Belvedere Gerakas Lux. Suites

Our stay at this hotel was not what we expected, there were several issues that impacted our experience. On arrival at the hotel, the initial room we had been allocated had been crossed out on our paperwork. We were told it was a typo and shown to an alternative room, room 203 which turned out to be dark and dingy - think hostel or faulty towers. In room 203 - the air conditioning was broke, wires for the lamp were taped together, the fridge didn't work and made noise all night, the bath water ran brown. To top it off, we were given two single beds despite booking a double room as we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. The neighbours were partying and arguing until 4 am and the phone to call reception was broke, you had to hold the wire into the handset to enable you to make a call. When we woke up the first morning we went to reception to inform them we were unhappy with the room allocated due to it not being what we had booked nor what was advertised in the brochure, the reception staff informed us that there were no alternative rooms available due to the hotel being fully booked, but assured us we were a priority for a new room if one became available. I contacted TUI in the app to advise the of the room allocation and the problems we had. After a short while we had breakfast and went and sat by the pool, the young man from reception was incredibly helpful and managed to secure us a different room after our TUI rep visited (though it's unclear if this was just a coincidence). The second room we were allocated was 414, it was larger and closer to what we expected from the advertised rooms when we booked. In room 414, the air conditioning didn't work, the shower appeared to be blocked and flooded the bathroom and bedroom, the toilet was faulty and ran water all night (this was reported to reception due to my husband being a light sleeper but nothing was done), and the bathroom ceiling was leaking and dripping on to us when using the toilet. The toilet door could only be closed by slamming it shut, which was extremely disruptive at night and I would imagine this wouldn’t be pleasant for the neighbours either. There were a number of other guests that were also complaining about room issues and had been allocated incorrect room types, some were even charged an ‘upgrade fee’ to change rooms. Now onto the positives, the young man and woman working at the pool bar were extremely hardworking and friendly. The pool and jacuzzi were nice and warm and also appear clean. The cleaning staff are very hardworking and the hotel appears well kempt. The location itself is peaceful (aside from the noisy guests) and it pleasant for a bit of R&R. Breakfast was edible, and lunch was nice, we chose to eat our evening meals elsewhere. We would highly recommend the local taverna ‘Perfetto’ at the top of the hill for authentic Greek food they do an amazing Beef Stifado and their grilled prawns are excellent their customer service is excellent and food and drinks are reasonably priced. We also enjoyed a walk to Porto Roma on the sea front for lunch, which was a highlight of our trip with its beautiful food and view. Overall, we have enjoyed some much needed R&R but unfortunately will not be returning. The customer facing staff were pleasant and the exterior/pool area were appealing, the significant room issues and lack of empathy of the management towards other guests put us off . We hope the hotel addresses these problems to improve the experience for future guests.

