Marelen Hotel

My partner and I have just returned from a weeks stay at the Hotel Marelen, in Zakynthos, and found it to be an excellent place. The rooms are nice and clean, and quite a good size. The decor was in good order. The beds were comfy too, and the air con was good (an extra cost on arrival, but a must in the hot weather). We stayed on a B and B basis, and the breakfast every morning was lovely, with a great choice of fruits, meats, cheese, bread, cake, biscuits, juice, and all the cooked items you would expect for an english breakfast. My only complaint was that they stopped serving at 0930.... which was a bit early for us to get out of bed!!! The staff there were great too, very helpful and pleasant. The bar was nice too, drinks were pretty inexpensive. They also put on some kind of entertainment on most nights, which was ok. The hotels' location is great for the beach, and is right on the edge of the resort of Kalamaki, so you are away from all the hussle and bussle, and the noise, The only noise that might concern some people are the aircraft taking off and landing from Zante airport, which was fairly close. It didnt bother us too much though, and there are no flights between 2200 and 0500 anyway, because of the breeding loggerhead turtles on the beach. So all in all, a great holiday, great value for money, can't wait to go again!

My boyfriend and I visited the Marelen Hotel on 7 June 2007 and what a lovely place! The rooms are kept clean; the maids come in every day and change the sheets twice weekly. We had to hire a fridge as we stayed B&B but it was worth it just to have cold bottled water to hand. The breakfast was okay - only bad thing is that you have to get up early, and if you had a late night it's a bit hard (my personal preference!) The staff made a great effort to make guests feel happy and comfortable. The hotel itself is a stones throw away from Kalamaki beach and only a 5/10 min walk into Kalamaki. The beaches aren' t the best of the Greek Islands as Lagana bay is protected due to the turtles, who swim ashore to lay their eggs between June and September. However, we walked all the way along the sea front to Lagana beach which was very nice. There are some beautiful resturants; try Buon Amici and The Olive Tree. The food is cheap enough and there is a variety to suit most tastes. If you are thinking about doing excursions, avoid booking through the Reps as they can rip you off. We walked down into Kalamaki and booked up with place next door to the Olive Tree. We went on a day long boat trip around the whole island which was fab and included swimming in the Keri caves and a stop at the famous Shipwreck site. The day itself cost 25euros which is a bargain! I would recommend going into Laganas in a taxi, which is 7euros one-way, to the Absolut Cocktail Bar as they do the BEST cocktails I have ever tasted! If you go early evening time, you are likely to miss the young party-goers. We had a great holiday and I would recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a relaxing break in the sun. I always say, a holiday is whatever you want it to be so make the most of it!

Myself, husband and 2 children ages 11,& 9 stayed in a one bedroom apartment on the top floor. Mini niggles first!- We heard some noise, as the walls were quite thin but not enough to disturb us too much though. Bunk beds ok but a little unsteady to climb to top bunk, especially in the dark! Beds quite comfy and clean. Room clean and adequate,- cleaned & bins emptied about 3/4 times in week. No unwanted visitors, except for a couple of residential mossies that hid in the false ceiling and came out for supper at night! Unfortunately my poor hubby was the only one to be eaten, me and the kids didnt get a nibble! We had breakfast included and was lovely. We had the choice of - greek yoghurt & fruit, cereals, cooked breakfast, toast, various greek cakes, tea, coffee and juices. Snack bar had a good coice and at very reasonable prices, -about 2-3 euros for a big salad or hot dogs or a large roll. Staff worked very hard and appreciated our attempts to greet them in greek! They were friendly and helpful. Kids absolutely loved the pool which was cleaned every day. Plenty of sunbeds available around pool. Evening entertainment- had 2/3 themed nights, which were quite good. Noise usually calmed down by 12 ish! Long sandy beach 5 mins flat walk from hotel. Large cafe/eatery on beach with varied food from snacks to proper meals, prices again very reasonable. Kids loved the pedalos and saw lots of Caretta's, (loggerhead turtles), whilst peddling. Nearby town of Kalamaki was 10 mins walk with many choices of restaurants and bars. Not many young peoples bars/ discos, which suited us, but these could be found a 20min walk down the beach to Laganas. Taxis outside every day or horse & cart most days. Trips good but shop around cos prices vary. Zante town had lots of shops- tourist, clothes, eateries. Buses infrequent so quicker to hail a taxi- 6 euros. to Kalamaki. Weather was fab- in late 20's. Flight back- had to stand for 2 hours outside, under a tarpauling, till flight was ready. -Not sure if this was usual, so be prepared, but all in all we would go back again in a flash! Hope you find this review helpful. Have a fab time!

