Aristea Hotel

The best part is the location: you’re right in the middle of everything, with the sea just behind the hotel. It’s cheap and clean, and I’d stay there again. Still, it’s an old place that’s past its best. The rooms are cramped, and the bathrooms are almost comical, with the toilet practically inside the shower. They advertise sea views, but only 9 rooms actually have one. Some others face a really noisy road.

A charming, intimate hotel with clean rooms, air conditioning, a fridge and TV. The service was nice and breakfast was very decent. It’s right in the center of a picturesque town with a lovely marina lined with shops and taverns, and the beautiful sandy beach is 200 meters away.

I arrived at 2am in July 2022, as my flight schedule required, but nobody answered at reception and the phone number didn’t work. I spent 30 minutes calling “hello” before a woman finally came out in her dressing gown and gave me a key. I’d booked through a cheap tour company, which I now see was my first mistake. The room was filthy and had bed bugs. I was badly bitten. A loose board outside banged in the wind, and the air conditioning didn’t work, so I needed earplugs to get any sleep. At 8am I woke to find a woman in the room. I was naked, with no sheet because it was so hot without the air conditioning. I screamed, and she apologized. Downstairs, they said they hadn’t been expecting me and that they’d switch on the air conditioning using the one remote they keep. I left and cried by the side of the road. I searched everywhere for somewhere else and would have paid anything to get out. Fortunately, I found the Dolphin Apartments and paid for a full week there. I cried again after moving in, this time because the apartment was amazing. I never got my money back for the disgusting conditions. I would never stay at the Aristea hotel again, even if I were paid to. It’s definitely not a two star hotel, and felt worse than a prison.

WARNING, DO NOT STAY HERE. The photos make the hotel look lovely, but it’s dated in person and needs a deep clean throughout.