Costa Smeralda

We chose a stay at The Costa Smeralda hotel in Syvota(on the mainland of Greece, north of Parga, not in Lefkada as location on this site suggests) having reviewed the location, feedback from other guests and star rating. We drove through beautiful Syvota town down a narrow windy lane arriving at the property. The property is made up of individual blocks of 4 rooms - 2 rooms x on the ground floor and 2 x rooms up a very narrow and steep staircase above. For travellers with mobility issues, this is definitely not a good choice of hotel for this reason and multiple other staircases to other levels of the hotel. The location of the property is good and as per the images. The hotel does have a great vista. However, sadly, it all ends there. Upon arrival we were directed by a member of cleaning staff to a small dirty shack / shed at the car park entrance gate. This was the hotel reception?! Our rooms weren’t ready, but the first check in agent offered to keep our bags and suggested we enjoy some lunch whilst we waited. We descended x3 staircases to a small bar / restaurant for a very basic lunch menu consisting of a Greek salad / cheese and ham toasties / toasted sandwiches & a basic pizza. The lunch was acceptable but nothing special. Along our way down, we noticed poorly covered drains, litter (cigarette butts etc) and a general lack of care and attention. A camouflage covered caravan weirdly sat in one public space. There were boxes and empty bottles piled everywhere. We then proceeded to the pool and, upon further inspection, noticed dirt, hair and debris and a layer of green slime on the tiles. The water appeared quite murky. There wasn’t any way I was going to put the kids in the pool. The loungers all around were all chipped of paint and my daughter’s chair was broken and dangerous. We reviewed the rooms after this and were quite taken aback at how small, pokey and basic they were. The hotel was marketed as a 4 *? They’re furnished to a low standard - perhaps as one might expect from a 2 * property. The furniture was functional but quite old fashioned. It proved very difficult for two people to manoeuvre around one another, never mind with two suitcases. Lugging these up and down a narrow, steep staircase was quite a challenge! The bathroom was no different- small, basic and a little musty / smelly. Otherwise it was clean. We decided after reviewing all this to check out. We spoke to the receptionist - who claimed her name was “Zoe”, the reservations manager. When contacted by *********** a few hours later she admitted to remembering us, told them her name was Celia and she was just a reception agent. This lady (whomever she was) was a quite possibly the rudest member of staff I have ever come across. After stating our reasons for an early checkout, she refused to allow us to leave without full payment for the overnight stay and when we refused because the hotel was in a very bad state and that we’d not even used our rooms, she bec

This hotel should probably not be a 4 star hotel. On all the pictures I looks super nice but in reality it’s really worn. Almost all of the sun beds, both by the pool and by the ocean deck should be replaced. The ocean deck has a lot of nails that should be hammered down, don’t walk bare feet. The pool is really dirty, although cleaned every morning it is full of seaweed and algae in the afternoons… The food in the bar/restaurant is average and the portions are really small, and it also closes 16:00. The breakfast is good if you arrive early, otherwise it gets picked out quite fast. The location as absolutely amazing and the view from the balcony’s are to die for. Beware that the rooms on the ground floor does not have ocean view. The beds are good. If you want take shower late in the evening/night there is no hot water (yes I know they are heating the water during the day but should be like this on 4 star hotel) The staff does their best to help you but the level probably doesn’t match my expectations of a 4 star hotel. Finally, it’s a good place but I expected more. Would not return.

Very Nice hotel excelent breakfast . The wiew is fantastic. But the bed is not good. You need to change the bed in room 218. In the right side of the bed is a noise every time you turn around. All staff is very kind We will come back

Imagine waking up and looking out over the Ionic sea. Then grab your mask and snorkel, walk down the stairs to the lagoon and enjoy a morning-swim, or use one of the hotel kajak’s and padle around for a bit. The hotel itself is nice, clean and the staff amazingly friendly. Breakfast is great and so is the food we eat in the pool bar for lunch. Best of all is the location. WHAT a view overlooking the Ionic Sea. Im totally in love with this place and will for sure be back.