Celia Apartments

The biggest issue for us was the food and drink service. Breakfast was available for just two hours in the morning, and the bar and restaurant only opened from 6 to 9 in the evening. So if you wanted a drink or coffee by the pool during the day, there was nowhere to get one. The beach below was overgrown, dirty, and seemed neglected by the hotel. There were no loungers, bar, or other facilities there. Our room was far smaller than expected, with barely any storage for three adults. The bathroom was old and dirty around the tiles, with a grimy shower curtain and a tiny tub. There were no sockets by the beds, no TV, a barely working fridge, and old, creaky furniture. The balcony railings were rusty and dirty, and all that was provided was a cheap plastic table and two chairs, with nowhere to hang anything. The hotel is listed as three stars on Booking but as two elsewhere, and the price didn’t fit the quality. Honestly, I liked very little about the place.

The owner was really nice and helpful, and the rooms were well equipped. The hotel also looks as if it had a fairly recent renovation. We had some great salads at the restaurant by the pool, with a view over the beach. The location works especially well for the southeast beaches, with Banana beach and Gerakas beach very close. Getting to the northwest of the island isn’t as convenient, though we still managed to explore that part too. The view is breathtaking.

The balcony view across the Mediterranean Sea is hard to beat, and it’s a quiet, lovely place to get away. The rooms are basic, the kitchen could use some attention, and the furniture is just so-so. One thing to know: the drinks cost 12 euros. We tried a mojito, but it wasn’t made properly and tasted wrong.

We’ve traveled to more than 30 countries, from Hawaii to Thailand and Cuba to Jordan, and we always book through booking.com. This was the first time we had to call their customer service. The room was depressing, with ugly furniture and a useless kitchenette. There was no kettle, toaster, or hairdryer, and it felt worse than a hostel. We asked to switch rooms, and the owner got so upset that he cancelled our booking as a “no show” while we were still sleeping in the room. After that move and his threatening tone, booking.com refunded the amount that was theoretically non-refundable.