Irene Studios

We arrived at Kontessa Apartments around 9pm after booking and paying in advance for a week in August through Agoda.com. The place looked ideal for us, with a large pool, sea views, a modern feel and better reviews than Irene Studios. There was no reception, only a sign telling us to call a number. Nikos arrived in an expensive car, hurriedly greeted us, then said there was a problem with our room and told us to get in his car so he could take us elsewhere. He offered no real explanation or apology and pressured us to put our luggage in his car. He was rude and condescending when we questioned being taken to a different, unfamiliar hotel. It made us feel as if we might be getting kidnapped. Luckily, we had rented our own car, so we followed him to Irene Studios, another property he manages, about five minutes away. He wanted to scan our passports before showing us the room. We insisted on seeing it first, and he got annoyed, muttered that I was “difficult” and said the situation was “complicated tonight.” The room was a major letdown: much smaller, with dated furniture, a dirty shower, a useless curtain and visible mold. There was no WiFi despite the promise, the TV didn’t work, and the pool and other amenities from our original booking were missing. When I complained, Nikos said Agoda had given him no contact details so he couldn’t tell us about the change, then asked condescendingly, “so how was I supposed to warn you?” He blamed overbooking on faulty technology and lectured us about technology being unreliable. He took no responsibility, apologized for nothing and offered no compensation, even though the replacement room was €30 less per night. With no other options on the island so late at night, we felt trapped and had to accept it. He scanned our passports at his car rental office across the street, Kastri Holiday Car Rentals, handed us the keys and said, “You must be tired, go rest.” We got no proper checkout instructions, just “call me when you leave.” It felt like a deliberate bait-and-switch: attract people with the nicer property on booking sites, then move them to the cheaper one he controls and keep the difference. It was deceptive and could have been dangerous. Zero stars. Save your money and peace of mind. Avoid Irene Studios and Kontessa Apartments. Book anywhere else on Kos and spare yourself the headache, lost money and ruined holiday mood!

We had booked and prepaid for five days at Kontessa Apartments through Agoda, expecting the superior property with a pool and higher standards. Instead, we wound up at Irene Studios after what felt like a shady relocation, and our vacation was ruined. At around 11pm there was no reception at Kontessa, just a sign with a phone number. Nikos, who manages both properties and has his number posted at each, arrived in a fancy car. After a curt welcome, he said there was a problem with our room and pushed us to follow him to Irene Studios without explaining or apologizing. He wanted us to load our luggage into his vehicle. When we said we had our own car, he snapped, “Fine, follow me.” The five-minute drive left us uneasy and suspicious. At Irene Studios, he demanded our passports for scanning before showing us the room. I refused and insisted on seeing the room first. He smirked and grumbled that things were “complicated” with me. The room was smaller and clearly outdated compared with what we’d paid for. The shower was grimy and tucked behind a flimsy curtain; the WiFi didn’t work, despite his instructions that it was available, and the TV wouldn’t turn on, probably because the batteries were dead. The place seemed neglected and cheaply maintained. There was no pool. I later checked the property’s own website and saw rooms for about 85 EUR a night on our dates, 30 EUR less per night than we’d paid for Kontessa. No refund or compensation was offered. When I voiced my frustration, Nikos got arrogant and defensive. He claimed Agoda hadn’t given him a phone number or email, then sneered, “How could I contact you then?” That seemed like an obvious lie since he knew about our booking. He also said we would have had to change rooms daily if we’d stayed at Kontessa, blaming “stupid technology” for handling the reservations. He wouldn’t accept responsibility as the host and ranted about how “humans should always keep control over technology,” even bringing up Google Maps and saying he warns his son against it. Anything to shift the blame. He came across as manipulative and egotistical, as if nothing was ever his fault. At that hour we had no alternatives, so we had to stay. Nikos was dismissive throughout, with no apology, no compensation for the downgrade and no proper checkout instructions, just “you have my number, contact me.” He scanned our passports at his car rental office across the road and waved us off with, “You must be tired, go rest.” It felt like a well-practiced scam, sending guests from his nicer listings to this dump and pocketing the difference. This seemed fraudulent. We paid premium rates for a superior stay and got stuck here. Zero stars if I could. Do NOT stay here, and beware of Nikos and his various businesses. Save your vacation, money and peace of mind. Book somewhere else!

The owner is incredibly nice and always ready to help. We loved the sea view, and the water is just 30 meters from the accommodation. The rooms have everything you need, and we always enjoy coming back. You can also rent a car here and explore the whole island.

Room 12 was lovely, with a new kitchen, every comfort and an amazing view. The studios open directly onto a beautiful beach, where two sunbeds and an umbrella cost 8 euro. There’s a big supermarket opposite, and Irene Studios can arrange car rentals or excursions. Hyppocrates restaurant is also across the road, with amazing food at very cheap prices. We ate there twice during our holiday. One thing to mention: room 6 is old and really needs renovating. We spent two nights there because all the front beach studios were full, and it wasn’t very comfortable. The rest was fine, and we’d like to come back. The place was very, very clean.