Carpe Diem Santorini

Poor service. Terrible booking experience

Beautiful hotel in Pyrgos. Gorgeous hotel and facilities. A perfect couples getaway within walking distance of the town

We have just returned after a weeks holiday at this lovely resort on the outskirts of Pyrgos in Santorini. The setting is beautiful and first impressions were really good. We travelled on a Tui package and arrived at around 12.30pm We were greeted and shown to a table for welcome drinks. On reflection, there is no doubt we were expected to begin our spending with Carpe Diem immediately. The drinks might have been "Welcome drinks" but we paid for them and more drinks, including water, and lunch too. There was no offer to store our luggage and go off exploring as our room would not be ready until 3pm. We were captives at this mountain view resort and that is where we would stay. And that set the tone for the week. The steep incline driveway (if you can call it that) to the resort is not for the weak and once you are in you are in. If you go out and forget something you have to manage as you are not going back. We downloaded a very limited menu for the restaurant and there was no doubt we wouldn't choose to eat here again. It was the A la Carte menu with only 4 ridiculously expensive main courses and little else. Earlier reviews suggested staff were amazing but our experience didn't leave us feeling like the reception staff went above and beyond. We never saw a Manager and we were never given any resort information. I couldn't tell you anything about the spa or gym as we were never told about it. The restaurant on site may have been permanently closed at night as we never saw anybody in there or any sort of promotion for it? Having seen the limited menu on day one it was never an option for us. Breakfast was lovely and Mary who served us was delightful and recalled our drinks orders from previous days. We made the hike out of the place twice daily for the first 5 days and then I hit a wall. We had carried supplies back from the village a couple of times as there was no way I was paying 5 euro for a bottle of water in the hotel. I truly felt like a captive and this isn't what holidays are supposed to be like. So we made the decision to rent a car for the last 2 days and decided our sanity meant more than a glass of wine with our meal. I was still on edge going up and down that slope....so steep is the incline you felt as though the car might flip with too much acceleration. Things to note: This hotel is supposedly 5 star. I would dispute that. There is no turndown service There is no full length mirror - not that it matters - don't take any fancy sandals as you need Walking boots/walking sandals/trainers for that hill! . There is no free water. In a country where the tap water cannot be consumed this is particularly poor. We drank the first bottle of water in the room and soon realised it was chargeable. In an isolated spot this is dreadful and inexcusable. The hotel entrance is NOT 5* by any means. I don't know any other 5* hotel that would expect you to have to climb in and out. We saw golf buggies/concierge in Fira assisting gue