Cavo Piso Livadi

The location and room design are pretty good, and we care about Greece and love Paros, so we hope the property takes a serious look at the guest experience. If it does and we can see the improvements, we’d come back. The staff were friendly, but the messy entrance and reception, disappointing breakfast and lack of professionalism left us questioning the five-star rating. Four stars would be generous, and three would fit better. This stay has made me rethink what a five-star hotel means in this part of the world. It’s clearly important to look beyond the rating when expecting a certain level of service.

George was the standout for us. He took our bags to the room, explained how things worked, and later got the TV going after we mentioned it at breakfast. The young woman serving coffee each morning was lovely too. She wouldn’t accept a tip directly when we left and asked us to put it in the bar tip jar instead. The common areas were nicely designed and clean. Our junior suite was pleasant, with a small private pool, more jacuzzi-sized, which we didn’t mind. But it was freezing, so we only used it once, and that felt like a waste of money. The main pool was also very cold, with hardly anyone swimming. It could use some heating, though sitting around it was nice. Breakfast had a good range of food, but cordial instead of fresh juice was odd. Walking to breakfast meant passing the kitchen, where the coffee maker and the woman restocking food were usually smoking, which didn’t make a good impression. The reception man was cold and didn’t ask how we were or how the journey went. We’d booked a week in May for September. After worrying about other reviews, we called and were told there had been issues when full, but they were sorted and the hotel would be only 30% occupied during our stay. I can imagine it struggling at full capacity. It has the potential to be amazing, but needs an experienced hotelier to make it a true five-star stay. Apart from George and the breakfast server, the staff lacked the finesse for that level. It wasn’t cheap, and there are nice hotels in Paros for a fraction of the price. I also got home covered in strange bites, so maybe bed bugs got me too.

The location is perfect, and the outdoor saltwater pool was fun. Breakfast was good, with plenty to choose from, and the coffee made to order was excellent. The staff tried hard to help, though they couldn’t resolve things. The hotel is new, but it was a big disappointment after we booked more than a year ahead on recommendations from our network. The photos look good, but the stay didn’t match what we paid for. We reserved a two-room villa with a private pool, but got a pool in a hallway facing the road and parking area, with no privacy. It was very dirty and stayed that way until our last day. There were exposed cables in the rooms, too few keys, and no remotes for either the TV or air conditioning. The Wi-Fi didn’t work, which is strange these days, and the dining room wasn’t set up for the number of guests.

A small market and several restaurants are only a minute away, and the hotel sits right by the sea and beach. The central pool links the property and gives it a relaxed feel. The room layout is very well thought out. It’s a great fit for a family holiday. The place is clearly new and still developing, but has a lot of promise for future seasons. With more time and experience, it could become a top family stay. Highly recommend it for the comfort and location.