Tropical Studios Apartment

This was my first holiday alone with my 14yr old son Jordan so I was very nervous about booking. I needn’t have been, I would recommend the Tropical to anyone, and I felt so relaxed. Met some wonderful people and have exchanged numbers and email ads
We were made to feel like one of the family and will certainly be going back very soon. There were loads to do and all within walking distance.
The atmosphere was friendly, fun and relaxing.
Vicky and Sakis are Mr and Mrs Customer care and cupids in disguise!! They are amazing!
The bar manager Anastasia is excellent at his job and makes sure every one joins in on Karaoke and Greek night. We will be keeping in touch and are missing you guys already.

1 reader found this review helpful

My wife and I were busily searching for a holiday when I found The Hotel Tropical on the web. After reading the reviews and watching the video I had no hesitation booking a family holiday to this location. I wasn't put off by two rather negative reviews. In fact I cannot believe, after spending a fortnight at The Tropical that these people were expecting Michelin 5 Star service.
However we were on our way to Halkidiki with our two teenage daughters (14 & 16). The transfer from the airport was very pleasant on a fully air conditioned coach and only took 1 hour 30 minutes along a coastal road. We were met by Vicki (Sakis Sister) and was politely asked for our passports.
I had previously requested two pool side studios with First Choice and preferably side by side to accommodate our children. I was therefore very pleased to find that the Hotel had gone to lengths to make this happen.
We were located in rooms 304 and 305. On first inspection of the rooms we agreed that they were very clean and more than adequate for our needs. The cooking facilities are limited and a microwave might have been a nice addition.
Our rooms did not immediately overlook the pool but were very easily accessible. The rooms are cleaned most days and fresh towels and bed sheets replaced on most days.
At night there was very little evidence of noise especially if you close the patio doors. We had a choice of air conditioning for an extra 25 euros a week but did not need it. We did not need a safe and often our valuables were left lying around when the maids were in our room.
Our immediate impression on our arrival was the pool size looked inadequate. However this was not to be the case. There is a small enclosed shallow area for toddlers and a deep pool for better swimmers. The pool was a source of great hilarity and it was easy to mix with others around the pool, hence we met up with lots of people.
The staff and management are all hard working and very friendly. They make you feel at home and are always willing to greet you with a cheery smile.
Sakis and his fiancé Vicki are the bosses and Sakis also has a restaurant in the square called the Tropical, well worth a visit, Sakis will give you a discount. Sakis has a dry sense of humour but is a great guy when you get to know him. Vicki is front person in the evenings and she organises the quiz, unfortunately she was poorly later in the holiday but still managed to keep smiling.
Anastasio (Big Man) ran the bar in the evenings and was brilliant during Greek night, where he dressed in traditional Greek costume and was host for the evening. Couldn't believe he got everyone to dance to Greek music around the pool. Vicki, Vicki, Sakis and Anastasio all took part. My wife and daughter ended up dancing on the table surrounded by fire. Well worth taking your video.
George is general dogs body at the hotel. He works tirelessly around the pool and he does a great job at keeping the poolside clean and the pool is always crystal clear next morning. George does his dance with knives during Greek night which is hilarious. Greek night to be definitely recommended, for 15 euros it is a great night and the barbeque is superb. Kamelia is another person that needs a mention. She works tirelessly at the poolside bar where she welcomes you with a cheery smile, whatever time of day you attend for a drink or a meal. She speaks good English as do all the staff and she proved very helpful throughout our stay, plus she helped to nurse the ailing Vicki.
We had many a memorable time during our stay, I would thoroughly recommend the Hotel Tropical for a very friendly, family orientated run establishment. It is highly likely we will travel back there next year.
Thanks for a great holiday!!!!!

