Golden Sun Hotel — Hotel in Municipality of Ios

This establishment has a problem, and it's their unwarranted belief that they can do no wrong, that they are beyond criticism. No matter what issue or discomfort you encounter, their response is always, "We are a family business with 34 years of experience in this industry." They seem to think this guarantees them a stamp of friendliness and quality.

Upon arriving at their establishment, for which we neither requested nor desired a transfer, the mother and daughter put on a performance of "Haven't you seen my husband?" and "Haven't you seen my dad?" No, we haven't seen anyone because we don't have the habit of scrutinizing strangers at airports and ports. Who knows how many customers they welcome with the same tired act.

They then hand you two small bottles of water (something every hotel, taxi, or tour in Greece does without exception), but apparently, we should be eternally grateful, as if they had just treated us to Dom Perignon.

The room we stayed in was an absolute nightmare for showering, as water spewed from every angle. Since they've been in the business for 34 years and consider themselves immune to criticism, a customer can't even point out that their tiny shower screen does absolutely nothing to prevent water from flooding the bathroom. Initially, we thought the refrigerator disconnected from the electricity when we left, but according to them, it wasn't the case. Hence, they're taking their sweet time replacing it, leaving everything we put in there soaked.

We never wanted anyone to enter the room, and we placed the 'do not disturb' sign, but they still felt entitled to enter. Something that has never happened to me in the dozens of countries I have visited.

The breakfast, to put it mildly, was abysmal. I ordered a continental breakfast, and they provided a minuscule portion of jam and butter, barely enough to cover two slices of sandwich bread. It's as if these mini containers were made of gold, preventing the customer from serving themselves as they please. I won't even mention the coffee and juice. We had breakfast there once, and it was the last time.

But undoubtedly, the worst part was the father's attitude. One evening around 8:30, we requested a small snack (believing they served such items until later), and he served it with the worst possible demeanor, as if doing us this favor was the greatest burden of his life. We would have preferred a straightforward "the kitchen is closed" instead of being the recipients of such begrudging service.

We barely used the pool for half an hour, yet we were made to feel like idiots when reminded to shower before entering, as if we were preschoolers or something.

To top it off, what is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE is that after writing a fairly respectful and restrained review on Booking.com, they called our personal phone number and emailed us to demand explanations. I fail to comprehend who they think they are to disturb tourists on vacation and even wake up a pregnant woman because they didn't like a review. For Golden Sun, the customer apparently has no right to express a respectful critique, as their 34 years in the business take precedence over...

Atmosphere: The biggest advantage of the Golden Sun hotel. From the very first moments, we did not feel like customers, but friends of the owner. Usually, check-in at the hotel involves checking the customer's ID and handing over the keys. In the Golden Sun, the owner gave us a few minutes to greet us and gave us a map with all the places we should visit on the island. He showed which beach is the best, where to go to watch the sunset, which restaurants have fresh fish, where is a cheap supermarket etc. It was the perfect guide to the island which we used the whole trip and we were delighted :)

Location: Great! You can walk to the port and Chora, if you prefer the bus, the stop is literally at the hotel. Cleanliness: Impeccable! Everywhere clean, fragrant and pleasant. Room: We had a garden view, with a lovely terrace. Quiet with a picturesque view. Pool: Large with varying depths. With a beautiful view and plenty of sunbeds.

The stay at Golden Sun was absolutely magical...

Absolute perfection! The family who own this beautiful place are such lovely, kind welcoming hosts who truly want to to enjoy their beautiful island. |The hotel is a short uphill walk from the port and Gialos beach, but don’t be put off by the hill part, it’s not that steep and it’s an easy enough walk to do! There are bus stops just outside the hotel where you can go into the port (some to Koumbara beach) and from the other side into the main town (Chora) and Mylopotas. Buses are every 15 mins and cost 2€. They run until late. |As the hotel is elevated the views are breathtaking. I was fortunate enough to have the view from my bed as well as my balcony and you can enjoy it from the pool too. |The pool is fabulous, clean, quiet and has comfortable loungers. There is a poolside bar where they serve breakfast, lunch and snacks as well as drinks. |The hotel is spotlessly clean and just perfect. I had the best week staying there and...