We just spent a week in the Mermaid House in Letojanni. We had a very mixed experience and we were surprised no one had mentioned some important drawbacks in other reviews. For this house, unfortunately, I need to list the “cons” first--
CONS
- The house is surrounded by an active sewage treatment plant and 2 chicken farms. You definitely smell sewage any time you go outside. If we tried to open the windows to enjoy the “sea air”, we smelled sewage instead. Fortunately for us, it was mid-winter and we could keep the house closed up. (The owner, Carmen, says the sewage is a “seasonal” problem—if you are interested in staying here, you might want to ask.)
- The house is on the very edge of town, on a road where all neighboring houses are hidden behind high concrete walls that are covered in graffiti. (Note there are no photos of the house from the street....)
- Less important-- Pillows are foam bricks. House is missing some basics, like garbage cans beyond the kitchen, or a colander for draining pasta.
PROS
- Carmen was very nice to deal with, and she kindly provided milk, coffee, tea, and muffins for us so we would have food when we arrived. When our hot water heater went out after a storm, she got it repaired quickly.
- Newly redone house, with very nice bathrooms, wood beam ceilings upstairs, and tile floors. Pleasant outdoor eating area on the patio (if the wind is in your favor…)
- Nice layout for families or couples, with 2 bedrooms upstairs each with their own bathroom, and a shared space downstairs with another bathroom.
- Partial views of ocean from upstairs windows are nice
- Location truly is walking distance to the beach (but you will want to go a few blocks south to avoid the sewage smell).
Unfortunately, due to the location and the smell, I would not recommend this house to anyone.
