If you have read all about the Souzana studios in Skala Potamias on this website, in most accounts it would appear a lovely place to stay. In fact, anyone would believe someone connected to the place is writing in its favour! Are they being paid to do this I wonder?

My experience this year has been totally different. It was a fantastic place in August 2003, when my husband and I went to visit: Idyllic, Beautiful surroundings, peaceful, accomodation always cleaned to the highest of standards and an extremely helpful and friendly member of staff, Tasos.

We enjoyed many a night at the hotel bar chatting about the greek way of life with Tasos,the barman, who I believe made the place so genuinely friendly and successful.

This year the accomodation was still great but there was a very different atmosphere, due to the owner employing a new girlfriend to run the place. Sadly it has since lost its cultural appeal, and the new rules have made the place unpleasant to stay in.

Last year, the bar used to be open until the guests went to bed. This year, however, we were disappointed to find that at 1.30 we were told the bar would close. At 1am the owner was looking at his watch, which made other guests and ourselves feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome. Not the brightest thing to do to guests who are your repeated business each year, but this seems the new and ignorant way to run the Souzana.

Another major disappointment was that the only member of staff that was any worth was made to leave!

Anyone that knows the infamous Tasos, will be upset to find out that he was sacked on our second to last day, I believe, for not telling guests to order pizza's from the owner 'Alex's' restaurant in the town! Instead a group of guests had been ordering in from the Italian much to the upset of his English girlfriend who promptly adminstered the'sacking'. Who knows why a lovely person like Tasos, who happened to work for the hotel and restaurant for over 12 years would be sacked for such a thing? He had really made our previous holiday and we hoped would for many others to come.

Unfortunately this was a real eye-opener to the kind of characters now working there and a very upsetting sight to witness.

Sadly, the place has much changed under new, unfriendly management. A holiday should be enjoyed, relaxing by the pool, with friendly chatting in the evenings to staff and other guests. We didn't expect to listen to the staffs personal problems or rude comments about other guests that had previously stayed there.

This we found surprising, as well as extremely rude and unprofessional, how do they expect to get repeat business which is so important in a place like Thassos?

On our last day, we were also very disappointed to find that we could not take a shower after vacating our rooms at midday even though our transfer was at 5.30pm. We were told that neither a courtesy room nor a shower would be provided which left 9 rooms worth of people (including children) sitting around for 5 and a half hours very hot and sweaty, wishing to get in the pool or enjoy the sunshine for 1 last day.

There was no system in place to cater for this, and people were left irritable and annoyed that they could not have a shower in extremely hot conditions before travelling back to the UK. Apparently you cannot pay to keep your room, as we were told that it takes the maid, Sofia, 11 hours to clean 9 rooms!?!?! ready for the next lot at 11.30! Hardly believable!

To make matters worse, when I requested the use of a shower at 2pm, I was rudely told to 'go and clean the rooms myself' if I wanted one! I was shocked at such a childish response from what appeared to be an adult who was responsible in the absence of the hotel manager! There were queues of people shaving and washing in the toilets underneath the complex! Nice touch! If you book for 7 days like we did, you will only effectively get 6 at the Souzana!

Let this be a warning to anyone who likes drinking past 1.30 at the hotel bar and anyone who wants to enjoy the last day of their holiday which they rightly pay for. The Golden Sun rep explained that they 'are not obliged' to provide a courtesy room or a shower on the last day, BUT they don't really tell you this when you book either! Word of warning. Always find out if your apartment will provide a courtesy room, or you will be sorely disappointed on your last day.

Come back Tasos and come back the old Souzana, this new management is in dire need of some customer care training!!!!!!!!!

Sadly the once great Souzana apartments is no more, and is flailing in only its second year of opening. Needless to say, we will never return, I suspect along with a lot of other guests.