Anastasia Hotel in Symi

As a professional travel consultant with extensive experience recommending authentic Greek island destinations, I was eager to personally experience Symi and its hospitality. Regrettably, my stay at Anastasia Hotel, situated on the port, did not meet the standards I expect nor those I would recommend to clients. The room allocated to me was notably inadequate—resembling an attic with a very small window that severely limited natural light. More importantly, the access involved extremely steep and narrow stairs, which presented a genuine safety hazard. Such conditions are concerning for any traveler and particularly unacceptable in an establishment aiming to provide comfortable accommodation. Upon raising these concerns and requesting a room change, I was disappointed by the outright refusal from hotel management, without any attempt to offer alternative solutions or demonstrate flexibility. This response fell short of the customer service standards that are fundamental in the hospitality industry. To enhance guest experience and safety, I strongly recommend that Anastasia Hotel: • Review and improve room allocation practices to ensure guests are not assigned rooms with hazardous access. • Implement safer stair design or provide alternative, safer access options where possible. • Train staff and management in guest relations to respond more constructively and empathetically to concerns. • Offer clear communication and flexible solutions when issues arise, demonstrating genuine care for guest wellbeing. While Symi itself remains a highly recommendable destination, I cannot endorse Anastasia Hotel as a reliable or safe accommodation option at this time. I hope the management seriously considers these recommendations to improve both safety and service quality for future guests.

After booking this hotel I received an email that there are over 40 steps. I immediately tried to contact the accommodation to ask exactly how it is for someone who has arthritis in their feet and could possibly find the stairs difficult, especially with a suitcase. No one answered on several attempts. When I got there and after seeing the spiral metal stairs going up to the rooms after the 40 cement steps to get to this place, I kindly asked if I could cancel my room. They made me wait and then I was rudely told by a male worker in the little bar they have that it was not possible. He was very abrupt and mean like which led me to ask why no one would pick up the phone on the number they provided with my booking. This guy then started to raise his voice a little to tell me they are too busy to be answering all phone calls(I called two days straight at different times of the day). When I asked to talk to the owner, he became very loud telling me that she wasn’t there and if I wanted to leave to leave. The attitude from this guy was shocking so I insisted on a refund. He then became violent, grabbing my water bottle and throwing it on the floor several times. I asked for the police as I became scared he was going to hit me. The police arrived and then he started to lie to them saying I was causing trouble. It was a good thing I had my family and witnesses to all of this. The police were nice enough but not willing to visibly take sides. Being on such a small island where everyone knows one another I became very uncomfortable. As they would not refund me my money I demanded they give me my paid for room. When the owner arrived she was also very rude and nasty. She did not apologise for her employee’s behaviour or anything, she made me feel like I was a troublemaker. I felt very unsafe staying there, if it wasn’t for my family and friends also staying there I would have left and taken losses. The whole experience ruined my holiday and left me traumatized. This place is cheap, run down, and most importantly ungrateful for the business that it does have!!! I honestly hope the Saint Panormitis sees these nasty people and sets them straight.

I am a 60 year old woman and I work two jobs. I desperately needed a break, respite from the stresses and strains of everyday life. I booked through a travel agent, explaining exactly what I was looking for - I wanted a self catering room with a balcony, that was essential to me and it was agreed that that was what I would get. I trusted the agent, too much probably, and didn't read through all the information she gave me on the hotel which if I had, I would have seen that it was only a possibility and not guaranteed. I wouldn't have gone ahead had I known. When I finally got to the hotel, after a 15 hour journey, I was taken to my room, at the top of the hotel, which meant lugging my suitcases myself up 2 flights of metal spiral staircases - this is on top of the 40 steps one has to climb to get to the hotel. No help was offered. I was pretty devastated once there to notice that there was no balcony in the room, just a small window. The views were wonderful I have to say but I wanted a balcony. I went to ask at reception if I could be moved and was told all the rooms had been booked up for a very long time so no, there was no possibility. I was told there was a small shared balcony at the bottom of the spiral staircases which I could use (certainly not ideal!) and when I asked for a few more hangers, I was told I could hang any extra items over the rail of the shared balcony. I can't imagine who would take advantage of that! I wrote to Olymipic, who were the agents overseeing the booking, to complain and they very kindly arranged with the hotel for me to move to another room with a Julienne balcony, a few days later. I was told to leave the room I was in by 11am on the arranged date. That day came, I was up and preparing my breakfast, in my pyjamas, around 9.30am when the pipe under the sink burst and water began rapidly flooding into my room. I ran downstairs (with my wet feet on the metal staircase) to let them know and within minutes a man came up to sort it out. In the meantime, I raced around getting everything and anything off the floor, packing it up as I went and dressed in anything I could find and took all my belongings downstairs where the one and only lady who showed any compassion at all during my stay, took my bags from the bottom of the staircase to reception. I went to sit down in the courtyard, in a bit of state of shock I have to admit and having still not eaten any breakfast, showered or brushed my teeth etc. The restaurant manager/waiter came over to my table and set down a menu and bottle of water and went off again. I waited. He didn't come back to take an order. When he passed again I said I felt totally uncared for, no-one had once asked me if I was ok, did I need anything, could they offer me anything (breakfast or even a coffee would've been nice!) or even an apology for the massive inconvenience - he said he didn't know why I was talking to him about this, he wasn't the manager. I said I was talki