Cabo Verde

We had a great time relaxing by the pool, and the swimming beach is only a short walk beyond the boat bay. The staff were fantastic, our clean and comfortable room was made up every day, and breakfast had plenty of choice, though it was the same each morning. The room was a reasonable size. Getting around was the downside. It cost €50 from the airport and €58 to reach central Athens, which took over an hour by car. The hotel is remote, with no easy public transport; Google said the trip would take two hours by transit. The metro itself is easy to use, but from the nearest stop we still needed a 15-minute taxi ride that cost €21. Travel costs add up. If you don't need to go places, though, I'd stay again for the relaxing pool and beach.

The service was polite, but it couldn't make up for a stay that fell short of what we expected. Our room felt neglected, with worn furnishings, poor lighting, and decor that seemed stuck in another era. It really needs a substantial refresh. Breakfast was also disappointing. The choices were limited, the food was lukewarm, and there seemed to be little care given to quality or freshness. There wasn't much to look forward to in the morning. I wouldn't recommend staying here until the renovations and amenities improve.

The balcony view was stunning, and the area around the hotel felt peaceful while still being fairly close to local attractions. It was our first trip to Greece, and we had a really good stay. The staff made us feel welcome, the food was very good, and both the room and bathroom were very clean. We'd highly recommend it.

The room photos made the place look much better than it did in person, so check them carefully before booking if you don't want a spoiled vacation. We also found ants crawling across the floor once it got dark. The hotel offered us another room without ants, but having insects at a four-star hotel was unacceptable to us. We wondered whether there might be insects in the breakfast kitchen too, and chose not to risk eating there. We had booked through booking.com after liking the pool and hotel photos. On arrival, the pool wasn't operating because, the receptionist said, they hadn't had time to paint it. There was no notice on booking.com that it would be closed, even though it spoiled the view from our room. The manager insisted the site had mentioned it, so I checked again for what felt like the hundredth time and confirmed it was not there.