Astra Village

We stayed here for a week at Astra Village Resort and Spa in Svoronata, Kefalonia, on an all-inclusive basis, and unfortunately it was one of the most underwhelming hotel experiences we’ve had. From the moment we arrived, things went downhill. We had an early start and expected a warm welcome and a decent lunch, but were met with scraps from earlier service, no effort made at all. Drinks were extremely restricted, and as “all-inclusive” guests, we were treated like second-class citizens compared to half-board guests. Soft drinks were flat from bottles, while half-board guests were served cold cans. The slushie machine was often broken and didn’t look clean. Drinks were served in random, worn cups or half-filled glasses, with very limited choice. Meal options were poor, especially for children. Evening meals offered little variety, and lunchtime on two separate days had nothing suitable for my daughter, forcing us to pay for pizzas. Snacks were virtually non-existent, with just leftover breakfast biscuits on offer. Meat quality was poor, often overcooked, and bread was stale. Juices in the machines often didn’t work, by the last day, apple juice was finally available. The bar service was painfully slow, and we were frequently ignored if wearing an all-inclusive wristband, with half-board guests served first, even if they arrived later. Drinks (including water) were only available between 10:30am and 10:30pm, before or after these times even a bottle of water cost extra. Cleanliness was another huge let-down. Room towels were only changed once during the week. Pool towels were old, scruffy, and could only be changed once unless you paid extra — and even then, they often didn’t have clean ones available. The balcony was never swept or mopped, and when we dropped something under the bed, we were shocked by the amount of dirt, dust, and hairs. Cats wandered around the property, with empty food cans left on the paths attracting ants. The pool toilets were unclean and awkwardly located down slippery marble stairs, very unsafe especially for small children. Staff presentation was poor, with no uniforms except for one man, not to mention the barman wearing T-shirts referencing drugs. The restaurant staff we spoke to were pleasant and seemed embarrassed by the restrictions placed on all-inclusive guests (for example, being told we couldn’t have a simple shandy as it wasn’t on our menu was crazy). Tourist tax could only be paid in cash, with no option for card payment which felt questionable and suspicious as the card machine was operational for food and drinks. The only positives? The sun loungers and parasols were good quality, although they were crammed in far more tightly than the brochure suggested. The hotel exterior itself looks newly decorated and the gardens were maintained. Not to forget, the entertainment was dire, the “Greek jazz” act was painfully bad, more like Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter than anything resembling live music. Overall, this hotel is absolutely not a 4-star hotel. The experience was frustrating, unwelcoming, and disappointing. Sadly we won’t return to this hotel and cannot recommend it. On the plus side, if you can find a good hotel, the island of Kefalonia is beautiful and seeing the turtles was incredible.

Well where do I start! The reception staff are the worst I have ever dealt with. The have absolute no respect for any English person that comes to the hotel. Considering they just sit on there phones do absolutely nothing! You could tell they don’t like us from day one. The rooms are awful and they only give you one key card for a family of four and try and tried to charge us when we asked for another one. The one nice part was the girls and one lad who look after your food, they were very helpful and very nice and polite. I would strongly advise anyone not to go to this hotel. STAY WELL CLEAR!

We had a very enjoyable week. The pool area was excellent. The staff were very friendly. The all-inclusive catered well for different tastes. The room was clean and very near the reception area. Interesting to be so near to the airport runway and being able to see planes in action! The noise was not at all an issue. The only criticism is having to pay the tourist tax by cash - a card option should be available.

This was our second stay at the Astra Village. We overall had a great stay but our room this time was more basic than last year and we are not sure all our bed linen was changed. In fact we know that the top sheet/blanket was not changed at all during our stay as I dropped something on it which made a mark and it was there for the 11 days ! I do feel the need to mention the tourist tax. Our tour operator had rated the Astra as a 3 star so we expected to pay less than the €10per night we were charged when we arrived - so be warned !! The staff were all lovely - no issues with anyone. Pool was beautiful and sun loungers are so comfy. Loungers still available up until at least 9.30am so major rush in the mornings. Our top tip has to be to buy drinks from their supermarket - the bar charges €3.50 for a soft drink that you can buy for €1 in their shop. La Travalata opposite does amazing food - definitely recommend going here. Breakfast was good and fine for us. Dinner does need some rethinking as it’s repeated weekly so we got the same food the second week we were there. Dinner choice is limited so I would budget a couple of meals out. Bus service is great so use this instead of taxis Well kept grounds. Loo door locks need to be fixed though in the public areas ! Limited entertainment in the evenings - what there was was great fun. Planes - yes you see and hear them but it becomes quite fascinating to watch so enjoy this rather than becoming bothered by them. Follow Wildlife sense on Facebook so that you know when the baby turtles are being released on Ammes Beach - we saw them on our last evening and it was an amazing experience. We love Kefalonia and will be back. We are likely to stay elsewhere just because we have already stayed here twice. Astra Village is a perfect base from which to explore.

Our third time at Astra did not disappoint! First time just the two of us to celebrate our 20th Wedding anniversary. All the staff are so friendly and always felt welcomed. The food for the breakfast buffet and dinner buffet was always superb with a variety of choices. It upsets me when I hear the few people moan about the food - if you want British food like nuggets and chips, please just stay at home - the Greek food that Astra serve is just amazing and there was always a pasta dish, fish dish and vegetarian options that were delicious! I cannot even big to describe how gorgeous the desserts are! Never an issue getting one of the super comfy sun beds although we are early risers so that helped! We asked for a room on an upper floor with a view of the sea and that’s exactly what we got! They even left a card and chocolates for our anniversary. Loved watching the planes from our balcony land and take off - I will never get tired of that! Love the closeness of the beach, air port and two minimarts - the staff in there are so super friendly! If you are looking for a peaceful retreat then you cannot go wrong here! All in all another great holiday at Astra!