Alkyonis Apartments

I’ve stayed here about seven times, usually for two weeks, with flights costing under £500 for two people, plus food. Evi, who runs the place, is brilliant and nothing is too much trouble. The nightly prices I’ve paid were 35 Euro for a family room for six, 30 Euro for a regular double, 25 Euro for a small double, and 15 Euro for the small room I use.

I wouldn’t recommend it. The water from the tap was salty, though it was hot. The apartment had ants, hair left by previous guests, and a stained bathroom. The kitchen hadn’t been cleaned: dusty shelves and greasy pots. The shutters wouldn’t close, and there was no sound insulation, so you could hear the neighbours. The small shampoo bottle was half empty and already used.

The view was lovely, the neighboring cats were a delight, the price was low, and the room had the utensils and cooking equipment we needed. But I won’t stay here again unless I somehow turn into a foreigner and get treated like royalty. We were there for a little over a week, with some days funded through the social tourism programme. The room was extremely clean when we arrived, but during our 9-day stay it was “cleaned” just once: the towels and trash bag were changed, and the sink and shower scrubbed. The floors got dirty from beach sand and water escaping the shower, and the owner ignored that despite being paid in full through the programme. We weren’t told beforehand about the optional daily charge for air conditioning and cleaning. The owner mentioned it the day after we arrived. It was 7 euros a day, except for the 3 days we paid for in full. There was a ceiling fan, and we could also have a ground one, but Kalymnos is HOT. The fee had to be paid. Social tourism’s terms don’t mention a charge like this, though that still needs to be resolved. For the first few days, the owner kept reminding us the a/c was on and saying the weather wasn’t that bad, as if she weren’t being paid for its use. We went to relax, not to be scolded for using something we’d paid for. It was annoying and rude. Also, the building seemed to offer a late-night safari. Around 2am, we could hear roach legs moving over the outside of the stove. I killed 3 roaches using an almost empty bottle of bug killer the owner had provided. We also found a dead roach in a drawer and told the owner. It’s probably still there, enjoying its afterlife.

Whether you’re coming with family or on your own, this is a fantastic place. Evi runs the hotel and is the kindest lady on Kalymnos. She’ll sort out any problems. I’ve been here three months, but my holiday’s over and I have to go home. In two months I’ll be back for good. Lucky me.