Xenios Zeus

Really cozy, and the location is fantastic.

Mrs. Christina, the cleaning lady, was kind and tried to help. That was the sole bright spot. The owner NEVER answers the phone, so if something goes wrong, there’s nobody to turn to. She handles the cleaning and isn’t responsible for the rest. The owner’s treatment of customers was terrible and made us feel our money and dignity meant nothing. The cleanliness was very poor. Although the room smelled pleasant when we arrived, it seemed to have been sprayed to give an impression of cleanliness. The sheets and towels were clean, but the rest of the house was not. Coffee left in the coffee maker and its filter had mold in them when we went to make coffee the next day. I had to clean the machine myself, as well as the plastic dish drainer, which was dirty underneath and looked neglected for weeks. There was old garbage beneath the kitchen bin liner, and various surfaces, outlets, and objects were dirty. It looked as if proper cleaning had not been done for months. The place is so old that things are worn out, creak, or break. Taps ran, towels were worn, sheets had holes, and bulbs were burned out. The shower pressure was so weak that I couldn’t wash my hair at all and had to struggle to rinse. We cleared the bathroom drain ourselves; it smelled and had salt buildup. The smell from the drain was unbearable. We kept pouring bleach into the siphon to try to reduce it, but it made no difference. The room, number 2 on the ground floor, was not even 8 square meters. There was barely room for two people to move around or reach their things. The mattresses and pillows were very old and poor quality, with springs in the mattresses. There were no insect screens or repellent tablets. Bees kept trying to get into the room while we were lying down at noon, so we couldn’t relax. The short shower curtain let water spread across the bathroom, and there was no mop there to clear it. The only option was a foot towel, which wasn’t enough, or a very old rusty mop out in the yard. Both the shampoo shelf and the one beneath the bathroom mirror were unstable, so things fell off. Everything creaked, so if you’re a light sleeper you’ll wake at the slightest noise. Someone opening a door in another apartment or walking upstairs sounded like it was happening right next to us. The accommodation is also next to a church, and its bell starts early in the morning. Nobody can be blamed for that, but it’s worth knowing if you’re hoping to sleep on vacation, as I imagine most people are. The price is nowhere near fair for such poor quality. It’s a shame because it’s a beautiful place to relax, but it needs a lot of work. At the very least, the price should be cut by half.

We arrived late at night to a cold room and asked him to turn on the radiators. He went out, then came back saying the circulation pump was broken. When I said I needed heat, he returned with bags of wood, put three pieces in the fireplace, and left. That was unacceptable, and I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. In the morning, the people upstairs flushed the toilet and the stench came into our room, so I had to open the door. There was also mold in the bathrooms. UNACCEPTABLE.

The owner is a forester and knows an incredible amount about the local nature, which he was generous enough to share with us. With his help, we explored the Fraktos forest, and the maps he gave us led us to amazing walks in the surrounding area. The natural scenery is magical, and we’ll come back to explore the Haidous forest next time. The guesthouse is a lovely traditional place right in the center of picturesque Stavroupoli, but it’s completely quiet. We’ll definitely return.