Villa Kastri

The view from Villa Kastri may be the best on Gavdos, but I was disappointed with the house. You share the building with someone in a basement unit if you rent it. The kitchen is otherwise good, but it needs more cooking pans, and the fridge doesn’t get cold enough. I also found the light switches confusing and spent a while figuring out what each one controlled. There aren’t many places to stay on Gavdos, so you may have to accept those drawbacks. At least you know what to expect.

The view is even better than the already great place itself. The owners are so warm and friendly, lovely people, and the stay is very good value.

The apartment was in awful shape for €85 a night. There were cockroaches throughout my five-day stay, and the shower tray was dirty and brown. The bathroom light was out, the sink tap was blocked with no water coming through, and the shutters banged. I told the owner, but none of it was fixed and no one seemed interested in sorting it out. The agreed check-in was 2:00 PM, but when I arrived then, nobody was there. The employee hadn’t let me know, and I couldn’t have been at dinner at 2:00 PM. If the owner knew about the cockroaches, the apartment shouldn’t have been given to guests in that condition.

At €85 a night, I expected a clean apartment and at least basic service. Instead, there were cockroaches throughout the five days, and none of the problems I reported were fixed. The bathroom had no light, so I had to use my phone to see; the sink tap didn’t run, and the shower tray was dirty and brown. The bed was uncomfortable, and the shutters rattled in the evening. Check-in was agreed for 2:00 PM, but no one was home when I arrived, and the employee Maria hadn’t notified me that it would be in the evening. If they knew about the cockroaches, they shouldn’t have rented the apartment to guests. I won’t stay there again or recommend it.