Epidavros Hotel

The staff are lovely and the price, 30€/p, is acceptable. The room is a decent size, and there’s a mini fridge, though it can’t be used when you’re outside the room. The walls are thin, so voices from nearby rooms carry, and the neighborhood is very noisy. The floor was dirty with hair and crumbs, the bathroom tap was coming apart, and so was the paint. Omania station is nearby, which is useful when arriving from the airport. You can’t buy sandwiches at the hotel. It’s okay for a single night, but I wouldn’t recommend staying longer.

The staff were nice and friendly, and the hotel itself was okay, though only somewhat clean. The bathroom smelled even with the cleaner coming every day. The bathroom could use an update, but it still worked. Outside, the hotel needs cleaning and the smell should be dealt with. People were often hanging around the front drinking and smoking. We chose it because it’s close to the city centre, metro, shops, market, and cheap places to eat. What we hadn’t understood was that there were also street activities our taxi driver warned us about, including homeless people, drunks, and robbery. We saw some of it on our first day, which scared us, so we tried to make the best of the trip and only went out in the daytime. We booked two rooms for four adults and one child. I probably wouldn’t book again, but it might suit budget travelers who only need a room to sleep in.

We left after three of our five nights, which we’ve never done at another hotel. The location wasn’t a problem for us, and the reception staff were helpful. They dealt with our noise complaint in the middle of the night, and gave us useful updates, like information about a transit strike. Still, the room was cramped and uncomfortable, and I had health concerns. Smoke kept coming into our poorly ventilated room from someone regularly smoking nearby, apparently through the shafts. At certain times, day or night, it got stronger, irritated my throat, and made me feel ill and unable to sleep. My throat felt better just a few hours after moving to another hotel. The old mattress sagged in the middle and slid away from the wall, so I couldn’t sit up and read in bed. The bathroom was extremely narrow, and I dreaded using it. A larger person might not be able to use the toilet comfortably. Showering was a mission too: the curtain stuck to me and didn’t cover the whole cubicle, so water flooded the bathroom every time. I had to buy rubber sandals. There were only two power sockets in the room, or three if you unplugged the TV. That’s a problem for two guests who need to charge devices, especially after using them all day. The reception guys were great, but outside housekeeping hours they couldn’t give us a full toilet roll when we asked.

We checked in and checked out within an hour. The furniture was falling apart: the bathroom handle came off and left me locked inside, and the only chair collapsed. The sheets were ripped, the floor was dirty, and the place was horrible. The online photos didn’t match what we found, and the location felt disgusting. Our taxi even took a detour to avoid the area. Soon after arriving, people on drugs were harassing us for money, and we found a syringe outside. We felt unsafe. They refused to offer any compensation and said the hotel was fine. The owner rudely dismissed our request for even a partial refund, so I expect a rude response here too. Even setting the exterior aside, the broken furniture made staying impossible. I’d tell people not to book, especially if they’re bringing children. It was the worst hotel I’ve ever been to, despite traveling around the world. Don’t risk your safety inside or outside. Please take my advice.