rooftop Pool

The whole room smelled like sewer, and the bathroom was moldy and badly maintained. Basic hygiene wasn’t up to standard. The air conditioner was unusable because it was so loud and the air smelled so bad it felt like it would make you sick. When we told the staff about the mold, all they said was “okay thanks”. Nothing was done and no solution was offered. We ended up at Monte Cristo after our original hotel, Diamond Central Boutique, was overbooked. The quality here was nowhere near what we had booked or expected. We wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

The view and location were unbeatable, and we liked the overall atmosphere. The hotel was older and not well looked after. The pool was only 80% full, the bedroom smelled like sewer coming up through the bathroom drains, the bed was hard, and there were no blankets. Room service only meant changing the towels. With the bathroom door shut, the room was nice enough. It’s fine to stay here, but don’t expect a modern room. I’d come back just for the view.

The location is ideal for the beach and there are plenty of bars, supermarkets, cafes and bakeries nearby. It was quite noisy near the boulevard and promenade, especially during the festival, so it suits party-goers more than anyone looking for a quiet holiday. We used the pool a couple of times. It’s old, but has a beautiful view and is a lovely place to watch the sunset. We also took a boat trip and would recommend it. The staff, owner and cleaners were all friendly and accommodating. The receptionist especially was incredibly sweet and helpful, and deserves a raise. A few things did take away from our stay: the furniture, particularly on the balcony and rooftop, was old and not very clean; the AC didn’t work properly; and the shower design left the bathroom floor flooded. My pajamas also went missing, possibly taken by the cleaner by mistake. Even with those issues, we enjoyed the stay and would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

The manager now says we never arrived, even though we stayed there. He had promised compensation over WhatsApp, but since then it has been nothing but excuses. I also told the receptionist right away about the problems, and he said he would send someone to fix them. Nobody came. I was then sent to the manager instead. This treatment is disrespectful and feels close to fraud. The room itself was in terrible shape. The balcony and bathroom doors wouldn't shut, so we could only use the toilet when someone else left the room. The air conditioning and electrical outlets didn't work, and the children's bunk bed squeaked with every move, keeping us awake all night. Completely unacceptable.