25.09.02Hotel is situated at the best location in Oia,2min walk to the town centre but the best view of the sunset and harbour you can get. We were only in Santorini for 2days and it was worth every cent. Perfect.
25.05.08 We stayed at Esperas in Oia, Santorini, expecting a premium 4.5-star experience - but what we encountered was a series of disappointments that no traveler should have to deal with.
Let us be clear: we have never written a negative hotel review like this before. We travel frequently and have stayed at many high-end places, but this was uniquely frustrating. To make it clear, the next two nights we stayed at a hotel in the south of Santorini. a completely different world in terms of service, hospitality, and professionalism. The contrast made Esperas' shortcomings even more glaring.
1. Utter lack of guest care and flexibility.
We arrived at 5am the previous day due to weather delays and requested a later checkout. The response? A rigid “policy” requiring €80 per extra hour, allegedly "due to the costs of using the facilities" —an absurd explanation we've never seen, even in top-tier hotels. After much uncomfortable negotiation (which made us feel more like beggars than guests), they begrudgingly offered one extra hour, from 11 to noon. Instead of hospitality, we encountered resistance, indifference, and a complete lack of empathy.
2. Misleading advertising – “sunset view” is a scam.
We paid for a “premium sunset view” studio, a central reason for choosing this hotel. But there was no sunset view from the room whatsoever—we had to walk elsewhere to catch even a glimpse. When we pointed this out, reception just shrugged and said it was because it was “early in the season,” as if guests should somehow expect this. This excuse doesn’t change the fact that the hotel is misleading guests while charging full-season prices with a premium for sunset view. A full reimbursement of the room costs would in fact be appropriate.
3. Poorly trained, disengaged staff.
Staff seemed untrained and inattentive. Multiple times, they entered our room while we were inside, without asking or checking if it was okay. It felt intrusive and unprofessional. Overall, it appeared that some staff were hired internationally to cut costs, without any real investment in service training.
4. Subpar food – not 4.5-star quality.
Breakfast was cold and unimpressive. The scrambled eggs were among the worst we’ve had—dry, overcooked, and clearly prepared in bulk somewhere else. It’s baffling that this is considered acceptable for a hotel in this price and star category.
Final word: Until they overhaul their attitude, honesty, and staff training, we strongly advise you to look elsewhere.
24.09.16 Beautiful apartment with stunning views. We really enjoyed the cave pool and being able to retreat from the busy streets to such a serene setting. Amazing sunset. The staff were excellent, always helpful.
