Happy Days

The stray cats around the grounds were unsettling, and flies were buzzing around the breakfast. They even crawled over the cut bananas. The bathroom supplies were also poor: no shampoo or conditioner, and only two tiny soap bars for five days. We were sweating in the heat, since the room had no AC unless you paid €9 a day. That added €45 for our five nights, on top of a room I already thought was overpriced. The two single beds pushed together weren’t comfortable, the TV didn’t work properly, and the hallways and rooms felt decades out of date. The whole place needs an upgrade and felt more like a hostel than a hotel. At reception it was hot, stuffy and uncomfortable, and the staff were rude and unhelpful. They also demanded €25 in tax before we could check in, which felt like a scam. The taxi drivers were unbelievably rude too, making for a terrible start. From the moment we got to Happy Days Hotel, it was a nightmare. I can’t believe how bad the experience was. Do yourself a favor and avoid Happy Days Hotel. It’s a joke, and I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. This place shouldn’t even be open. DO NOT STAY HERE!

The room was clean, and the hotel and pool areas were kept very tidy. There were always plenty of loungers in both sunny and shaded spots when I visited in August. The staff were friendly too. I only booked bed and breakfast, so I can’t speak to the other food, but breakfast was very good. Some of the choices changed a little from one day to the next. My only small complaint was the unexpected extra charge for the air conditioning, though it wasn’t much.

The pool needs work, especially the smaller one, whose greenish water didn’t look inviting. I also found hair in the bathroom and dust in the room. The sheets and towels were clean, but yellowed and worn. Online, the hotel looks quite different from what we found. Most standard rooms are dormitory-style with tiny bathrooms and old tubs, while the website shows just one standard double bathroom photo and uses the rest from superior rooms. That felt misleading. I paid €40 extra per night to upgrade my room, and air conditioning cost another €8 nightly. Breakfast was generous and tasty, with good variety, and the coffee was surprisingly nice. I’d suggest adding avocado. The reception and kitchen staff were very friendly and helpful, but the bar staff seemed bored and amused themselves by gossiping about guests. We overheard them several times, which was uncomfortable. There were also some strange rules: you couldn’t take coffee onto the terrace, and were only allowed to drink things bought from the hotel bar. If you didn’t follow that, staff might give you disapproving looks. It was a mixed stay, with plenty that could be improved in cleanliness, transparency and the customer experience.

We had breakfast every day. It was fine and enough to satisfy me, though there wasn’t much variety. We only had dinner once because we prefer trying different places, and that meal was okay too. The room was pleasant, but the glass wall and door felt odd and gave no privacy. The air conditioning was included in our room, which was a nice surprise after reading that it usually costs extra, though I don’t know how often that happens. It only cooled down to 25 degrees, which never felt cool enough. The location was nice, and the pool area was well kept. I could always find a lounger or a comfy beanbag under the tree. At 10 a.m. they switched off the dining hall AC, so it felt like we were being hurried out or expected to sit in the heat. We were also asked to leave the bar area when we didn’t want to buy a drink.