Cava D'oro Hotel

This boutique hotel feels like a home away from home for us. Every visit is a great experience, with so much attention to detail. We try to come every year, and George and Alexia have become friends as well as wonderful hosts. Thanks for such a pleasurable trip and for making us feel so close.

The strong shower and the directions to the port were the only positives I found. I really wish I'd taken photos to back up these statements, but they're all truthful. We felt unwelcome and encountered rudeness throughout. The courtyard door was always locked. Although check-in was supposedly available only until 8 pm, we were locked out at 11 pm and waited 15 minutes for someone to open up. The owner seemed to ignore that many flights land after 10 pm, and we were repeatedly told how “lucky” we were that someone came to the door. They couldn't find our prepaid booking and demanded a printed voucher, then eventually accepted the email instead. The sanitary conditions were awful. We could hear bed bugs in the wooden beams, and they seemed to be biting us. The beds were separate instead of one double. The bathroom was dirty, with black mold visible in grout and silicone. There were semen stains on the bed cover and pillows, lipstick marks on towels, worn towel edges coming apart, and hair left on the dirty floors. Breakfast wasn't available before 8:30. We weren't allowed to leave bags at reception for a few hours, so we had to carry them on our day trip to Symi. After checkout I left my jacket behind. When I returned, the door was locked; the owner told me not to knock or he would call the police, then gave me my jacket. This place should close for sanitary reasons and doesn't deserve to be called a hotel.

Tucked into the medieval city wall, this lovely hotel is run by George and his wife. They're fantastic hosts, genuinely welcoming and incredibly helpful. It's right in the center, yet away from the noisy crowds. Breakfast was easily the best we had in the city, so make sure to include it. I can't recommend the place enough.

The room was dirty, and we heard woodpeckers at night. Getting checked in after 8 pm is almost impossible. They also won't store luggage at the hotel, even for just a few hours.