Caravel Zante

We’ve just returned after 10 nights at this lovely hotel. We had a room with large balcony, two sunbeds and a jacuzzi. The hotel was kept lovely and clean, housekeeping cleaned room every day and clean bed linen 3 times during our stay. The minibar in the room was replaced every day, by ERI, who was a most charming young man. The safe in the room was free. The food in the restaurant was good, my husband a very fussy eater, was never hungry. A LA CARTE was well worth it. Do not miss Gala night on a Wednesday , the manager thanked everyone for coming, and the staff were introduced, along with some fantastic fireworks. There was a pool party, with pina coladas in half pineapples and pizza and a beach party and bar b q. We had an enjoyable holiday and already looking to return next year.

We stayed at TUI Blue Caravel, Zakynthos, in Rooms 220 (Sea View) and 418 (Swim-Up). While the food and staff were excellent, the hotel itself fell well below the 5-star standard promoted by TUI. Our biggest disappointment was Room 418, the swim-up room. We paid a premium for this upgrade, but the reality did not match the advertising. The "swim-up pool" was more like a small plunge pool shared between three rooms. It was narrow, frequently in the shade, extremely cold, and nowhere near as impressive as the images used to market the hotel. We enquired about changing rooms on arrival, but no alternatives were available for several days, making a move impractical. What made this even more frustrating was that from Room 220 we could clearly see newer swim-up rooms in the annexe section of the hotel that looked much more like those shown in the promotional photographs. This gave the impression that the advertised images were not representative of all swim-up rooms across the resort. Room 220 was clean and reasonably spacious, with plenty of hanging space, although drawer storage was very limited. The bathroom door was warped, the hinges were loose, and it would not close properly. The shower was particularly poor, with the water temperature constantly fluctuating between freezing cold and scalding hot whenever other guests used water elsewhere in the hotel. We were unable to make full use of the balcony due to several very active birds' nests. Ironically, from this room we had a clear view of the much more appealing swim-up rooms located in the newer annexe buildings.

The main pool area offered no shade, making it uncomfortable during the hottest parts of the day. In between the 2 pool areas a grassed area offered the sunbeds and parasols; many of these were worn, damaged, faded, or in need of replacement. The decking surrounding the smaller pool was cracked, lifting and splintered sections that appeared poorly maintained.

Pool cleanliness was also a concern. While the water itself was generally clear, there were noticeable green algae and scum marks around the waterline and on the handrails, especially in the smaller pool area. In addition, the beach towels provided by the hotel were often worn, thin, faded and in some cases had holes, which further reinforced the impression that many areas of the hotel are overdue for investment and refurbishment.

That said, there were some real positives. The food was excellent throughout our stay, with a wide variety of high-quality options available at every meal. The restaurant and bar staff were outstanding—friendly, professional and hardworking—and were undoubtedly the highlight of the holiday.

The evening entertainment was more hit and miss. Some acts were enjoyable, while others fell short of expectations for a hotel of this standard. One standout performance came from a South African group called Remar, who were absolutely fantastic and among the best entertainment we saw all week. Unfortunately, they performed early in the evening when many guests were still dining and may have missed them.

Ultimately, the exceptional food and staff helped save the holiday, but they could not compensate for the hotel's tired condition, maintenance issues and the misleading impression given of the swim-up rooms. For a resort marketed and priced as a 5-star TUI Blue property, the overall experience was disappointing and did not represent good value for money.

Absolutely fantastic holiday great hotel exceptionally friendly staff great food a great package for our 30th wedding anniversary superb