Booked a family holiday for my elderly auntie and I through Tui a few months before for 10 nights half board at the Gerakas Belvedere which is a 4 star hotel, when Tui called for the full payment a couple of months before we went I requested a twin room and not in the garden. I appreciate the garden may not be honoured but the twin bed was a necessity. Cut to 23 sept and having got up at 3am, arrived at the hotel around 14.30 the same day. We were shown to the room and this was when the nightmare started. The room wasn’t so much in the garden but more the front driveway, it was set back and was dark dismal with two sad chairs and table at the front. Constantina opened the door to the dingy room and we were met with a double bed. We hadn’t set foot in the room at this point. I said that we requested a twin bed and Constantina told us it was based on availability, I mentioned that there should be availability as it was requested a couple of months ago. She advised that she was sorry but the hotel was fully booked and there was nothing she could do. We went back to the room and I checked the bed and could see that they were singles with single mattresses pushed together, I was going to suggest to simply move them apart and that would be fine, however whilst inside the room the smell of damp and mould was overpowering so I took a proper look round. The furniture was dilapidated and badly stained, the fridge was disgusting was sticky marks inside, the front was full of rust and mould, the door frames were disgusting but the cherry on the cake was the bathroom, I have never seen so much black mould, it was everywhere, the ceiling, all over the wooden sink support table, underneath, round the bath, along the walls. It was disgusting. My auntie has health issues and sleeping in that room could make her very ill so I went back to reception and advised that we would need a room change and explained why. The hotel stood by their guns and said they couldn’t change our room as they were full and nothing they could do. I immediately contacted TUI (no rep at the hotel) whilst sat in the reception with my auntie and was directed to message chat. Unfortunately this is where the holiday became a nightmare, I would send a message explaining everything and what the hotel said, I would get the auto reply stating they would get back to me within 30 mins, an hour later they would manually reply saying they were looking into it, and the cycle repeated. I grew more frustrated after 4 hours of constantly trying to sort it out and was left with a carrot on a stick each time, which each person not reading messages and giving standard replies and then having to wait another hour it was absurd. Hana at Tui said they were in contact with the hotel and were trying to sort things, however after 4 hours not having heard and the hotel confirming that no one had contacted them further and same applied, still full we were faced with a stalemate between TUI and the hotel and us and our health in the middle. Because it was a carrot on a stick scenario we remained in the reception the whole time, I called TUI twice to be told Hana was looking into it, by 20.30 I was exhausted, frustrated and my auntie was in tears crying to staff. Honestly I’ve never known anything like it. I spoke to TUI’s Eliza on the phone and I’ve never spoke to someone so uncaring or unhelpful, actually saying to go and find another hotel to stay in off our own back. We finally got a detailed email from Hana at 21.25 hours accusing me of being abusive, aggressive and my tone used in my communications with TUI was similar what the hotel has described. I think this was the hotel trying to undermine me and make me look like the bad person. Hana also claimed that the room we got was the room we booked and matched the booking!. I had already sent a full video and lots of photos of the room, which clearly did not meet the standard that should be inhabited by people. I was so angered by the accusations and the dismissive attitude I had not been abusive or aggressive at any point, frustrated yes! We admitted defeat as TUI were very unhelpful as was the hotel they literally couldn’t care less and resigned ourself to the mould ridden room, with not knowing what we were going to do the next day. We both woke the following day with headaches, my auntie had a wheezy chest, my eyes were stuck together it was awful. I honestly felt helpless to my auntie and was dismayed and upset about the whole holiday, at this point I would have happily gone back home. However, having gone to reception and speaking with Nicole, she advised to come back in a few hours and there might be another room to move to. I went back later and was shown a room on the opposite side same configuration, overlooking the car park/yard area but the room felt so much different, it was room 401 and was fresh, clean smelt lovely, it had a wet room shower and no mould, so much different to the previous room which was 102. It was night and day different. From then on we had a nice holiday, the hotel is a bit boring, no entertainment or ambience, but it is peaceful and quiet, it has a nice reception/ lounge area, pool bar, the restaurant is on the first floor overlooking the pool, when the tables are outside on the terrace it’s lovely but when the doors are closed because of bad weather it does have a canteen feel with no atmosphere! Everyone eats and leaves. The food was good, buffet selection with hot and cold options, cheese and meat, soup, mains, pasta and breads and fruit and desserts. Drinks are included with breakfast, however if you are half board drinks are expensive, €5 for half a beer, €7 for glass of wine, €28 for a bottle of wine. Adds up over 10 days. Breakfast was also buffet and a good selection of cold and hot options with fruit too. Couldn’t fault the food it was a bit samey but I’ve had worse. We hired a little car for a couple of days (a must) through the hotel from europecar and thoroughly recommend doing this, we got a 108 for €42 a day including insurance and got to see so much! Went to a monastery, 14th century church, lots of Greek villages and Zante town, Xigia beach (wouldn’t really bother car park for 2 hours is €5 and it’s tiny and overpacked we left after 40 mins) amongst a few stops. Went and also grabbed some supplies from lidl lol and got some lovely Greek red wine for €1.50!!! Cans of Fanta and coke were €0.75 ish and Amstel beer was €1 which at the hotel was €5 and €28 for a bottle wine. Well worth stocking up whilst out and about. Special mention to Nicole and her breaking in skills when we locked ourselves out and still being nice when I was at my wits end, Spiros, Kostas and apologies to the other specials that I forgot their names. They are all lovely, helpful and work very hard especially when it was rain then dry and rain and them having to take the pool pads in and bring them out multiple times lol. So, in all I am disgusted with TUI and that will be another matter and will be escalated. Frustrated with Constantina, which interestingly whilst we were in reception the whole day there were numerous other complaints from other tourists some Greek which was interesting! Would I stay here again, no, should you stay yes if you are looking for a nice quiet holiday, but ensure you don’t stay in any rooms bottom floor 100, I would request room 401 or even the others overlooking the other part of the car park, however I don’t think they look at requests and are literally got what you are given on the day! I believe a lot of rooms require updating, the room we got initially was more a 2 star, the room after 3 star at best. Expect to be bored unless you hire a car, there is no entertainment whatsoever. Forgot to mention because it was raining we booked the spa, it was €15 per person and comprises of a small sauna, steam room and an outdoor pool with bean bag seating. My auntie had an aromatherapy massage for €85 and enjoyed it. I wouldn’t bother paying for the spa access tbh expensive for what it had. The gym is also located at the spa building and was decent tbh for the size of the hotel, however I don’t agree with the €10 charge! Oh if you stay B&B only, Mais is just a 10 min walk away, the food and service was fabulous and good prices. They even offered to drive us back to the hotel hen it started to rain!