Mare Blue & Suites

Once I was back at the hotel I’d booked, I found it lovely. The room was nice enough, clean, and the food was good. I’d stay again, though it’s a shame the pool isn’t heated in colder months and guests can’t freely visit the other Mare Hotels. I liked the beach loungers, and paying €3.50 to use them didn’t bother me. The back of the hotel looked run down as we drove in. The first day was a different story. I arrived with three other people, and Jenny at the front desk moved me to a sister hotel, calling it an “upgrade.” It wasn’t. I contacted love holidays, they got in touch with the hotel, and I was moved back the next day. I don’t know whether they were overbooked or the other hotel needed more customers, but I’d been clear I was returning to the place I’d booked. Keep your wits about you. I enjoyed my stay after Jenny’s sneakiness that first day.

The hotel is right opposite the beach, about 20 ft away, so the location is hard to beat. But that’s where the good points end for me. I was very unhappy with the place and wouldn’t return. It didn’t feel like four-star quality, so I’d save your money and choose another hotel in the Georgioupolis area. We paid extra for a sea view, but could only see the sea from the side, not straight ahead as I expected for the price. The photos on holiday websites are glammed up. The all-inclusive food and drinks were extremely limited, and bottled water cost extra. There was also a charge for the safe on top of the hotel tax. The beach loungers belonging to the hotel cost extra, while other hotels along the same road gave them to their guests for free. The room didn’t have proper towels, and the toilet roll holder was already broken and lying on the floor when we arrived. The pool was tiny, probably the least impressive hotel pool I’ve seen, even with the beach only 20 ft away. Some staff seemed to need hospitality training and didn’t know how to treat guests. Local shop owners told us the hotel name changes every few years because of bad reviews, though that may or may not be true.

Getting around was easy, with the rooms, reception, restaurant, shops, bars, and beach all accessible. The hotel is adults only, with friendly staff and great quality food. It was very clean. The pool was tiny, but added to the luxurious feel.

The balcony door wouldn’t close or lock, even though other people could access the terrace. Anyone could have entered the room, which was an unacceptable security risk. The room was in terrible condition, unfinished in places and almost like a construction site. The walls and curtains had visible stains, and the overall cleanliness was poor. The bathroom was unhygienic, with hairs and a used contact lens left behind. The grout looked dirty and possibly moldy. The sink was clogged, hot water took ages, and there were exposed screws in the shower. The toilet brush was worn out and the bath mat was torn. The mattress topper also had visible mold, a serious hygiene and health concern. Basic things didn’t work: there was no functioning air conditioning, no heating, and no TV. The lighting was harsh, the Wi-Fi only worked now and then, and we had a power outage during the stay. A used spoon sat in the room for days. When it was finally “cleaned,” it looked like someone had briefly wiped it, since it was still dirty. The transparent bathroom door and a window in it facing the corridor let bright light into the room all night and disrupted our sleep. Service was unhelpful, too. They refused a room change at night, then the next day we had to wait for repairs without a clear timeline. The alternative offered was on the ground floor with no window, so we stayed put, and the problems were only partly fixed. I saw a manager relaxing in a café while our issues were still unresolved. Even basic amenities cost extra. Sunbeds were €10 extra, including for hotel guests. We had booked bed and breakfast, but even a cappuccino at breakfast had to be paid for separately.