Володимир Жолнович
Overall, our vacation left mixed feelings. The island itself is beautiful, with amazing sea views and very nice sunsets, but the hotel definitely does not feel like a real 5-star resort.
The beach is decent, with small pebbles instead of sand. The sea in May was still quite cold, so swimming was difficult and took time to get used to. Only one day was warm enough for comfortable swimming. There is a shuttle to the beach sometimes, but walking back means going uphill, so transport is definitely appreciated.
The biggest advantage of this hotel is the views and the large territory. Walking around the resort is very pleasant. There are two pools, bars, drinks, ice cream, and snacks available during the day. Unfortunately, the snack selection is extremely limited and almost the same every day. The pools were also too cold in May.
The rooms and small houses around the territory seriously need renovation and cosmetic repairs. Cleanliness was one of the biggest disappointments. Sand was simply swept under the furniture, bed sheets were often not replaced but just rearranged, which honestly was shocking for this level of hotel. During our whole stay, fresh bed sheets were changed only once, and during the last days some sheets were even torn. Towels were also not always replaced with clean ones.
Food quality was another weak point. Breakfasts were very repetitive, lunches often felt low quality, and dinners had more variety but still many dishes repeated daily. Vegetables were cut carelessly, fruit selection was small, and fruits were often not even peeled properly. During the last few days, the food experience became very disappointing.
One very positive thing included with all inclusive were two dinners at the Greek tavern inside the hotel. The atmosphere there was excellent, food was tasty, and the waiters were extremely polite and professional. On the other hand, the modern restaurant inside the hotel was disappointing — meat was tough, full of tendons, and overall the food quality was poor.
Reception staff were friendly and helpful. Car rental directly at the hotel is more expensive than outside companies, but very convenient because you can rent a car within minutes without deposit or additional insurance. The SPA and massage were also very good, although expensive.
One thing that felt very strange was that almost all entertainment and activities were done only in French. It honestly felt like the hotel was designed only for French guests, even though there were many tourists from other countries. Many people simply could not participate because everything was exclusively in French. For an international resort, this is a big disadvantage.
Would I return again? Probably not, unless the hotel goes through renovation and improves the overall quality and international atmosphere.
The views are beautiful, but unfortunately beautiful views alone are not enough for a real 5-star experience.
Maciej Wolanin
Overall, everything at the hotel would have been fine — the rooms were clean and comfortable, the beach was beautiful, and the food was good and varied. Unfortunately, our stay was negatively affected by the behavior of one of the animators, Ken. He behaved in an aggressive manner and openly stigmatized a certain group of hotel guests, which was very uncomfortable and inappropriate.
Despite reporting this issue, unfortunately the rest of the staff were unable to help and dismissed the affected guests instead of taking the matter seriously. This does not reflect the level of professionalism expected from a hotel of this standard. It is a shame, because without this situation the experience would have been very positive.
Lee Tearle
We had an excellent holiday. Service all round fantastic, great rooms, great food choices especially the Taverna and A La Carte both of which, despite being included in the all inclusive package, I would happily have paid extra for. Will definitely return.
Karen Wareham
Having spent a week here recently, things started off ok.
Beautiful place when we arrived sparkling clean floors, beautiful view, friendly staff... What could possibly go wrong?
Well, every room after the rooms in reception area have steps, some a few , some many steps, this place is NOT designed for anybody with any walking issues it's all uphill or downhill, nothing else.
Breakfast is served next to reception which is stepless but the food has little to be desired, mostly undercooked or cold, bacon, fried eggs cold and undercooked, omelettes all supposed to be warm were not. Coffee isn't hot and they don't come back often and refill they refill one table in a row of tables and walk away.
The really disappointing thing was food not laid out in time for breakfast opening, and floors being brushed and mopped around guests eating breakfast, thick dust on window ledges and slippery floors, hygiene is appalling who brushes a floor whilst people are eating food?
Breakfast over, there is a shuttle bus to the beach every 20 minutes if you chose to go down to it, we waited well over half an hour, then found the beach was absolutely full to capacity and no room anywhere, having waited another half hour for the shuttle back up (impossible to walk if you aren't fighting fit) and it arrives with staff sat on it who cannot be bothered to walk back from cleaning the rooms...having been 1st in the queue we were jostled out of the way by everyone else, which either meant standing on the bus 9seats only or waiting another half hour for another one and risk the same thing happening so we stood up no health and safety present.
Back at our room beds made nice and clean we look to see what time lunch is...it is at 12 at the active pool bar restaurant! We have just been driven past that bar back to our room, it's halfway down the hillside and it's the only place for lunch unless you class pizza, bread and biscuits as lunch that's all that is available at the snack bar. So we literally have to walk back down the steep slope to have our lunch.
Too tired to walk back up we sit around the active pool area which is crowded and noisy and have a quick drink before hauling our asses back up to the relax pool, (adults only) with a "snack bar" serving the same as the other one. It is lovely and quiet and the views from there are absolutely stunning.
There are only entertainments in French throughout the day so anyone that doesn't understand is left out. The French seem to have the monopoly on everything. At the hotel, preferential treatment as the hotel is primarily for the French, it does not tell you when you book...they even have different coloured all inclusive bands so they stand out from everyone else, you can sit at a table for 4 in the restaurant if there are two of you and you have a blue wristband but if anyone else tries it they are "politely" asked to move!!!
Evening meal is in the main dining room, again same old stuff day after day , no thermometers in that place most of the food is cold in temperature.
There are a couple of a la carte restaurants you can use once a week if you stay for a week we chose the Greek Taverner 16 taster dishes to try, mostly very nice but the mains course we couldn't eat due it being mostly fish and us not liking fish, especially cuttlefish in squid ink. One main bar in the evening and it is only half open as in if you stand at the wrong end of it you are ignored, one page of all inclusive drinks and ten pages of payable drinks, all inclusive drinks are horrible cheap and sweet.
I really have nothing good to say about this hotel apart from one or two lovely staff and a beautiful view, there is nothing to do when it rains ,(it rained 3 days we were there) no bars indoors open, no activities to do. We were glad to hand our key back on our last day, fortunately we hired a car and got the heck out of there and spent a beautiful day at another resort.
I would not recommend this hotel, not would I ever revisit it, it is absolutely a waste of money, we have stayed in better 3* hotels than Athina Palace.
Haitam Salem
There is not one bad thing you can say about this hotel, that's it! We came to celebrate a birthday, and as a gift they upgraded our room to a large room with a private pool and a balcony and a sea view, crazy! The food at the hotel is very tasty and varied, there is plenty of food, the hotel has bars scattered around that serve food and drinks, 2 pools, one of which is quiet for adults only, a private beach for the hotel, the hotel staff is smiling, polite, professional, gives with all their heart and always wants to help. I will recommend this hotel and will definitely return to it again in the future.
