Asterias Bay

Very comfy Hotel with traditional Greek hospitality & nice cuisine. The staff is friendly & attentive.

The condition of the accommodation, together with the hygiene, food, security, maintenance and safety standards we experienced, was completely unacceptable.

We have extensive photographic and video evidence documenting the issues throughout our stay. This was not simply a case of the hotel being dated or basic. There were serious problems with cleanliness, maintenance, food standards, guest security, the accommodation provided and the general management of the property.

Misleading photographs and representation of the hotel:

A major concern is the significant difference between the photographs used to advertise the hotel and the reality of the accommodation and facilities we experienced when we arrived.

The advertising photographs paint a very different picture of the property. Based on those images, we reasonably expected the hotel and its facilities to be maintained to an acceptable holiday-accommodation standard. Unfortunately, the reality was very different.

The interior of the buildings, guest accommodation and surrounding facilities are extremely dated and show clear signs of deterioration and a lack of ongoing repair and maintenance. This goes far beyond simply preferring modern décor. We encountered damaged and deteriorating fixtures, cracked and broken fittings, dirty and marked surfaces, mould, corrosion, leaking equipment and areas that appeared to have received little proper maintenance for a considerable period of time.

We have taken numerous photographs showing the actual present-day condition of the property, which we believe demonstrates a substantial difference between the impression created by the photographs used to sell the holiday and what guests actually encounter on arrival.

Perhaps most tellingly, the hotel still prominently displays a Thomson Gold Medal from 2000 for "Best Greece Accommodation." While the property may well have achieved an excellent standard when this award was presented 26 years ago, an award from 2000 is clearly not evidence of the condition or standard of the accommodation today.

Unfortunately, from what we personally experienced, the hotel appears to have deteriorated considerably since then and is now in significant need of refurbishment, repair, maintenance and improved cleaning.

We fully appreciate that an older hotel will not necessarily look brand new, and we did not book expecting luxury. However, there is a fundamental difference between accommodation being older or traditionally styled and accommodation being poorly maintained, damaged, dirty or unsafe.

Had the advertising photographs accurately reflected the current condition of the rooms, buildings and surrounding facilities, alongside the other issues outlined in this complaint, we would not have booked this hotel.

We therefore believe the way this accommodation was presented to us prior to booking was not a fair or accurate representation of the hotel we actually stayed in, and we would like this discrepancy to form part of the investigation into our complaint.

Room type not as advertised:

Before travelling, the holiday was advertised as offering both double and twin rooms. When we arrived at our room, we immediately noticed that we had been allocated a twin room consisting of two single beds pushed together, rather than a double bed.

We therefore approached reception and asked whether it would be possible for us to move to a double room.

We were then told by the receptionist that the hotel does not have any double rooms at all and that all of the rooms at this hotel are twin rooms.

This was extremely disappointing and raises a serious question about the accuracy of the accommodation description we relied upon when booking our holiday.

If the hotel genuinely does not have any double rooms, we would like an explanation as to why the holiday was advertised as offering double and twin rooms in the first place.

Had we been made aware before booking that a double room was not actually available at this property, this information could have influenced our decision to book the holiday.

Cleanliness and condition of our room:

The bathroom was particularly unacceptable. We found:

• Significant mould, mildew and black staining around the shower tray, seals and shower curtain. • A shower curtain visibly stained with mould along the bottom. • Cracked and damaged bathroom tiles. • Heavily corroded taps and bathroom fittings, including substantial green corrosion/deposits and heavy limescale. • Dirty and deteriorating seals and edges around the shower. • Damage to the toilet cistern. • Generally dirty, stained and poorly maintained bathroom surfaces. • Damaged, cracked and peeling areas of walls/plaster elsewhere in the accommodation.

The cleanliness issues extended beyond the bathroom.

Dead insects were left on the walls for the duration of our holiday, despite the room supposedly being cleaned. There were also cobwebs, dust, dirty walls and insect debris around the accommodation.

Despite these cleanliness issues, our room was only cleaned twice during our entire stay.

The first occasion was only because maintenance had to enter our room after our shower broke, at which point we had to hand our room key over. When we later went to collect our key, it had been left in an ashtray at reception for us to pick up.

The second occasion only happened after we personally enquired with the cleaner about having our room cleaned/fresh towels/bedding.

We were then required to leave our room key on a coffee table in a communal area so that the cleaner could access the room.

At no point did there appear to be a normal, secure housekeeping system whereby authorised cleaning staff could access rooms independently.

Given that our room was only cleaned twice, it is perhaps unsurprising that dead insects, cobwebs, dust and dirt remained present. Shower falling from the wall and hitting my partner

One of the most serious incidents happened on the very first day of our holiday. The shower fitting broke away/fell from the wall and hit my partner on the head.

This was not simply an inconvenience or cosmetic maintenance issue. A bathroom fitting becoming detached and striking a guest presents an obvious safety concern and could have resulted in a more serious injury.

Maintenance subsequently had to attend to repair the shower. It was only because maintenance needed access that our room was cleaned on this occasion.

This immediately raised concerns about the standard of maintenance and whether rooms and their fixtures are being adequately inspected before guests are accommodated in them. Constantly leaking and damaged air-conditioning unit

We also experienced an ongoing problem with the air-conditioning system, which leaked constantly throughout our stay.

