Notos Therme And Spa by Mr and Mrs White

Our original hotel had closed, so we ended up here, and I think it was an upgrade. It's a lovely place, though the photos are clearly old and the hotel isn't as pristine now. Breakfast had a great selection, and we liked the very quiet town and the nearby tavernas. With a car, it's only about 10 minutes to somewhere livelier. There are lots of stairs, but they probably did us good!

Communication about airport transfers and massage prices was absolutely awful. We were then quoted over $450 USD for two 90-minute massages. They wanted cash, or the price would be 24% higher for taxes. We didn't have that much cash and weren't willing to make a bank transfer, so the whole thing left a really bad taste. I also found Santorini too touristy, even in October. There are prettier, friendlier places in Greece, and I won't spend time and money going back. The hotel walkways also felt physically unsafe: the marble was dark and slick, there was no lighting, and the step heights were irregular. A woman we met had fallen on one and bruised her hip. We paid $450 for a private guided island tour, but the driver arrived ill and didn't speak great English. The tour was meant to take us to Oia for sunset, but he said we couldn't go because he'd have to drive back on the winding roads in the dark. It was a bad experience all around. Thankfully, we had masks and didn't catch his respiratory germs.

There was mould in the bathroom, hair on the bed and pillows, and dirty towels when my partner and I checked in. After that, we had no choice but to find somewhere else to stay. This was a hygiene and safety issue, and absolutely appalling for any hotel, let alone a four-star one. Once we got home after our seven-week holiday, we contacted booking.com to explain what happened and request a full refund. They said they'd contact the hotel, then emailed the next day to say they couldn't “validate” the claim and wouldn't refund us. When we called again to explain this was about health and safety, not a change of mind, booking.com didn't seem to care. They said the hotel had refused, so there was nothing more they could do. It's disgusting that Notos's answer was accepted over the guests' account, with no way for us to challenge it. Appalling place. It should be shut down.

The staff and cleaners were wonderful, always there to help and going above and beyond. Our rooms were very clean, and the cleaners did an amazing job. The hotel is about 20-25 minutes from the main city, where restaurants are open 24/7, and it's right by the island's only harbour. We had an amazing boat trip from there without needing to travel far. The harbour view was extraordinary. There are two very clean outdoor pools and two indoor spa pools. I was told the spa was €25 per day, then €20, and later that it was free, so perhaps there was a misunderstanding. The hotel isn't disabled friendly, as there are lots of stairs. Our room didn't look exactly like the website photos, unless those pictures show larger rooms. Our flight was at 22:50pm and checkout was at 11:00am, but they let us stay a few extra hours for €40, which my girlfriend and I really appreciated. We had an amazing experience and will be back.