The hotel Marelen was fabulous and exactly what we wanted for our young family. We loved the layout of the hotel and felt the 2 story apartments that were spread out over the property allowed us to feel that we had some privacy without feeling isolated in any way. The room was clean and comfortable plus the family who run the hotel was extremely friendly and really made a fuss of our son who was 10 months old at the time. We loved that we could go for little strolls with the buggy and take him the beach which was a stone throw away. The beach was gorgeous with fine white sand and the sea water was very warm. Kalamaki is a must for families and its not too quiet or too busy (like Lagana which is around 10 minutes away). We have been on a few holidays since and nowhere else has given is such a quality family holiday.

Visited the Marelen Hotel back in June for 2 weeks with my girlfriend. I was 23 and she was 19. The hotel itself was very clean with a good pool area and plenty of sun loungers for everyone. Infact, there were enough umbrellas to go round too for a little shade as it did get very hot at times. For the first week we didn't bother with air con but did for the 2nd. I strongly recommend it as not only will you sleep superbly but it keeps the mozzies at bay too. Very reasonable price too. Breakfast was simple but adequate but the pool snack bar was lovely. The beach is very close and altho me and the mrs prefer swimming pools, this beach is brillint. Gently shelving and clear blue waters. Its beautiful! Kalamaki itself is a brilliant little town, about 10 min walk to the main drag. There are plenty of places to eat, all lovely. Our fave was Buon Amici. If you like Italian you MUST visit. You wont be disappointed! There are a fair few bars too. Again you have to go to Plus Soda. Just fantastic! Enough said. If you want lively, laganas is about 10 euros max in a taxi. We hired a quad twice to see the island. The island is too small for a car plus you get a tan. Now you'd imagine only young people would hire a quad? Not here. There were people of all ages on them. We seen one couple who must've been at least 70 on one! Once you get out of the towns the roads are quiet and there is some breathtaking scenery! Anyway, I could go on and on all day. My girlfriend and I have already booked to go back in June this year and i definately recommend the hotel maralen in kalamaki for your next break! You wont be disapointed!

I travelled to Zakynthos alone (27yr old female), and although my first impressions were not brilliant, I soon warmed up to the way of life at The Marelen. ALL of the staff were fantastic. Dimitri, the owner, always made me feel welcome when I turned up at the bar. If he saw me by the pool, he would always try to speak to me in a mish-mash of Greek, with about five English words. Niko is a great barman, always with wonderful stories to tell, and Edmund (or 'Eddie', as he asked me to call him) would always be around somewhere, to make sure everything was clean and tidy, and to check that everyone is still smiling. He's also the guy who did the topiary in the hotel gardens. A very hard worker indeed! The pool, which I only ventured into once, was very nice, and the children there stayed splashing about all day. I agree with another review... There was no fighting for sun loungers. We were spoilt for choice! Also, the food from the snack bar was lovely. They make a mean cheese toastie! The staff there are very nice too, especially if you make a little effort to ask for what you want in Greek. The room was kept clean, with uneccesary, but crisp clean sheets on the beds every single day, and clean towels. The staff can be trusted too. I left plenty of things in my room that could easily have been taken, but not one thing was touched. Not even moved from one place to another. The beach was very nice. The loungers cost €3.40, so take a beach towel. Make sure you walk left (East), towards the cliffs. There wasn't as much nudity as I had been warned of (A few tops off here and there), which was a relief, and the little coves and bays are beautiful. Although there aren't many rocks in the water to see fish by, I noticed a lot of starfish whilst snorkelling. The water is very clear. Unfortunately, I didn't see any turtles. As for food, breakfast was as expected. Cereals, bread, scrambled eggs, toast, etc. Also tea/coffee. The milk isn't 'proper milk', so wasn't to my taste, but the marble cake made up for that! Each evening, I walked to the resort (10 mins), where there are numerous small supermarkets, tourist shops, restaurants, bars, etc. My favourite restaurant was 'Hera'. They serve Greek food, or kids' meals, such as sausages and chips. The food was superb, as are the waiters top notch and kind on the eye! The table wine compliments the food superbly, and the prices are reasonable. All in all, a great holiday, and if I hadn't already decided to try somewhere new next year, I would love to go back. As I said to Eddie, "I miss my holiday and everyone in it!" ...Maybe 2008?

