Merchia Bay Villas

The hotel is beautiful, and having a private mini-pool with the sea just below is a real bonus. The room price makes the nighttime problem especially frustrating, though. There are power cuts in the middle of the night, and then a bright safety light inside the studio comes on and stays on. We had to cover it with a piece of clothing to get to sleep. Not pleasant.

The place looks nice, but our apartment said it slept six and really only worked for four. The living room had a single bed, while the other sleeping spot was a sofa on a stone base with a tiny cushion, so it was impossible to sleep on. One of the actual beds collapsed the first night, and we ended up on the floor. There was no privacy on the terrace, since guests from the two other apartments sharing the small pool had to cross it to reach theirs. The neighbor next door also kept jumping from her terrace onto ours to get to the stairs or talk to someone. They didn't mention the shared pool beforehand. The kitchen had only the basics, not even six forks, a dish towel, or cleaning items like a broom or mop. Hot water for showers wasn't always available either. We won't be coming back.

The staff made us feel exceptionally welcome. Our apartment was clean, private, and had all the comforts we needed.

The staff were really pleasant, and the place itself is nice if you get it at a good price. It's away from town, so it works well if you're looking to switch off. Some things could use better care, though: both clothes drying racks were broken, and water came out all over the place in the shower. The pools are close together too. I'd call it a 4, but gave it 5 because I don't think the negative reviews should be quite so harsh.