Athos Palace Hotel

just returned from 2 week holiday at athos palace,hotel very clean,all inclusive package did not live up to other holidays ive been on.Felt like i had been conned.Had to pay for various things including bottled water.The hotel was geared up for the Germans and the few English that were there felt very left out.The beach was very pleasant and the surrounding gardens were kept spotless.All in all a nice hotel but dont go all inclusive.you even have to pay for your drinks at the beach bar !!

Good sea front location spoilt by the poor facilities and poor quality food. All-inclusive did not live up to what we expected by a long way. The AI food was limited to the buffet restaurant with a small daily menu, poorly presented in a cramped restaurant. The one specialist restaurant on-site served warn and unappetising food and getting food at the pool bar was almost impossible unless you were willing to pay for it. Getting a drink from the two bars was a challenge in itself as most of the waiters were lazy and made out the did not understand what you wanted. Entertainment was non-existent and when it did take place at was at the stage on the beach where you had to pay for drinks. On the bright side, we found a great restaurant in the local village (Bel Pasa) that offered a warm welcome and excellent value food. Overall, its fair to say that the hotel failed to understand the meaning of “all-inclusive” and the extras we were forced to pay made this holiday very poor value.

We travelled with Thomas cook to the hotel. First impressions were good, the hotel looked very nice and our room was also nice & very clean. Our disappointment started when we went to the evening entertainment which was shared with the Pallini hotel. We were told that we could not get a drink until 21.30. The childrens entertainment started at 20.30 so everybody had to sit without a drink for an hour and when we could get a drink it was limited drinks ie. beer wine or brandy! We were asked if we would like to go to a greek night & bbq, we thought that it would be a change from the restaurant but didn't realise that we would have to pay for the food! Also the beach party you had to pay for your own drinks. The swimming pool was very nice, but the beach was quite dirty ( cigarette butts, cans etc). Our main problem with the hotel was the lack of food/drink for all-inclusive customers. We were treated as though we were not "paying customers" which became very annoying by the middle of the holiday. All the food should have been available for all-inclusive. There was a terrible choice in the restaurant for children so our children lived on chips & rolls for 2 weeks. We felt that the hotel catered for german/russian clients. Be prepared for a nightmare with the lifts. I don't think that anyone other than the british know what a queue is! We met some very nice people at the resort but alot were very rude. I would not recommend going to this hotel. We definately paid over the top for this so called all-inclusive holiday.

Just returned from a two week holiday at Athos Palace Hotel. The worst all inclusive holiday (with Thomsons) we have been on and over the last ten years with four chilren we have been on many. On arrival the outside of the hotel looked impressive, but it was late at night! The room we were allocated was smelling of stale tobacco. Next morning we found out that there is no representative from Thomsons at the hotel, for any problems we were to telephone a Hotine, which we did. We were connected to Corfu hence a cost for the call. When I spoke to the lady on the Hotline, and expressed my disgust at the smell of the room, I was asked where the Hotel Athos Palace was, she said she hadn't heard of it. We were told that a rep would meet us at the Hotel the next day. In the meantime I spoke to the reception staff regarding this problem. We were told that we could move rooms the next day when one became available. I also asked if there were any superior rooms and asked could we upgrade (at a cost to us) and was told that all rooms wre the same. Since looking at this site I have now seen that there are superior rooms. When we booked this holiday we read from the description in the brochure that some of the hotel entertainment was held at the sister hotel, Pallini Beach Hotel. It was just a short walk to the Pallini Beach Hotel, but to our horror, when we walked to the entertainment we were then told that we would have to pay for our drinks at an extra cost. We thought this was all included as this was stated in the brochure. Also during the two weeks we were invited to several themed nights, including a Greek Night and a Barbeque at the hotel and were then asked to pay for this per person, and on top of this would have to pay for our drinks as it was at the Pallini. When we looked around the hotel further we found that there was an Adults Bar called the Troipicana Bar which was open from 11pm to 2am at our Hotel, again if we wished to go to this club, we would be charged for this. When we spoke to our rep he was amazed to find of all the extra charges we were to incur and spoke to the manager. We were promised a reply and we got it. Yes we could use the Pallini Beach Hotel facities including bars where entertainment was held and they would kindly give us 25% discount. Big deal. I pity any family who went thinking they wouldnt need money due to paying up front for all inclusive. We were very lucky to be in a position to be able afford to pay for the extras althought I must say that we didnt pay much for extra entertainment as it wasn't worth the money. The restaurant staff were very friendly as were the staff at the poolside (except for two persons), but we felt very strongly that we were treated as second class citizens compared to the people on half board or b&b who were paying as they went. We were told on one occassion that we couldn't sit at a particular table at the poolside bar as it was for a "Paying Customer" who was walking behind us. When we consulted the manager regarding this due to the fact that I was so upset by this, he couldn't apolosgise enough. That was it. The restaurant was like Paddington Station, you had to dodge the very rude Russian and Greek customers as they had no manners what so ever and had no problem in pushing in when and where they wanted and letting their children run a mock in the restaurant. It was like a cattle market but for the few families that could keep their children under control and who had table manners. The food left a lot to be desired and in fact we ended up with usept tummies for three days during the first week hence we then decided to finish our holiday eating our the second week. On arrival we were told not to drink the tap water. When we asked for water to drink we were told that we would have to pay for this. The only water you could have from the bar or dining room was soda water!! Eating out, that was good when you could get to the outside bars and restaurnats. Getting taxi was like finding gold. The walk to the centre of Kalithea which according to the rep was a ten minute walk in fact it took us at least twenty five minutes in the sweltering heat. On route the area was very dirty and full of litter. Alothough we did find some very nice restaurants serving good food, thankfully. The hotel swimming pool was fabulous and the beach was very nice. The pool area was absolutely spotless and the best part of the hotel. The beach was littered with cigarette ends and put us off sitting there. The hotel in general was kept very clean and the cleaning ladies were immaculate in their work. Thanks. We had lots of clean room towels and they smelled very clean and fresh. The pool towels were available at a cost of 3 euros per towel per day. We would have thought that after paying for a four star hotel and at a price, that at least we would have been provided with pool towels, we always have in the past. The hotel needs a complete makeover before it calls itself four star. The ladies toilet in the general reception area was like something out of Cell Block H. The taps had been soldered with copper piping between the hot and cold junction and just left and the holes in the doors were stuffed with paper. As our room was on the fifth floor and to get a lift was a long wait, using the public toilets became a necessity but we were not confortable doing so at all. This was the most disappointing holiday we have ever had. Thankfully we met some lovely people and between us we made the best of a bad two weeks. We will truly never return. A waste of £3,000 for myself, my husband and twelve year old daughter.