Hotel Maralen was in a superb location for both Kalamaki and Laganas. The rooms were very clean and just what you need to get your head down for the night. The resort is obviously close to the airport and yes the flights come right past the hotel, but hey there aren't that many a day and with air con and good double glazing balcony doors you can hardly hear them in the early hours. The pool bar food was really nice and not expensive, the gardens and pool are really well maintained and it was very peaceful at night. The hotel staff are very friendly and really appreciated a few words of GREEK. The hotel shop not that well maintained so get your supplies further into Kalamaki. They also provide really good car rental, despite what your rep will tell you - go with the hotel its much cheaper. Oh yeah and before I forget don't book any trips out in Kalamaki with any of the private firms, go with your travel company, in the event it is cancelled like ours was, you will get a full refund, where the private company will still take you out no matter what the weather out at sea !!!!!!

Had a fantasic 2 wks at this hotel. The location is great, a 3min stroll to a beautiful beach. If you want a quiet night, it's a 10 min walk up the road to some really nice restaurants, or 5Euro in a cab. if you fancy something a little more lively lagana is a 5min cab ride, around 5-10 Euro. We went on the boat trip to the shipwreck, which is a really lovely day. Did the jeep safari which was grossly mis-sold by direct holidays. They forgot to mention that you'll be driving at extremely high speeds across the top of cliffs!!! Ok if you like that sort of thing...I didn't not. There's tenis, pool, ping pong...the usual available at the hotel, would recommend to hire a bike and ride into Zante town, hard work but really nice day. The airplanes do fly right over the hotel, but i lived right next to an airport so it didn't bother me one bit, and they stop all flights at 10pm so it's not like it will disturb your sleep. All in all 10 out of 10 and would definately return to Zante and 100% to the Marelen.

although we did not stay at the marelen we were across the road at the golden sun we spent most evenings taking in whatever was on in the marelen. absolutely wonderfull hotel very child friendly and if nick and edmundo the barmen cant get you happy then someone should tell you your dead. Michaela or Micky to eveyone has got to be the best entertainments host ever really charming and beautifull as well. we met a fantastic crowd and keep in touch with most even the ones from (bradford) haha. take a ride in a horse drawn taxi just outside the hotel food out there is great avoid the mararajah had a lebaneese curry there woke up with the sheeites.be warned. plenty to do and see not at all exspensive food was great definately going back next year. see you all there in may Taff.

