AluaSoul Zakynthos

We enjoyed our holiday. We loved that - whatever room you got - you weren’t far from anything. It was small but perfectly designed. We arrived two hours ahead of check in time and our room was ready. Check in was quick and friendly.

ROOM: We had a full sea view in our “inland view” room which was a great start. Our bathroom was small, but had all that we needed including shampoo, shower gel and conditioner. There were two single beds pushed together, sufficient wardrobe space. Not enough coat hangers but we brought more. A small fridge. No iron, but we asked on checking in. One was delivered with a board within an hour and it stayed there for the whole week. The balcony was small but the view was amazing. No drawers in the room. Luckily we brought net bags so our underwear could stay in the wardrobes. The beds are clean and comfortable and there is air con and an is an oscillating fan. We went early Sept and that was a must have! A safe (free of charge) large enough to take several laptops and much more. There’s a kettle and tea, coffee, sugar and milk sachets are provided. There is never enough coffee is there? We took our own sachets as a top up. And bought milk from the local shop. There is water provided. You can’t drink from the tap here but you can brush teeth with it. KEEP HOLD of your water bottle. You will need that to fill up at the numerous water stations dotted around.

FOOD: We loved it. Plenty of beautiful salad items and bowls of prepared Greek salads, always fresh dishes to accommodate all tastes and food from pizza and chips to salmon,casseroles and steamed vegetables. Any one not keen on the food would be a very fussy eater in my opinion. This is a small hotel, so everything (including the food selection) is on a smaller scale. Good luck in finding better at the price. I have no dietary restrictions except that I prefer healthy options. For those with restrictions, perhaps consider the size of the hotel. You won’t have several hot dishes suitable for vegan or gluten-free diets. What you do have is probably one chef, trying their best to feed 250-300 people all at the same time, with only a handful of dietary restrictions in that group. It’s a consideration for you, and perhaps this size of hotel might not be fantastic for you in terms of food. I didn’t see any labels saying GF or V. So that’s food for thought, if you’ll pardon the pun.

And don’t worry too much about dress code in the evening restaurant. We saw men in flip flops with denim shorts and t shirts, ripped jeans and trainers. There appears to be no dress code for dinner.

Service is buffet style so staff clear the used plates and during busy times they didn’t get in top of this but we noticed Ola. She worked continually fast and her smile never left her face. Loved that.

BARS, POOL AND OTHER STUFF: the bars had quick and friendly service. It’s clear that guest satisfaction is key in training. The pool is large and square and all the sun loungers position around it. Everyone joins in the fun - not all day but aqua aerobics had non-participants dancing whilst lying in their beds. The daily polo match was a hoot! Everyone cheering and enjoying the fun. Cannot complain. You can also pop down to the sea where there are steps for you to get into the water. It’s waist high for a long way out and it’s a fab cool off opportunity. Pool towels are provided and can be replaced every two days. Better for the environment. We didn’t try the My Favourite option. I didn’t see the point. We had all that we wanted.

I have a criticism. As it’s a small hotel, there is no chance of sleep in many of the rooms which mostly centre around the main bars and pool where the music is so loud at night! We took an early excursion one day and by 9pm we were in bed. No sleep till almost midnight. If they could adjust the volume a little after say ten, that would probably have been more bearable and I doubt that would have ruined anyone’s night but it was thumping! My complaint fell on deaf ears, it continued the next night.

Big shout out for Marsela our room maid. Bless her, we left a five euro note on the bed for her. We returned and she’d put it on the side. I found her and she said she wasn’t aware that it was for her. Honesty indeed. A rare quality and it made our day. We gave her ten.

There are several shops and a couple of restaurants nearby should you wish to venture out or forget anything. The most local shop sells, well, everything! Like a small supermarket. For ten Euro, you can get into the bustling local town where you’ll have a million bars and restaurants, should you fancy a change.

For the price we paid, I am not complaining. This is not a four star hotel. But, I gave this review four stars taking into account all that we got for the amount that we paid. Had the sleep not been disturbed until very late each night, I’d have given it five stars. All in all, we enjoyed this place and maybe we’ll return, but I’ll bring nuclear-strength ear plugs.

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we had a brilliant stay food was great and saff where so helpfut alwas there to help if needed aranged car hire room was kept cleen and our view out over the sea was excelent to wake up to a small walk to the main beech about 3-4 mins the small rocky beech at the bottom of the hotel off the jetty was so good fof snorkeling i would definatly stay agin

I have rated this 3* as it is at best a 3* hotel.

There are so many concerns with this hotel, and I understand some are picky and some are more concerning, but I will add all my concerns as each to their own.

Main 3 concerns:

We upgraded to My Favorite and what a complete waste of time – yes, we got a bigger room with a sea view and an infinity pool (later to discuss) but that was all we got any different - We had a snack bar which everyone else did and supposedly better sunbeds which was not correct. The check in was the same as everyone apart from a small glass of sparkling wine. The snack bar only gave you a cup to full up from water cooler – you don’t even got a bottle of water with the upgrade..

Even though we upgraded you do not get nay branded drinks – they are all local drinks – they charge you for any branded drinks which I find absolutely disgraceful – I have upgraded in many hotels and always get branded drinks– I then had to go out and buy vodka as I cant drink cheap local vodka – don’t be fooled by this – 8 euros for a shot of vodka – no thanks

The room was “nice” except when we got there, there was an infestation of flies in the room, we later discovered they were coming up from the overflow in the sink so we stuffed sit with tissues – unavoidable I guess from the hotel – TV had line across the middle and light broke on the balcony.

The infinity pool is so hard to get in and out of – it is a ladder which is hot and slippery when wet – you have to pull your whole weight to get yourself out – while the other pool for none upgraded is a lovely walk in one with sunbeds in the water!!! Nice view but again not worth the upgrade.

No plug or shower mat for bath.

AC in the hotel is none existence - Most rooms have it and ours was a god send but I know some rooms only have a fan and this is unacceptable in Greek heat- There is no AC in the hotel reception except a unit at the front by the door which you have to stand next to get any benefit- it is roasting in there just standing at reception No AC in the bars or in the dining area – we were literally sweating eating our meals - it was the most uncomfortable time of the day. To be able to sit comfortably; for a meal or have a drink in the night in the bar is such a let down for a 4* hotel. THIS IS A MUST IN A HOTEL IN 35 DEGREE HEAT.

The food – Well this was a massive disappointment – The only thing Greek about the food was the feta cheese- no pitta bread – no moussaka - no kleftiko – to name but a few – plenty of over cooked pasta – plain bolognaise sauce – Italian food was consistent every day. The meat tasted cheap - no variety whatsoever – it was more a 2* menu for kids. For an adult only hotel I cant believe the food choices. It was tasteless, we dreaded going in as it was hot and we knew it was juts going to the same food every night. – cheese pie has no cheese in – chicken pie had no chicken in. Not one piece of fillet of chicken or steak or it was scrag end meat. No coasters on table so cold drinks just dripped everywhere on the table and the wine oh dear me,,,, it was repulsive it was watered down so badly – the sparkling wine is ok.

Wasps and mosquitos are everywhere – I understand the hotel can do anything about this but be aware if you are going !!!

All in all for what we paid this was by far the worst hotel we have ever stayed in – DO NOT UPGRADE and if you are looking to eat some nice food or even Greek food in Grece please do not book.