We had a fantastic time in Hanioti and the bonus was how lovely the hotel was and its great location.
All the staff are great Saki, Vicky, Vicky, George and the best bar man in Halkidiki Anastasios! The Greek night that the hotel run is a must, a very enjoyable night!
The pool is lovely, very deep so don’t get a shock when you jump in and you don’t touch the bottom. There is also a lovely shallow pool to lie in. We never had problems finding a sun lounger.
Our room was clean and tidy and there was plenty of space, the only down side was that it faced the main road which is noisy but you do get used to it.
Hanioti itself is lovely lots of little shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants. We never had a bad meal any where we ate. Cocktails differ in price from 3 Euros to 8 Euros just be prepared to wonder round and find the best places.
The beach is lovely but does get very busy.
The only thing to mention is it is quite a long transfer, and sadly our bus was not air conditioned, so do make sure you take water and stuff on the coach, as it took us 2 hours to get there.

We stayed at these apartments on the basis of some reviews we had read elsewhere and the price.
I think it's important people should realise Hanioti is not a traditional Greek village with tavernas and Kafeneons and interesting things to see.
It is a purpose built resort centre with low rise hotels and apartment blocks, a pleasant if somewhat crowded beach, watersports and very little else.
All of the restaurants are of the 'international' kind with a few exceptions. There is no harbour here to sit around, no old men with their worry beads, no old ladies dressed in black, in fact very little Greek atmosphere at all.
Many of the workers are Russian, Romanian, and Lithuanian and many of the bars are English style with karaoke, quizzes, and big TV.
Having said that, if sun and relative quiet with familiar food is your thing, you may well have a good time. The town itself is all built on the level, so no problem for folks with walking difficulties, and is relatively small, so you can't get lost.
The shops seem to be of a slightly better quality than the usual tourist junk, and not too many of them. There is a cosmopolitan atmosphere as the town attracts tourists from many eastern bloc countries, Scandinavia, as well as England, Germany and Greece.
Overall, this is ideally suited for families and couples and not party animals, as there are virtually no clubs here at the time of writing.
The main centre of activity is based around the square with its selection of restaurants and bars, all of them pretty much of a muchness, and none of them have the 'wow' element.
Also, since the great fire when 70 thousand acres of trees were destroyed, the surrounding backdrop has lost much of its natural beauty.
The Tropical Hotel is in fact a block of 42 self catering apartments set just outside the main area. Very convenient for the beach and town centre, but adjacent to the very busy main road, so if your room is on this side, you WILL experience traffic noise.
We were lucky and had a ground floor room poolside which meant we could nip over the wall of the balcony as a short cut.
Our room was totally adequate for our needs, comfortably furnished, clean, nice shower cubicle (in Greece?), and serviced every day but not enough utensils if you intend to cook. We didn't.
There is a TV, electric kettle and toaster. The two single beds pushed together we found very spacious and comfortable. If we were to return we would request this room.
The hotel is run by a family. Initially the welcome is warm and friendly and the crazy barman Anastasio welcomes everyone with gusto.
The problem we found was you tend to be pestered into supporting their karaoke nights, BBQ, quiz nights etc. Almost every day we were asked where we were going, what are you doing tonight, and where are you eating.
The owners parents have the Tropicana restaurant in the square, and you are expected to eat there. We did, twice, and it was ok but nothing brilliant. We felt under constant pressure to spend our time and money in the hotel bar, which must be among the dearest in town.
If you want your own way, the mood changed towards you, and the smiles became a bit fixed. All the management are quite young and they have yet to master the art of sincerity.
The owner and barman are prone to having late night drinking sessions with the 'high rollers' until the very early hours.
Everything seems to be top dollar here, from the bar, the pool bar snacks and ice lollies at 2 Euros. Even the exchange rate is the poorest in town.
We enjoyed the Greek BBQ night, at 15 Euros a ticket plus drinks it was not cheap, but enjoyable. Wine is 15euros a bottle. Rooms have to be vacated by 12 noon, standard practice, and it is 'just not possible' to keep your room any longer if you have a later flight. However 25 Euros seemed to fix the problem so we could keep our room for an extra 4 hours. Air conditioning is 35 Euros per week.
The swimming pool is very deep, starting at around 6 foot and going up to around 10 foot, so many weak/non swimmers chose to use the kiddie’s pool. Also the pool lights were seldom turned on at night creating a safety issue.
Would we stay here again? Yes we would, now we know what to expect as overall we enjoyed ourselves, and we met some really nice people. We would want the same room because we would use our patio doors as our route in and out, thus avoiding the reception and bar areas and all the questions and hassle.
This is a pool or beach holiday, and from that point of view, we could have been anywhere, not necessarily Greece. The Thomson reps were virtually non-existent.
They give you an emergency card with a phone number to ring if you have any problems. They are also not in attendance when you are collected for your return trip home. You therefore have to be alert and ready for the coach or you will be left behind.
One couple were, and they had to have a taxi at their own expense. Read the SMALL PRINT in your terms and conditions!
RECOMMENDATIONS: - Erodios restaurant. Lovely food, friendly service, comparative value for money.
The Hot Goblin Spud Bar. The best English breakfast in town. They will do almost anything you want for breakfast including black pudding. Good value for money and a great cup of tea.
The Natura natural product shop. Nice gifts and the best for exchanging money. 3 Euros per £100 more than the hotel.
Kostas fast food. Good souvlaki, gyros etc., and the cheapest beer anywhere in town.
The Horseshoe pub. Really friendly owner Nick and Taffy the mad Welshman. All drinks, cocktails and snacks very reasonable prices. Friendly customers because Nick wouldn't have it any other way. If you ask him, he will take you out for 2 or 3 hours in his car to some other villages. Nick is Greek and knows the area.
This was our first trip to the mainland and it is completely different to the islands, which we prefer. All of the sightseeing trips are quite expensive because of the distances you have to travel, and involve quite long days.
Car hire can also be expensive for the same reason. If you want to see anything you have to hire a car, and be prepared to drive a lot of kilometres.
Maybe one day we will return, but not yet.

