Afitos Apartments & Studios

We had booked five nights at Afitos Studios, part of the town's most expensive hotel, Afitis Boutique Hotel, but left on the first day because of the poor conditions and the staff's behavior. We had to pay in full before we were even shown the room, which was nothing like the clean image online. The bathroom was moldy, and there was cigarette ash, dust, and stains. When we asked politely for a clean room or another option, staff were dismissive. They didn't offer another room or even room service, and refused to refund us. At first they said they'd arrange a refund, then later denied having promised one. The location was also a problem. Afitos Studios is on a steep hill, a long way from the beach and town center. The uphill walk can be hard, especially at night, and may feel unsafe. I've written plenty of hotel reviews, usually about good experiences, but this stay was so bad that I feel I need to share what happened. I've tried several times to discuss it with management, but they haven't been willing to have a meaningful conversation. Friends who booked the same accommodation had similar shortcomings. I urge visitors to Afitos to be cautious about Afitos Studios or their Boutique Hotel. The hotel can still contact me if it wants to work things out, though I think it's probably too late for any reparations.

I wouldn't recommend these studios. The building was noisy, so we could hear neighbors on every side, and we could see them from our balcony. The bed was uncomfortable, and the kitchen had no equipment, dish soap, or towels. The toaster was very dirty, and they didn't replenish the toilet paper. We had other problems too, but the staff weren't helpful and didn't seem to care despite our repeated calls to reception. Check-in was at the boutique hotel, far from the studio. The water pressure was so low that washing hair was impossible, and water leaked everywhere because the shower doors didn't fit. Our phone was broken, and even after we told them several times, no one came to check it.

Our reservation was cancelled just hours before check-in, after we'd already arrived in Afytos. We were lucky that early June wasn't high season and could quickly book somewhere else for roughly the same price. If this had happened in mid-August, I can't imagine where we'd have gone, how much we'd have had to pay, or whether we'd have spent the first night in the car. It could ruin someone's first day, especially if they arrived by bus. We booked Afitos Studios through Booking.com on May 3, 2024, for two adults staying June 7-10, 2024. Booking.com took half the total on May 24 and planned to collect the rest on June 9. The evening before our arrival, a woman from the property called to confirm the stay and said we should pick up the key at Afitos Boutique Hotel, which we assumed had some business connection with the studios. At 13:05 AM on June 7th, we arrived there to check in. The unsettled receptionist said our booking had been cancelled because of a system failure. We were traveling by car in a foreign country and didn't always have internet, so we hadn't seen Booking.com's email, sent at 10:18 AM local time, less than three hours before check-in. It said the cancellation was due to overbooking, not a system failure as the woman at the other hotel tried to tell us. I only read it when we connected to the hotel's Wi-Fi, at the same moment she told us about the cancellation. She refunded our first payment at that hotel. The receptionist was kind and helpful aside from being untrustworthy, and we used the Wi-Fi to reserve different accommodation immediately. The property cancelled only through Booking, without a proper explanation or a phone call to make sure we knew in time. They knew about a possible overbooking when they called the day before, and Booking was told only a few hours before check-in. Half the cost had already been paid, so overbooking is no excuse. The receptionist at Afitos Boutique Hotel also tried to blame Booking's system instead of admitting overbooking. I think Afitos Boutique Hotel deserves a thumbs down too for this kind of cooperation with Afitos Studios. I don't recommend Afitos Studios at all. Whatever amenities it may have, you might not even get the chance to experience them. This could happen to anyone, so it's a no-go.

The studio was clean and looked very nice, with daily cleaning, and we had a great view. Being close to the beach matters in steep Afytos, so that was a real plus. We had a nice stay. The one inconvenience was check-in at Afitis Boutique Hotel, which is a bit far without a car. They hadn't told us beforehand; we found out from other reviews. It would've been nice to get that information in advance.