At Akasha Beach Hotel and Spa on the Greek island, Crete, the all-inclusive package offers free breakfast, private beach access and ringside seats to some serious clashes between celebrity wannabes.
One guest, Isabella Bianco, described her experience at the travel hotspot in an interview with Newsflare, and said that she thinks the heightened hype is “because the hotel is big on TikTok and is really aesthetically pleasing with the water beds…” and added that as a result, “the hotel is really big with influencers.”
“On the last day, we went down to the pool to go swimming, and there was an altercation between two women,” Bianco recalled. “[One couple] moved another couple’s belongings and towels, and when the couple came back from lunch, it kicked off.”
“One of the women had her sunglasses smacked off her face. People were jumping in to separate it. “
Bianco also said that apparently, there had been quite a few sunbed-related scuffles — she even described it as a “stampede rush” — during her stay, but because she and her party had opted for the less-crowded rooftop pool, she hadn’t had a front-row seat to the fight.
Aside from the young Instagram-oriented crowd, the hotel attracts plenty of other guests for its budget-friendly boardings, which start around $400 a night depending on the season, and its many amenities.
However, Bianca wasn’t the only guest who was appalled at some of the clientele’s behavior.
While many of the hotel’s reviews on TripAdvisor gush about the beach, the spa and the staff, there are dozens of mentions of the “sunbed situation” — one user even dubbed it an “Instagram hotel” and said it was “soulless.”
“Sunbed wars for the main pool were ridiculous with people queuing from 7 a.m. and then actually arguing and fighting over the good beds — didn’t bother us though, as we easily got beds at 9 a.m. at the beach house, which we preferred anyhow by the sea,” wrote another guest, while another added that “those beds were taken by the ‘Insta people’ for their photoshoots.”
“This hotel, aesthetically, is lovely; however extremely dissatisfied with the sunbed policy. People queuing for beds and leaving towels to go back to bed anyway,” said one guest, who also clarified that she was disappointed the hotel didn’t offer ping pong…
Many others seemed perplexed that the sunbeds by the main pool were the cause of the “stampede,” as Bianco described it.
In their reviews, several users added that by midday, a large majority of these coveted loungers were in the shade anyway, thanks to the unique construction of the hotel.
While many vacationers seek relaxation and adventure, others go solely for the visuals.
‘Instagrammable’ destinations have become more desirable than ever, especially as travel influencers and digital nomad lifestyles are on the rise.
In the US, historic hotels like the Bellagio in Las Vegas and beloved NYC institution, The Plaza Hotel, are among the most visited by social media-savvy shutterbugs — though, it’s more than likely you’ll never see a stampede at either of these high-end establishments.
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