As any of you know who have read my reviews previously, they normally rate high and are quite long. I do this for two simple reasons. 1.) A review is always high if you sort any issues out whilst at a resort. 2.) Long reviews capture everything you could want to know and more in one place. So, let's start:- Location. The hotel is situated 14km (9 miles) to the South of the nearest major town which is Argassi. It is in a very rural & peaceful setting with plenty of nature and wildlife going on. The hotel is in a designated conservation area due to the turtle population at the nearby beach, therefore there are no high rise apartment blocks, no wild nightlife, no traffic, no neon lights and loud music. This location is very much unwind, de-stress, de-compress and spend time with the people you came with. Beach. Closest beach is 1km walk. On the way you will pass 3 Tavernas, one of which is at the Turtle Sanctuary. Opposite these there is a mental amount of parking (some undercover) which you can use for the Tavernas and beach. From the parking area it's 5 minutes to the beach. When you get there you will notice there are sun beds available (20 Euros for two). There are NO other facilities on this beach (No bar, no loud music, no food or drink). The reason being is, it's a turtle sanctuary. It's where turtles come to nest during the season and lay their eggs so you will notice areas and signs marked 'do not trespass' so please don't. If you walk to the left of the sun bed area towards the rocky peninsula, you will also notice that the beach becomes more nudist. There are no signs warning you, it just appears so to speak. If this isn't your thing then keep walking and don't look. Please don't laugh when one of your kids points out someone's love trophies! Hotel. Can roughly house 200 guests. When we stayed, the majority of guests were Dutch, Danish, German, some English. When you arrive there is a steep walk to the main entrance steps (about 10 metres). There's also disabled access via a ramp to the left of the steps. The reception / lobby area is open plan with plenty of seating & space to relax. You will normally be greeted by Spiros who you will come to realise is a fixer. You need something, he'll find it, book it, reserve it, fix it. Top guy. Help yourself out & pack some stuff for the pool in a separate bag so that if you arrive and your room isn't ready (typically check-in from 3pm) then you can store your luggage and go walkabout or chill at the pool. Wifi. It works in all areas. Remember this is Greece and not a major capital city or home. Sometimes it drops out, but recovers quickly. If you're still having issues then the team at reception will help. Rooms. We took a Junior Suite with Garden / Pool view (Room 211). Can honestly say it was exactly what we wanted. To see the sun rise in the morning over the peninsula and sea was breathtaking. The junior suites are normally one double bed and two single beds made from the sofa / couch. The 2 single beds are not fold out, but sofa seating (one can take a full grown adult and more, the other a teenager). Bathroom with bath / shower etc. Your room is typically cleaned 3 times a week (this might be 3 consecutive days or random days in that week). If you think you need more then ask at reception. All rooms have a kitchenette area with electric hob & sink with basics of cutlery and cups / plates. Small refrigerator and freezer box. TV is HDMI capable, but in all honesty we never used it (I don't come on vacation to watch TV or play Xbox). There is a kettle for making hot drinks, but you need to source the cow juice to go with the hot drinks first. One thing to mention here. The electricity in the room is operated by a fob on your room key. This means that if you're not in the room, none of your gadgets will charge. Safety deposit box. In all rooms and locked using the key you get with your room, no extra charge. Restaurant. We took breakfast everyday which is buffet style. Remember this is Greece, so a European buffet is going to be different to rest of the world. Plenty to choose from whether it be pastries, hot breakfast, cereal etc. You won't come away hungry. This is also the same location for the bar (well stocked) and dining restaurant which comes in the form off Buffet or A la Carte. Pool. So much has been said by others about 'It's not cleaned or cleaned frequently enough' or 'I was disgusted that there were leaves floating in the pool' or 'The sunbeds were not wiped down so they were wet and got mould on them'. So, let's clear the air once and for all. The pool area is cleaned between 7am-8am EVERY morning (I took a photo of the guy doing it). The same guy mops the wooden decking area. The same guy wipes EVERY sunbed down clean so it's dry. It is an immaculate area. The hotel quite clearly takes pride in how it presents itself. I'm not saying that there were no issues in the past, but there are clearly no issues now. Pool Bar. There is a separate bar area which serves all day. The menu for food is not extensive, but there is something for everyone. You will normally find Markella or Spiros serving you. Remember, English is not their first language so speak slowly and clearly and they will help anyway they can. Towels. Go to the pool bar and ask for the number of towels you need and then return them at the end of the day. Don't turn this into rocket science because it isn't. Plain and simple. Spa. There is an onsite spa which is in a separate building to the hotel (you can see if through the trees from the pool area). You will also find a fully functioning gym for those Arnolds amongst you which has a cable crossover machine, free weights, bike, treadmill. All modern equipment and there to be used. Getting around. It's fair to say that where you're staying is out of the way. It is a place of relaxation. So, how do we get around? Enter Spiros! Want a taxi, he'll get you one. Want a car rental, he'll get you one. Want a quad bike / ATV, he'll get you one. Want your own private yacht, he probably can't do that but will definitely know someone. Finally. All the staff at the hotel are there to help and want to help. They are a young team, but certainly know what they're doing. Treat them with respect, you'll be amazed at what you get in return. It's a shame when I've read past reviews about this hotel and it's quite clear that English is not the reviewers first language. So the review has been put through Google Translate, makes no sense when it comes out the other side and comes across as negative (with bad grammar and punctuation). Some special mentions:- Spiros 1 - The caped crusader (could be Batmans twin). Markella - Rules the bar area and could've been Cat Woman in another life. She knows how to mix a smoothie or cocktail. Athena - Although quiet do not be fooled. Clever brain in that head & she will go far. Spiros 2 - Sometimes pool bar, sometimes restaurant but all round nice guy. Kostas - He knows a thing or two about olives. Genuinely nice guy and very knowledgeable. Also, all the other people that work behind the scenes to make this a great stay. You will get to know that some of them are related. Whether sister / brother / cousin / cousins girlfriend etc. What I mean is that because they're family it means more to them that your stay is the best. If something reflects badly on one of them, they all take it personal. Last comment. Go with open eyes. If you want bright lights, busy bars, lots of noise, cheap tourist food then don't come here. If you want views, wellbeing, family time, couple time, exploring and a clean, well maintained environment then you've come to the right place.

After reading the reviews of previous years, I was expecting an average stay. But I think there must have been a shift in management and a complete rebrand. Areas of the hotel have also been renovated and refreshed. It's a beautiful hotel. The breakfast is great, in a beautiful room that is open to a large balcony, the rooms are spacious and look very similar to the photos. The cleaners come every day which is nice. The pool is cleaned, the sun lounger cushions are new and really comfy. And also ALL staff are extremely friendly and go above and beyond. By far the comfiest hotel room we have ever stayed in! The only issue is the climate/ tourist tax which is €10 a night which is a little eye watering, but if you are expecting it then it's fine. Overall a wonderful stay in a much improved hotel. Don't hesitate to stay here! Also perfetto restaurant just up the road is delicious!