This hotel is very big and has a lovely big pool and gorgeous beach to the front. The food in the hotel is not great, so I would advise opting for B&B. The reception staff are not particularly helpful. We booked a superior room, which was really gorgeous with a lovely view. There are lots of night clubs about five minutes down the road, but if nightclubs are not your scene they are no bother and you dont hear any noise from them. The main town is about a 25 minute walk or 5 minutes in a taxi and its nice and lively with lots of places to eat. Definately recommend this hotel and the beach is lovely. Watch out for the chap who charges for the sunbeds/parasols though, he is a grumpy git! Enjoy

Just returned from 10 days at this hotel. Sea-view room very nice & clean. Food excellent, plenty of choice. The pool & surrounding area was kept very clean. Walk through grounds to beach. Reception staff very helpful. Few shops by hotel but bus/taxi or 20 min walk to Kalithea. (Word of warning- had one rainy/cloudy a.m & everyone took to cars/buses and traffic gridlocked along the coast road! Also if you arrive on Sat/Sun, Thessaloniki locals are off from town to beaches so transfer FROM airport will take ages!!)) Only complaint was that the room air-con struggled & room very warm.

In the summer of 2004 we spent 10 days at Athos Palace. we went AI because we have 2 small children. We have been in many places all over Europe, and I can say that, for a family, Athos Palace is the best option. Great food, an even greater variety than in Spain, where it was lots of food around? Nice spacious rooms, very very clean. Good mais service, although we had to ask them to clean our room earlier, because kids took their nap at 14.00, and very often room wasn`t ready at that time. Good weather, great beach, and the sleanest and warmest water I have ever seen. Kids loved every single day of the holiday and cried when we left. We had to promise we will return next year, wich we most certainly will!

Arrived at Athos Palace on 28/07/04 in the early afternoon, our first impressions of this complex was outstanding, and the conseirge facility was excellent which meant after a tiresome morning flight we didn't have to carry our luggage up to our 5th floor apartment. we decided to go All Inclusive because we took our 3 children along with us and thought that this would save us money and meant we didn't have to take as much money on holiday. We had no problems on our fist week, however on the 2nd week we had cause for complaints. After trying to find a table in the busy restaurant we decided that we would spend longer on the beach and go for dinner at 8.30pm (open till 9pm), desserts were somehopw not available at this time, nor were the serving bain marie topped up. We did not receive any drinks in the restaurant for 5 evening meals nor did we get tea or coffee on 4 occassions. What we witnessed was waiting on staff serving paying customers with cash and tips before All Inclusive guests. After trying to locate our rep (20 mins a week at Athos - Airtours) we made our complaint to a very apologetic receptionist who said that she would find out why we were being ignored in the restaurant and why we had to serve our own tea and coffee in the morning. She said that the restaurant manager would be informed and he would contact us by memo in our room, failing that she said she would go to the manager himself and voice our complaint to him.......and we waited.....and waited and still awaiting a reply why we got the impression that our business was not good enough for them. Weather fantastic, boat trip to Pefachra brilliant, watch out for the old man on the beach selling day trips, he's a bugger for getting you on the trips. Beach was out of this world!!!!!!!! What could've been a fantastic holiday was spoiled by the lack of interest by staff in the restaurant, lifts are also hard to get hold of between 7 and 8pm and the pool was closed for 2 days with little explanation nor the urgency to clean it. Maid service best I've come across.

i went to the athos palace hotel in august 2000 when i was 14 & had one of the best family holidays ive ever had, it is right on the beach, there is plenty of entertainment day and night for adults and children, the food is excellent, the staff are very friendly and welcoming and the quality of the accommodation is good and very clean, there is maid service everyday to your rooms, and the pool and pool area are excellent, i woudnt advise this kind of holiday though to anyone but families as kalithea which is close by isn't very lively, the hotels entertainment suits younger children and adults its a very family place we didnt really need to leave the hotel all holiday there was that much going on.

me and my family went to athos on the 4th of sept 03 for two weeks we all found that the hotel was very clean, the staff and food was excellant,maid service was excellant as rooms was cleaned every day! the hotel beach was clean and kept tidy with plenty to offer ie power gliding and jet skis etc-brilliant.we would all love to come back in the not so distant future. Darren knowles-athos room number 210 lee boulton-athos room number-210 DA little>v.princess A little>v.princess DL little>v. princess C evans>v. princess