Saint George Palace

Rarely have I witnessed such a discrepancy between the way a hotel is portrayed online and the harsh reality of staying there. Having come for some late sunshine and warmth in October with my girlfriend we were both so incredibly disappointed that we avoided the hotel for all but sleeping. A brief list of our experiences:

• we arrived at 9pm, tired and thirsty only to be told that the hotel doesn't sell water. Tap water is undrinkable. There is a bar, but no water. We were told to check out a supermarket "down the road" which "might still be open". This was in the dark having just arrived with no prior knowledge of the town.

• The food was shocking. Cheese pizza and brusselsprouts one night, I kid you not. Random stuff in sauce served with no labels as to what is in it. Salad and everything you would want to be juicy and crispy was dry and felt old. Any dessert you might have fancied was sloppy and looked revolting.

• After our disappointing first night we decided to try the bar the following evening. Don't be deceived into thinking the Peroni tap on the "bar" serves Peroni, it doesn't. It serves some type of weak local lager. Also, no chance of a gin and tonic as they had no tonic, so the girlfriend was offered gin and sprite as an alternative.

• On our second day we were unlucky enough to experience a rare thunderstorm. This kept us at the hotel for the unfortunate experience that was breakfast. The same quality of food was present, juice was what we would know as squash, the "bacon" was grilled strips of ham. A cup of tea was undrinkable as the milk tasted like something from a tin. To top it all off the ceiling leaks in the restaurant when it rains, in many places it seems, including the table we were on.

• The ensuite bathroom was a challenge due to it's small size, pervasive smell of sewerage (something also replicated outside) and an interesting shower that was high powered but unable to support itself on the wall when on as the bracket was loose resulting in the shower frequently flying off and around the cubicle like something possessed. The electrics for the wired in hairdryer had to be seen to be believed, almost entirely covered in silicone sealant.

• Two pools, the large one had green water in it. Green like a pond. The small pool had so many dead flies, ants and various bugs floating on the surface that nobody used it, including us.

• The "bar" is essentially an extension of the entrance lobby and feels like it. No music, no atmosphere. Be prepared to wear a wristband for your stay too, like at some kind of nightclub.

On the plus side the beach which is a 10 minute walk away is fabulous, and there is a Taverna restaurant next to the beach which the staff were lovely in and the food was fantastic. The coffee shop at the bottom of the road was also excellent.

If you intend to risk this hotel then be prepared to spend as little time there as possible. An awful experience only made tolerable by the surrounding people and location. We booked the trip with "On Tje Beach" who were as useful as a chocolate teapot with regards to support so I would advise giving them a swerve too.

We have absolutely no complaints about our stay, especially as we found a great deal towards the end of the season. We received a wonderful welcome at reception, our room was spotlessly clean, and the staff were always friendly and helpful. The area was beautifuland peaceful,with most places already closed for the season, which was understandable. We also enjoyed the lovely music evenings, although it was getting a little chily at night. Overall, a very pleasnt and relaxing holiday!