Avra Imperial Hotel

Positive: the SPA, fresh orange juice, food, pools, cleaning everywhere, safety all around and everyone very professional. To improve: have a real salted butter and, sometimes, to control the (instable) weather.

Great location. Hotel is a little dated. The so called deluxe room beds are hard pillows are old and lumpy. Reception are rude and argumentative. Television doesn’t work. No iron, bathroom smelt funny. Food wasn’t the best. Before you have finished the meal the waiters are taking you plates. Wouldn’t come back. It’s a 4 star definitely not a 5 star hotel.

For my 3rd visit at Avra Imperial, I stayed in the Residence Collection, in a Premium Room with a private pool. And as this was the only slight dissapointment, let's get that over with: There was only direct sun very early in the morning, and only for a couple of hours. I think this goes for all the rooms of this type, at least in the building I was in (building 20 in the hotel map), so if this is important to you, be aware.

I had booked my transport through the hotel, and it was right on time and very comfortable.

Check-in: A seamless experience, with necessary information provided as well as a note with various information (opening hours for the restaurants etc). I was brought to my room with the "golf cart", my suitcase wheeled in and I was shown my room and the aircon.

I arrived late so dinner service was over. There were some bread rolls waiting for me in my room which was a very nice consideration, but I was sooo hungry, and the room service was still going so I went for that in stead. Quick to arrive, good food - and this was the case for the other couple of times I had room service as well.

My room was impeccable at arrival, and kept like that for the rest of my stay. The aircon worked very well which was bliss for me being a bad sleeper when I'm too warm. The beds are quite hard (which I prefer but can be an issue for others). If I'm lucky enough to come back, I will try to remember asking for a doble bed. I'm used to it, and twin beds that are not connected are not my jam.

I'm not a big breakfast person, but the breakfast at Xatheri had everything you could ever need - including a glass of prosecco if you're in that mood.

For lunch, I mostly stayed in the Residence area. You could sit in the Xatheri restaurant area and have table service, or order from the pool bar and either have it delivered to your sunlounger or sit in a more relaxed area, the menu was the same. There was enough variety on the menu that apart from a couple of days I had my lunch there.

Speaking of the pool bar: Iro, who works there, is a JEWEL. Working so hard and still being so nice is an accomplishment and she is a priceless asset to the hotel. When I left she very kindly gifted me a bottle of home made (her mother's recipe) vinaigrette and a bottle of olive oil from her village. I can report on both: Delicious.

For dinner I also stayed in the Residence Area except for a few days:

• I had to have the Moon Rolls at Blue Dong for both my visits there.
• Al Fresco is always so nice, they have a proper carbonara.
• Avra Seaside is worth it both for the food and the ocean view.
• I went to Basilico once for the variety and to see the re-decorating. It's a much busier (and noisier) environment than Xatheri, but also has more variety since the space is much larger. That being said, I would have been happy to have all my dinners at Xatheri if there were no other options.

In general, I think the food is very good, and I think everyone would be able to find something they like.

The Residence pool area was beautiful and clean, and the sunloungers very comfortable. The pool was maintained every morning. No sunlounger war, I saw available ones until about noon, some times later. It was so quiet and lovely, never crowded in the pool and if you're carrying several drinks (the cocktails are chef's kiss) someone would help you (the umbrellas are numbered).

The hotel grounds are kept so fresh. One day the hedges were trimmed and another day there was high-pressure washing around the pool - you always see people working.

I had booked a package with a floating breakfast, and a bottle of sparkling wine & chocolate included. When I asked the concierge if I could skip the breakfast and have the wine & chocs as a floating experience instead, this was no problem - arranged and on time. My final evening I got a surprise: Another bottle of sparkling wine, and a cake and a note, appreciating my return to the hotel. Unexpected, but very appreciated (even if I could only eat about 1/6 of the cake).

For my check-out I was collected by the "golf cart", luggage whisked away to storage as I had a late flight out and sadly there was no possibility for a late checkout. So my final day included a lot of waiting. But the all inclusive lasts until you leave the hotel, and the reception area has comfortable sofas with electric outlets. My arranged transport to the airport was on time and comfortable, again.

Would I come back? Oh, would I.