The photographs show that the air-conditioning unit and its associated fittings were in poor condition, with broken and cracked components/fittings and visibly deteriorated areas around the pipework.

Water from the unit continually leaked onto the balcony area, causing the floor to become wet and slippery and creating a clear slip hazard. When the cleaner first attended our room, she placed a plastic tub underneath the leaking air-conditioning pipework to collect the water. However, the container filled with water in less than a day.

For the remainder of our stay, nobody returned to empty or replace the container, nor did anyone ask us whether it needed emptied or changed. We were effectively left to deal with the consequences of the hotel's faulty air-conditioning system ourselves.

For us to empty the container, we would have had to carry a tub full of water from the balcony area through our room and past the beds to reach somewhere suitable to empty it. Had the container spilled while being carried, this could have created another slip hazard inside the room.

Guests should not be expected to carry containers of water through their accommodation because a hotel has failed to properly repair a leaking air-conditioning system.

Placing a plastic tub underneath a known leak is not a repair.

"All Inclusive" food and food safety concerns:

We paid for an all-inclusive holiday, yet the standard of food provided was extremely poor.

Of particular concern was that the food was not labelled. Dishes were served without guests being given clear information about what they contained, meaning on numerous occasions we had no idea what we were actually eating or what ingredients were contained within the dishes.

This is especially concerning for guests with allergies, intolerances or other dietary requirements.

The overall quality and standard of the food was also extremely poor and certainly not what we expected from an all-inclusive package. More seriously, my partner has now become unwell with symptoms consistent with food poisoning. We appreciate that we cannot independently establish the exact source of his illness, but given our concerns regarding the food and general hygiene standards at the hotel, this has understandably caused us considerable concern.

We believe the hotel's food preparation, storage, hygiene procedures and provision of information regarding the dishes being served should be investigated.

Extremely concerning room-key and security arrangements:

The hotel's handling of room keys was one of the most alarming aspects of our stay. When we checked in, we were specifically told not to lose our room key or accidentally leave it inside our room because the doors lock automatically and, according to what we were told, there were no other keys for the rooms. We were also told that the cleaners do not hold room keys.

This was demonstrated during our own stay. On the first occasion our room was cleaned, when maintenance also needed access, we had to hand over our key. It was subsequently left in an ashtray at reception for us to collect.

On the only other occasion our room was cleaned, after we approached the cleaner ourselves, we were required to leave our key on a communal coffee table so that the cleaner could access the room. This raises extremely serious security and safety questions.

If this genuinely is the only key capable of accessing a guest's room, what happens in an emergency when the guest is not present and emergency access to that room is required? How would hotel staff gain immediate access if there were a fire, medical emergency or another serious incident inside a locked room?

Equally concerning is what could happen if a guest's key was taken from the communal coffee table or reception ashtray. Someone could potentially obtain a key giving them direct access to another guest's room and personal belongings.

Guests should not have to choose between having their room cleaned and keeping their room secure.

Fire safety concerns:

We were also concerned by the condition and positioning of some of the hotel's fire extinguishers and associated fire-safety equipment.

Photographs show equipment around the property that appeared old, poorly maintained and/or inadequately secured.

When this is considered alongside what we were told about there being no alternative keys for locked guest rooms, it raises further concerns about what would happen during an emergency. We believe these matters warrant proper investigation rather than being dismissed as cosmetic maintenance issues.

Conduct and availability of reception staff:

We also had serious concerns regarding the conduct and availability of the receptionist. During our stay, we repeatedly observed the receptionist drinking while on shift. When we needed assistance and could not find him at reception, we would regularly find him at the bar drinking and/or smoking.

Considering that reception appeared to be responsible for guests' keys and would presumably play an important role in responding to an emergency, this was particularly concerning.

Overall standard and accuracy of what was advertised:

What makes the situation even more disappointing is that the hotel prominently displays a Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2025 showing a score of 8.3/10, alongside an older Thomson Gold Medal award.

The accommodation and service we experienced bear very little resemblance to the standard these displayed awards would lead a guest to expect.

We appreciate that accommodation can be older or more basic, and we did not expect luxury. However, basic accommodation should still be accurately advertised, clean, hygienic, secure, properly maintained and safe.

The discrepancy regarding the advertised double rooms is particularly important. We booked our holiday based upon the information presented to us. Being told after arrival that double rooms apparently do not exist at the hotel at all, despite the holiday being advertised as having double and twin rooms, is not something we consider acceptable.

When combined with a shower fitting falling from the wall and hitting my partner, a continuously leaking air-conditioning system creating a slip hazard, a room cleaned only twice, mould, dirty bathroom facilities, corroded taps, dead insects left on walls, cobwebs, damaged surfaces, poor and unlabelled food, concerns regarding fire-safety equipment, unsecured room keys and the conduct we witnessed from reception staff, this amounts to far more than accommodation simply being "dated".

We have retained extensive photographic and video evidence documenting these issues.

We paid for this holiday in good faith and expected the accommodation and all-inclusive package to reasonably correspond with what had been advertised to us.

Instead, a significant part of our holiday has been spent dealing with, reporting and documenting problems that should never have been present.

Therefore avoid this hotel at all costs!!!