Doma

Befitting its location in a former British consulate, the Doma exudes an Old World feel. Our hostess offered us a cool fruit drink and urged us to relax in the charming back garden while she checked us in. When we were ready to head into town for dinner she provided a good map and excellent restaurant suggestions. Our room was small but comfortable, though my husband was a bit put off by the old-fashioned shower facilities (i.e., without a surrounding stall). The room overlooking the back garden was much quieter than one facing the ocean (and the busy road) would have been. Breakfast buffet was excellent, with lots of fresh fruit. The hotel is about a half-hour's walk away from the center of town, however.

We really liked this hotel. It has an interesting old world feel to it. The staff were very helpful. The garden was really pleasant. The morning breakfast was delicious. The high ceiling room with fan was much appreciated, and the room itself had a lovely balcony view of the garden.

Doma is an odd place. Its strengths are the quirkiness of the interior, great breakfast, the breakfast room is particularly attractive, beds are very comfortable, rooms are kept very clean, and the location enables guests to walk along the foreshore to the old town - a very enjoyable walk away from the night noise and also enables tourists to find tavernas frequented by locals rather than the tourist traps. But there are some problems with Doma: Firstly there is no fridge in the room, but a jug of chilled water is provided. Secondly the bathrooms are tiny. Television is very old and portable. But these things arent a great problem if you like a bit of austerity and character. The wooden floors are a problem as other guets dont seem to know that walking heavily on wooden floors with shoes does make a lot of noise. There are also no tea or coffee making facilities in the room. Sometimes more than water is required for a drink. If not in the room, then at least a common area could be set up rather than having to leave the hotel for a hot drink. The main problem though is that the only food served on premises is breakfast. On a raining night I didnt want to have to leave the hotel for food. Why should a paying guest do that? On the way out of the hotel (having resigned ourselves to there being no available food , or a even a snack) I saw the chamber-maid delivering a tray with pot of tea, cups and saucers, and covered plates to a room. My partner and I asked the reception if there was room service available rather than having to go out into a wet night. We were told that room service was available, which was good news, although we werent told this when we first checked in, and nor was there any directory in the room indicating what services were available for guests. So reception phoned the kitchen so to arrange room service for us. After a lengthy conversation we were told that there was no food available apart from yoghurt. Yoghurt? That was it? After having just seen a tray being delivered to another room? The reception did her best to assist, but kitchen would only provide yoghurt. Reception seemed embarrassed by this. And so on a raining night guests had to go to the hotel next door just to have a couple of toasted sandwiches and cup of tea. What hotel lets their guests out into a wet night because there is no food but yoghurt available? No other one I've stayed in! Doma is great if you like a stark hotel which rests too much upon its past tradition and supposed atmosphere. But if you want some actual comfort and to actually be a guest rather than a viewer of a museum then this isnt the place for you.