Our travel agent had made a mistake and booked us in this Ilayda Hotel, instead of the Ilayda Avantgarde Hotel, which I had selected. Big mistake ! This place is run down, dark and unpleasant, where their "sister property" is new, clean, modern and has a nice pool & bar on the rooftop.
I will start off by giving 2 big plus points : the location is perfect, in the middle of town, on the promenade, overlooking the ocean where the big cruise liners dock. Plus the staff, who were friendly and did their very best to make the best of the situation.
Now for the bad things :
When we arrived, there was no porter, no welcome or welcome drinks - you cart your own luggage in the tiny elevator - just big enough for 2 with luggage. The corridor to the room is dark, with lights that flick on when you walk through - worn, tired carpet.
The first room we were allocated, nr 206, was musty and stank of cigarettes (although it is a non-smoking room !). We asked for another one and got rm 305. Good size room with 3 single beds, on the corner, with lovely views over the promenade ; the furniture and carpets are tired and stained, there is a small bathroom, a safe. The mattress is OK, but there's only a flimsy cotton blanket on the bed ; it's not enough to comfortably cover you at night, so you freeze when you leave the aircon on at night. The isolation in our room was terrible : the promenade is very noisy day AND night - additionally, you can hear every conversation in the room nextdoors (so when the Russian neighbour invites a girlfriend . . . !) ; no sleep for you.
Wifi works only in selected area's, definitively not in rm 305, so I sat in the corridor to check emails.
Breakfast is on the 6th floor terrace or inside, with great view over bay and esplanade, but meagre spread, dry pre-baked omelette with bread ; the "fruit juice" is a disgrace as it is watery lemonade.
Honestly, we were glad to get out to a nicer hotel.