The Tropical is very well located for both the beach and the main square the area around which most of the bars, tavernas, and shops are located.
The studios are both clean and spacious and were in our case excellent value for money, the manager Sakis and his staff do their utmost to keep the guests entertained and happy.
The pool although not large was more than adequate and is surrounded by around 40/50 sunbeds which again was more than adequate.
During the 2 weeks we were there the staff organised a quiz, live music, karaoke and a Greek night to keep the guests entertained and a good job they did too.
They have both a pool bar and an interior reception/bar which was usually open until 3AM.
I’d certainly return again and who knows maybe one day I will, hope this helps.

A last minute thing and was thoroughly enjoyable. The position of the Tropical is brilliant-few minutes to a lovely beach and a few minutes to a nice little lively square.
There are some superb restaurants-cheap or quality food depends on your budget. All the staff of the Tropical are brilliant and pleasant.
Our room was facing the main road which was noisy but for a last minute jaunt did not bother us. It has a late bar with an excellent barman-can't remember his name.
If the Tropical is on your list for consideration then put it high up as you will enjoy it.

We holidayed at The Tropical Hotel Hanioti May 21st till 4th June, room 104.
The accommodation had recently been refurbished and is the best we have had on our many trips to different parts of Greece.
The staff from the management who all work extremely hard Sakis, Vicky and Vicky to the bar staff Anastasio (the mad man of Hanioti) and the charming Cordelia made our holiday special to say the least.
Thanks to George and all cleaning staff who work long hours in order to keep the place running.
We will recommend this hotel and resort to all our friends. The resort offers peace and quiet to those who want this and a great place for eating, drinking, shopping in other words something for everyone.
This is definitely the most friendliest hotel we have stayed on our travels.

