La Luna

We spent two peaceful, relaxing weeks at this charming hotel near Maronti beach. The manager was attentive and available, and the staff were welcoming and helpful. Our room was clean and comfortable, and there was a lovely garden with a swimming pool. We highly recommend it.

The location was a real plus, and the staff were very friendly. Breakfast was good, though there wasn't a huge selection. We stayed four days, and the room was a letdown: it was on the basement floor at the back of the building, looked nothing like the photos, and felt very old. There was no mini-fridge or drying rack, and we even found cockroaches on the last two nights.

The hotel shuttle to the beach was excellent, and it could also collect us when we arrived or left by ferry. But when we asked separately for a ride to the port, we were told it was full. Then, as we waited for the bus, we watched it drive past empty. Management handled this badly. We'd expected five days of luxury, partly because of the good price and especially because the manager had contacted us and promised adjoining rooms for our two couples. Instead, we were told none of that had been promised. We ended up on different floors. Our friends' room was much smaller than ours, had no shower tray so the bathroom flooded when they showered, and they found about six ants on their sheets. Later, ants showed up in our room too. Their request to move was met with a smile and, "We're in the countryside, what do you want to do?" They were told someone would see the next day or the day after, so they stayed. We also waited a couple of hours before the rooms were cleaned and ready. In both rooms, we found hair, including several clumps in the shower, and stains on the sheets and chair. From other reviews, I gather the rooms might have been even worse. The pool and the garden beside it were very nice. We tried lunch at the snack bar on the first day without booking, though we knew a reservation was meant to be required. The girl said they'd bring the food as soon as possible. About an hour and a half later, we got two toasted sandwiches, a cutlet, and pasta with clams. The menu didn't say the pasta contained chili, which is usually a problem, but manageable, especially since someone who can't eat chili had ordered it. Given the long wait, we just made do. The next day we remembered the delay and ordered at 12:45 PM for 1:30 PM, the time we were given. Lunch arrived at 2:20 PM. I complained, and the receptionist immediately took note, but the manager assumed we didn't understand how lunch worked before hearing me out. After that we ate elsewhere, but I tried the sauna over the next few days. It was nice and charming, with a fairly bearable temperature of around 40°C (104°F) and lots of humidity. I also checked out the gym, then left without using it. It was a 1.5m x 1.5m basement room with two old dumbbells, not somewhere I wanted to spend time lifting weights. Most of the staff were very friendly, but a few wandered around looking annoyed the whole time. It felt as if every word exchanged with them got a "fuck you" in response. I know it's a job and nobody has to walk around smiling, but professionalism is a different matter.

The shuttle to Maronti Beach and the port came in handy, and the driver was especially friendly and helpful. The staff were kind and gave us useful tips to make the holiday better. Our room was nice and new, and fairly clean. For the price, it was excellent value. The one thing missing was a minibar, which is essential for an August trip. We'll definitely be back!