Crystal Dreams

We travel as a family often, and we’ve never had a hotelier behave in a way that felt so much like a scam. All six of our other stays in the Greek islands were delightful. Afrodite Boutique in Aliki, for example, was friendly and helpful, and found us a room twice at short notice. I booked Crystal Dreams for 5 nights at the last minute through Expedia and received a confirmation email. Our plans changed, as they often do on the Greek islands, so I emailed to say we’d arrive one day later but would still pay for all 5 nights. The owner then called and said they hadn’t meant to accept the booking and had no availability for the first 3 nights. She said they could only honor the last two. At first she seemed helpful and apologetic. We discussed either cancelling the whole booking and paying separately for two nights, or letting her keep the Expedia payment and pay us for the nights when the apartment was full. It all seemed amicable, and she told us, ‘you have a friend in Paros’. We stayed the two agreed nights. The apartment was nice, and the location was okay, though it was a bit of a walk uphill from the port at night. The owner never came to say hello, which seemed a little odd given the inconvenience, but we didn’t mind. Late on our last night, I messaged her to sort out the money. That’s when she became furious. She accused me of trying to stay for free, something I’ve never done in all my years of travelling, and said I’d faked the bank statement showing Expedia had taken my money. She threatened to throw us out at midnight, and my children became hysterical. I spoke to Expedia, and they called her, but said they couldn’t get her to see reason. She needed to authorize a refund and refused. She said she’d been drinking at a party, so I put her strange behavior down to alcohol. In the morning, I went to the cash point to withdraw payment for the two nights, expecting her to approve the Expedia refund once sober. I called again to arrange payment, but she was still irrational and disingenuous. She repeatedly said she hadn’t double-booked the apartment, contradicting messages I had that said otherwise. She wouldn’t let Expedia refund me and kept insisting she could take all my money because I hadn’t arrived on the first night. That made no sense when we’d paid in full in advance, and it directly contradicted what she’d told me earlier. It became clear she wanted the full Expedia payment despite accepting my booking when the hotel only had space for two of the five nights. Then she blocked me on WhatsApp. I expect the owner may reply with more lies. Believe her if you like, but you’ve been warned. Looking back at the reviews, I noticed only a handful on Tripadvisor and just one on Expedia. The hotel doesn’t appear on booking.com. The many positive Google reviews convinced us to book Crystal Dreams, but things definitely aren’t as they seem. I kept all the messages from Crystal Dreams for anyone who wants to ask me about this. After many calls, Expedia eventually refunded the 3 nights that weren’t available, even though they couldn’t reach the owner. Thanks to Expedia, but not to the owner of Crystal Dreams.

We felt at home with Kostas and Irini, who were incredibly warm and welcoming. During our 14 wonderful days on Paros, our first visit to the island, they even hosted two free barbecue evenings for guests. We’ll definitely return. Our spacious duplex had a gorgeous harbor and sea view, and the terrace sunsets were unforgettable. Having a private whirlpool out there made it even more relaxing. The apartment was well kept, fully equipped, and cleaned every day, which we really appreciated. Our young daughter adored the little garden corner with its birdcage, turtles, and cats, and spent time playing with them every day. The garden and barbecue facilities were lovely too, and it felt like a paradise for kids. We could rent a brand-new electric SUV directly from the hosts and charge it on site, which made getting around the island much easier. Nearby there’s a supermarket, gym, and even a football field. It’s a 10 to 15 minute walk to the center of Parikia and the harbor, where we found lovely restaurants and alleys and a clean, pleasant atmosphere. Paros also has crystal-clear water and beautiful beaches. For more nightlife and activity, Naoussa is well worth a visit, just a 15 minute drive away. A heartfelt thank you to Kostas and Irini.

The personal, family feel made this stay in Parikia special. The hosts were warm, friendly, and helpful from the start, and we felt like welcomed guests rather than customers. It really felt like home. There are plenty of shops nearby, plus a football field that’s good for jogging and a well-equipped gym just 5 minutes away. You can walk to the center of Parikia, and the beautiful beaches are about 10 minutes away on foot. Naoussa, if you’re after nightlife, is a 15-minute drive. We also rented an electric car directly from the hosts, which was convenient and well organized. For the price, this charming place is hard to beat. It has a lot of heart, and we’ll definitely return.

The room had a simple design that I really liked, and it was clean, roomy, and comfortable. The host did her best to make us feel at ease. She made the bed, emptied the trash, and changed the bathroom towels every day.