Miramare Hotel

A small, very cheap one-star hotel in Voula, about five minutes from Voula Beach. You can get there by public transport, with a tram station and I think a bus too. I could see the sea from my balcony. It's right by the water, around 25 minutes by car from the airport, with a 24-hour café next door, a couple of restaurants and a pharmacy nearby. The place is old and a bit run down, like staying at my grandma's apartment. Everything works, but it could use renovation, which would probably push the price way up. For me it was a perfect base for days at the beach and evenings at a nearby terrace restaurant. The staff were cleaning the rooms and bathrooms when I arrived and let me check in a little early so I could swim. I really appreciated that. They spoke English and Greek. You can get a private bathroom or save money with a shared one. The shared bathrooms were perfectly clean, with working hot water, toilet paper, soap and clean towels. My AC and fridge worked, and the balcony was handy for drying beach things. The only issue for me was the gap under the door, common in old hotels, which let in noise. I stuck a towel there and slept great.

This hotel is an absolute disaster and feels like hell. It's noisy all the time: people talk in the hall day and night, and you hear every car from the rooms. The nearby church rings six times a day, early in the morning and at night. Men keep coming with girls to rent a room for an hour. It's dirty, there's no WiFi or reception, and I didn't feel safe or respected. I couldn't sleep, there was no hot water for a shower, and the bed is ruined. It definitely isn't worth it. I'm just trying to get this hotel thrown off Booking.

The woman who checked me in early was nice, but after I'd sat on the bed for 20 minutes I was covered in bed bugs. When I told them, they offered the room next door. I said no, so they offered a refund. Then three women, one only on the phone, kept harassing me for two hours while I sat out front. I'm still here. The woman at reception broke my nail and ripped my bag, saying she'd call the police. They all told me, "Don't put this online, you'll ruin our family," among other things. I'm only trying to find somewhere else to stay, but they said they'd call the police because I wouldn't sign a paper in Greek. This has been terrible. Once I figure out where to go, I'll post this on every site I can find.

The building is showing its age and could probably use some renovation, and it's not a 5-star hotel. Still, my room was clean and the air conditioning worked as it should. The staff were great and helpful. I arrived very late at night, and a woman waited for me. Before booking, I'd read some tearful comments about this and that, but I think it's worth stopping here.