Apolis Beachscape Hotel

We booked two weeks at this family-run hotel in Karpathos through a tour operator back in February, including a paid upgrade to a sea-view room. The rate was noticeably above what 4-star hotels nearby usually cost, so we expected more. We left feeling the stay missed even the basics, and regretted not returning to a nearby hotel we'd enjoyed before. It had one fewer star but much better comfort, service, and attention to detail. The same tour operator manages both places, which made the difference harder to understand. For this price, there are much better choices in Karpathos, including within the same travel group. The setting looks beautiful and dramatic from outside, but the position and layout mean most balconies don't really let you enjoy the scenery. We were first put in a room over the kitchens after a cold, disorganized welcome. It was noisy, very hot, and smelled of cooking. When we asked to move the next day, there was just one room offered. We later learned it was the hotel's usual backup room, rather than a real upgrade. It had a better view, but sat above a broad concrete roof that soaked up the sun and radiated heat all day. The room stayed extremely hot despite the air conditioning, whose unit was right above the bed and blew cold air on us overnight. The room was poorly equipped, with no wardrobe drawers, and the minibar only added more heat. Some glasses were dirty and crusted, and there wasn't even a complimentary bottle of water on arrival. The bathroom door was broken, cleanliness overall was lacking, and the balcony's two iron chairs were so uncomfortable we couldn't enjoy even a quick aperitif there. Breakfast was disappointing too, with little variety, poor quality, and often not enough food. The lobby bar charged extra for anything beyond the bare-bones breakfast buffet. Even the few loungers and umbrellas on the small beach below the hotel had to be rented.