Alkioni Hotel

We still think fondly of our lovely holiday at Hotel Alkioni in Finiki, Karpathos. It was a special time for all of us. Thanks again for giving us such a warm welcome.

The view of the sunset was beautiful, and the hotel had direct access to Finiki Beach. There was laundry service, and we were told cleaning happened every two days if we asked the day before. Still, the stay was a nightmare, and we won't be back. I found a room on booking.com and called the owner with questions before reserving. He told me not to book there, but to email him for a “good deal.” He offered a good price and said cash would be better “if possible.” At arrival, we learned that price was close to 900 euros and was cash only, with no card payment available. The room was beside a service area, joined by a door with a handle only on the staff side and no lock or handle on ours. There was a gap under it where we could see workers' shadows, and we could hear their movements clearly. Staff could, or would, come straight into our room. We understand cleaners normally use a master key, but this felt intrusive from the start, as if we were bunking with the workers. We felt uncomfortable and had little privacy or security, and even felt we had to whisper. Because the room was booked through the email “good deal,” we couldn't see photos beforehand, and we wouldn't have taken it had we known. We booked ten days but left after one night because of the privacy and unease. The owner demanded full payment fiercely and arrogantly, blamed us and tried to guilt us into staying. He was condescending, sassy and aggressive in tone, and raised his voice. He blatantly ignored Greek law, which caps cancellation penalties at three days. At checkout he told us to get in his car so he could take us to his other hotel in neighboring Arkasa, saying he had a better deal there. Obviously, we didn't. After some time bargaining, we agreed to pay cash for three nights as compensation for leaving, although we had stayed only one. When we asked for a receipt, he said he'd need to call his daughter to handle the computer because he didn't know how to issue an invoice. That seemed very odd for a hotel owner. It makes it seem like he rarely issues proper invoices and may be sketchy with taxes. One star. A headache and a disaster. Avoid it at all costs.

The hosts were lovely, and breakfast was generous and delicious. Our apartment was spacious and clean, and it was cleaned every day. The balcony view was stunning. Finiki is a quiet, beautiful town with great sunsets and lovely restaurants. Its location is ideal for exploring the island, though you'll probably need a car or motorcycle to get around to beaches and the supermarket. We really enjoyed our stay.

Alkioni Hotel overlooks Finiki bay, and we had a very pleasant stay. Our apartment was spacious and comfortable, with daily cleaning. The owners were helpful and assisted us several times. We'd definitely recommend the hotel, and be sure to try the excellent breakfast.