My husband and I stayed here in October last year. it's a really nice hotel. HOTEL and ROOM: We were in an SC apartment. The room was lovely, very clean, lovely view and balcony, nice furniture. The sheets were nice. The self catering equipment is useless though it's just an electric ring and a kettle and a few pots. waste of time for cooking. However, the hotel food and restaurants close by are excellent so it's pointless cooking, who wants to cook on holiday anyway? It's nice to have a fridge though, gives you the opportunity to have cold drinks, and milk for coffee in a morning. The bathrooms in the rooms tend to ooze water out but this is normal and it has a drain to drain away, but can be annoying once you are dry. they are a little badly designed, but no one stays in there for long, so it's not really a problem. The hotel lobby has safey deposit boxes which are chargable, many other things are too, like air conditioning, fans on a daily rate. There's a little shop at the hotel which sells water and various bits that you tend to forget, it's reasonably priced. The hotel feels safe and friendly. The walls however are very thin, you can hear everything going on next door, so bare this in mind. POOL: The pool is lovely, quite big, but it wasn't heated, we found it freezing. There is a shallow end for the kids. it's quite deep in parts and there are easy to use steps to get in it if you have any difficulty with mobility. There are lots of sun loungers so no problems fighting to get one of those. The actual pool area is lovely, trees, etc.. and there's a great snack bar next to the pool, selling the type of food you'd expect from snacks, chips, ice cream. BAR. We didn't use the hotel bar much, so not sure what it was like at night. We did hear karaoke going on, the bar staff seemed nice. It's a couples and family orientated hotel. it's very close to the beach, only five minutes away. BEACH: The beach at Kalamaki is beautiful, long miles of sand and crystal clear water. However choose very carefully what month you go away, we went in October without checking the stormy season, we were right on it, the first four days were storms and rain, it was so choppy it made the sea the same, so we never got snorkel or swim in it, gutted about that, but it was our fault for not researching the weather enough. Also Kalamaki beach is where you'll find the turtles, but because of the storm we didn't see any. I would definitley recommend the hotel, as i'm sure in very hot weather the pool wouldn't feel so cold. The kids didn't seem to mind. IMPORTANT: AN important bit of advice, we knew before hand that it was very close to the airport and planes fly by so close you can almost wave to the pilot!! This was fine for us, we kind of liked plane spotting, but for some i think it would be a shock. the planes stop flying over after 10pm, but they do start early in the morning so you can wake with a start. also, something else very important, the marble steps everywhere are deadly, so dangerous when they are wet and even dry, no matter how hard i tried to be careful, even in rubber shoes, i kept slipping as did many others, be careful. KALAMAKI RESORT: It takes about ten minutes to walk to from the hotel. The resort is quite small, lovely for couples and families, not a rowdy teenagers place. some lovely romantic restaurants, one in particular is excellent, THE MERMAID was fantastic for food and atmosphere. also next door is a bar that does fantastic cocktails pretty cheap. You can find out about trips in the resort too, we went on three.. TRIPS: We did the 'OFF ROAD JEEP SAFARI...this is a must! It's fantastic fun, hilarious and the guides are great, it's a great way to see the island and have fun at the same time...however if you have any back trouble or pains, be careful as you do get thrown about the vehicle over the bumps. Also we the full day coach trip to the neighbouring island KEFALONIA, it's a very early start and a long day, not sure really if to recommend this, it's exhausting but lovely. however there are a few problems with this trip, first each time you get off to look at a destination or scene, they rush you, we saw the beautiful Messlani lake, a lagoon beneath a cave, and the drogariti caves which are stunning, but they rush you too much, you are no sooner off the coach and they are rushing you back on, it's like a scene from a carry on film speeded up...even when i went to the toilet, the coach driver was pipping his horn for me to hurry up!! not good. plus when you finally get to eat you are even rushed at that, and the final destination is shopping but the shops were closed! felt cheated and knackered on this trip. by far the best is the trip to SHIPWRECK BEACH, this is so stunning and beautiful it's breathtaking. on the jeep safari you get to see it from up above, whereas a ship takes you to it, the water is amazing, it's so beautiful it's enchanting, however just two points, the beach is actually not sand, but pure white pebbles, very hard to walk on and painful, you'll need shoes, but even so the tiny pebbles get in your shoes. also the water tastes disgusting if you swallow it, you'll need water with you. the trip is great i'd totally recommend it. Finally.... the staff at the hotel are ok, not unfriendly but a bit too laid back, takes them ages to do anything for you, but you may find that the Greeks are like that everywhere, they like to take things slow and do not rush for anything, it's their lifestyle, they are very sweet and friendly though in most places. Really check the season you decide to go in, have plenty of extra money for the extra's charged at the hotel and I dont think you'll be disappointed. If we'd have picked a better month to go we might have experienced the good weather. If you don't mind the planes, it's a lovely clean pretty hotel. I hope you enjoy it.