Meramaglia Hotel

We’d be back in a heartbeat. The old town is just a short walk away, and Meramaglia Hotel made us feel at home, especially the kind and welcoming staff. Maria at the pool bar deserves a special thank you. Her attentive service and warm personality made our evenings, and she even remembered our usual order, two beers and a lemon slushy :-) Breakfast was freshly made, and ordering it the day before worked smoothly. We appreciated that this helped cut food waste. The pool was another highlight: clean, never crowded, always had a free sunbed, and fresh towels were provided each day with our room marked on them. The bar served a great range of tasty food and refreshing drinks. Our apartment was spotless, spacious and thoughtfully equipped, including a handy little fridge. Air conditioning in both the bedroom and living room kept us comfortable throughout our stay. It was simply a wonderful experience.

I chose the junior suite and loved the roominess, the amazing AC and the mountain view. This is a quiet, relaxing hotel with a lovely sized pool, sunbeds, a small gym and a pool table, without feeling overcrowded. It’s at the end of the old town, away from the busy Malia strip but still nearby, and there’s a supermarket right across the road. There’s also free parking for hire cars or bikes, which is handy. One of the best hotels in Malia for me. The staff are friendly, and I’d highly recommend it. I’ll be back.

I won’t return. There are some positives, but the problems outweigh them by a lot. I didn’t feel safe in my room because there was no lock on the inside of the door. There’s a night security guard and guests need a card, but I wanted a lock or chain as well, like at a normal hotel. The pool toilet also has no lock at all. I opened it and found a woman naked inside, then closed the door immediately. I thought she should have locked it, but when I went in after she left to apologize, I discovered there was no lock to use. The hotel apparently expects people to check whether the door is shut. Anyone could walk in while someone is undressed. It felt unsafe and disgusting, and I worry about other women’s safety here. During our two weeks, the security guard spoke to us every time we came back at night. It wasn’t just a greeting: this big older guy would corner us and try to have a full conversation. My friends and I felt uncomfortable, stalked and harassed. The pool bottom was visibly dirty, with dirt and other remains in it. This isn’t a matter of interpretation. The owner could put up a current picture of the pool bottom for people to judge themselves, and should pay someone to vacuum it. Basic sanitation is missing. The bathroom is tiny. The shower glass doesn’t reach far enough, so there’s a puddle on the floor every time. There’s a large living room right beside it, so they could have given up some of that space for a bigger bathroom. The design is shockingly bad. Owners or staff eat by the pool every day, which made us feel watched and uncomfortable. It seems unprofessional to eat alongside hotel guests like that. There appears to be only one cleaner, so room service can happen any time between 10 and 3. You may have to stay out for up to five hours, or wait until the cleaner arrives, which could be as late as three, then leave while the room is serviced. They don’t replace coffee capsules when they run out. At these prices, refilling them during room service is the least they could do. Maybe reception would give you coffee, but I wouldn’t lower myself to ask. Everyday sounds carry into the room while you’re trying to sleep. The building doesn’t absorb noise well. I could hear the upstairs toilet or people going up the stairs even when they weren’t talking. This place isn’t suitable for disabled guests, and there’s no lift. They have a disabled ramp, but you’d have to lift a wheelchair onto it, then get stuck at the bottom because there’s nowhere to go except stairs. It’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t recommend this mom-and-pop-run hotel. Women don’t feel safe here.

Our room looked recently refurbished to a high standard, with a modern style, and was exceptionally clean. The pool was clean and a good temperature, and we had an amazing breakfast with lots of choice. When we arrived, the friendly, helpful staff carried our luggage to the room and offered welcome drinks while we checked in. They were accommodating throughout our stay. It’s a great hotel, and I’d gladly stay again.