Ntouana Hotel

The only thing that worked well was the air conditioning. We were glad to leave after one night, and I would never stay here again. At best this feels like a 2-star place, not a 4-star hotel. The building seems to be falling apart, and everything inside looks old and neglected, as if it hasn't been renovated since sometime in the 1900s. The dark brown floors and furniture look dirty, and the stale, dingy smell didn't help. We avoided spending time in the room because it felt so unclean. It seemed more like a rundown house renting out rooms than a real hotel. The room was extremely noisy even with the shutters closed, as if cars and motorbikes were right inside. The bathroom was a disaster: the shower was so small the curtain stuck to me, and the handheld shower head fell off and hit my head. The sink takes up a quarter of the toilet area, so you have to sit sideways. It's ridiculous. There was no reception, despite the listing saying there was one and that luggage storage was available. Instead, we had to phone for a lockbox code to get the key. Breakfast was supposed to be included, but nobody told us where or when, so we didn't get any. I messaged the property on Booking.com the day before and still haven't had a reply. This place needs to be closed and removed from Booking.com.

We paid €95 for the night and expected much better. The building badly needs renovation, and our room was dingy and dirty. The duvet had no cover, so we threw it off the bed because I didn't want to think about how many people had slept under it. The bathroom was dirty too, with a rotting window that wouldn't open, cracked wall tiles, and a disgusting shower drain. The sink unit was rusty at the base, and the shower head didn't work properly. What was advertised wasn't what we found. There was no coffee machine, room service, or reception, among other things. Check the bathroom photos. This is not a 4-star hotel by any means.

The hotel is decent, but it definitely isn't 4-star. The location is handy, just a two-minute walk from the seafront with plenty of restaurants and bars, and the high-season price was reasonable. Breakfast was extensive and high quality, served in a cute courtyard. The rooms had a very old-fashioned style but were clean, and the two women working there were really friendly. Inside the room, the amenities were poor. The shower head wouldn't stay on the wall, and the air conditioning was temperamental. Check-in was also confusing: we were told to arrive before a certain time because reception would close after 3pm, even though the online hours said check-in was from 2pm to 10pm.

The room cleaning was excellent: every morning it was thoroughly cleaned, and folded pajamas were left beside the pillow. The mattress and both pillows were very comfortable for me, a good balance of soft and firm. Breakfast wasn't huge, but everything on the menu was freshly made with genuine ingredients. I also tried the hotel's massage service, which left me feeling very relaxed. Ntouana is a special hotel. The staff, several women, look after guests in every way and make them feel at home. I highly recommend staying here in Kalamata if you want to be near both the sea and the city centre or old town.