This was mine and my partners first holiday away together and we found that it couldn't have been better.
The apartments were cleaned daily and the staff were very friendly (especially George + Maria ). During our stay we noticed there was a problem with the shower leaking, after notifying the staff we found within ten minutes that someone was attending to the problem.
Overall our holiday was great. The pool was always clean and so was the bar, we said at the time of our holiday that we would return and now we are due to fly out to see them again in 10 weeks.
I am confident that we will enjoy our stay just as much as last time.

Myself and my girlfriend stayed for a week at the Tropical Studios Apartments and couldn't have had a better time. From the moment we were dropped off by our tour operator we were welcomed at reception with a smile and directed to our room on the second floor.
You really do need to ignore previous whingers in regards to this accommodation - reception need to have your passport so they quite frankly need to ask for it. If you want a rolled out red carpet and a champagne greeting along the lines of "May we please have your passport before you set foot in your room. But before you hand it over please feel free to stroll round the tropical gardens, savoring the unique atmosphere provided in this 3 star luxury apartment" then forget it. This isn't the place for you.
Our personal experience was that whoever was on reception were incredibly polite, cheerful and very helpful (the extractor fan in our bathroom broke one morning - it was fixed within an hour after we reported it - hardly the actions of an uncaring staff). Our apartment was tidy, cleaned every day by the maids and spacious with a balcony looking out on to some trees.
Now, granted, there was a fairly busy road running behind the apartments some 100 yards away but is that really a basis for requesting a move to a different room? Oh come on. We happily sat on the balcony late in the evening into the early hours playing cards or reading but were undisturbed. The reason is simple: We got smashed!

People really do make a deal out of absolutely nothing these days. The apartments are in an ideal position - easy walk to the bars and tavernas, not to mention the beach. I guess the Tropical Studios will be at fault with some people if the weather doesn't live up to expectation. Easy lesson here: some people will moan if they win £1,000,000 on the lottery.....
As for the late night entertainment, well......it clearly has signs displayed that Karaoke takes place twice a week (god what a hardship). I actually had to listen to some sad case singing 'Angels' - could any holiday get worse than that wherever you are? So what happened? I rolled with the punch, a la David Brent.
If you are generally of a happy disposition and love life then you'll have a great time here. If you are conscious of the 'younger' generations who wear their jeans round their ankles and Ipods at full blast or the 35 - 45 dads who are wearing the three-quarter length trousers in a last-ditch attempt at youthfulness then go for the 5 or 6 star "look at me I can afford a better place" type of place. Otherwise you'll enjoy.
For the record we are both 31.

This was my 5th trip to Halkidiki and then my 2nd time at the Tropical. I have stayed in 2 other properties in Hanioti and to be honest this is by far the best. The rooms have been refurbished to a high standard and you certainly get more space than in normal Greek hotels.
Sakis, Maria, Vicky and Jorge have made us feel welcome from the outset. The pool bar offers light snacks and drinks from morning until about 1900hrs and there is always someone there to serve you or help. Yes the reception area can be a little noisy but there is a door that is shut to prevent the noise from circulating the entire hotel. There is plenty of entertainment at the hotel, Karaoke, quiz nights, Greek Night and BBQ are to name but a few. This hotel has everything I need for a holiday, good number of sun loungers, a pool bar, pool itself (if you cannot swim like me then the children’s pool may be the best for you as the main pool is rather deep), entertainment through the week and finally fantastic staff - could ask for anything better! Oh and also Maria makes the best cocktails.
Hanioti itself is a bustling village and the local people make you feel very welcome. Restaurants I would recommend are the Tropicana (which is ran Sakis and his family) and is in the centre of the Square also Stones, which is located about 5 minutes walk from the Tropical hotel. If you want a civilised and comfortable drink then go to the Kelfos, they do the best cocktails and have Sky Sports on TV if this takes your fancy.
The beach is about 5 minutes walk away from the Tropical and in the height of the summer I would say you really need to be there early on to make sure you get a bed, the cost is in the region of 6 euros per bed.
Would recommend this hotel to all.............great!!