More Traveller Reviews of Olive Garden Hotel
Like family
from Jay33
I have been to this hotel 3 times the last being in 2003 - we are just in the process now of booking another for this year. I believe that with any holiday it is what you make it. If you expect a 2* hotel to be quiet, opulent and 5* quality then you will be disappointed - however if you expect to have a basic accomadation that covers your needs whilst you are in the room, (which lets be honest will only be used for getting chanaged and sleeping) friendly helpful people, then you will be in the right place. As with all hotels there will be noise, it is expected people are on holiday, they are there to relax and have fun that is not the fault of the hotel. Ilove this place, the pool is wonderful, the owners Diane and Peter are so friendly and would do anything for anyone, the food is very good and Diana will prepare off the menu if you require something different. They are very accomadating and work extremely hard for very long periods and take a lot of pride in their accomplishments. I had my 30th birthday here and they provided a cake and sang to me which was unexpected and very lovely. When reading these reviews look at the number of good ones in comparision to the bad ones and see how they don't compete at all. I must admit that the breakfast is not my thing at the best of times and Greek butter takes a bit of getting used to. My husband is a great tea drinker and finds the tea very odd so always takes his own but that is a Greek thing and not the hotel. The hotel is remote but that make is personal and quiet - there is a beach a 5 min walk up the road. However if you don't like Germans then this beach is generally covered in them but we never had any problems. The sea is clear and beautiful to swin in. The village is a very short walk away and if you hire a car from George in the village, for a very reasonable price, you can see the wonderful island of Rhodes at your leisure. Lindos is always good for a visit but always very busy and very hot, fanstastic views though. Bottom of the island is a beach where the two seas met and although incrediably windy standing with a foot in two oceans is a wonderful experience. Especially as one is colder than the other! And if you can face it going to the highest monastry is worth it but a bit of a scary drive on some very narrow roads high up the side of a mountain. Must visit the local restuarants in Lardos, the food is to die for and although pricy the cocktails in Memories are very good. Overall the the only reason I have given this hotel a 4 is the bathrooms are a basic and the hotel is in need of a refit in some areas - but that in no way stops the enjoyment of this place and its people. Highly recommended if you want to have a nice time and meet some great people. Oh and the mini golf course is a hoot late at night when people have had a bit to drink!
Great time at Olive garden
from A TripAdvisor Member
We had a lovely relaxing holiday at Olive garden. Diane and peter are the nicest hosts you could wish for. Diane is the life and soul of the hotel and makes sure everyone has a great time. Many of the people we met had been to the hotel several times before and we could quite understand why! The pool is so good it was hard to go anywhere else. Two excellent restaurants we tried were Casa Flavia in Pefki and the one above the bakery in Pefkos. Also make sure you try Diane's mother's stuffed vegetables, fantastic! Also good to note we heard no slamming doors!
Olive Gardens when can I go back???
from holidaygirl007
We have just returned from our very first holiday in Greece. I wasn't sure what to expect especially arriving at Lardos at 5:15 a.m. After a couple of hours sleep we had a look around the small resort and first thought was"what the heck have we done". But two days later we were totally captivated so much that I penned this poem :- I am very happy I'm here on holiday At the hotel Olive Gardens South down Lardos way.. The setting is so tranquil The grounds extremely lush And after a hard days sightseeing Back to Olive Gardens you will rush.. The food is always yummy And Dianes specials are sublime Even Terry's cocktails Can be drunk at anytime.. Peter is so friendly A gentleman so true If you have a problem Then he'll know what to do.. The friendly Olive Garden staff Work hard to earn their keep From cooking,cleaning and Mama weeding To herding wandering sheep.. But now I'm full of sorrow For soon I will be gone Back to my home in chilly Wales That blessed land of song.. But on this final note I have one thing to say At the Olive Gardens Lardos Is my next years holiday...
what a shame !
from A TripAdvisor Member
We booked at the Olive Garden and had great expectations of the place after reading reviews and seeing pictures on the internet. How disappointed we were when we arrived !!! The room was very dirty and obviously had not been cleaned properly in a while. The bathroom was dirty, tatty and smelled of 'waste' all the time. Having a shower was quite unpleasant. After one night in the hotel we asked to have a quiet word with the owner to see if we could be moved to another room or at least have the room cleaned properly. Well...........he went quite mad !!!!! He even dragged the poor cleaners into the room with us and made us show them the dirt. We couldn't believe what we were hearing !!! A simple apology and a promise to clean the room would have sufficed. Needles to say we did not stay one more day in the Olive Garden and would never set foot there again. We have been visiting Rhodes for over 15 years and have never met anyone quite so rude and inhospitable as this man. London, England
Management response from olivegardenhotel
09 Apr 2007
This is an extremely over exaggerated review. I have been working for this hotel for many many years & I know Peter the owner very well. Not even on his worst day would he ever react this way, one to his employees and two in front of guests. This man is the nicest and most considerate host I have ever come across and if you read the other reviews you will see why people come to this hotel year after year. The hotel has close to a 50 percent customer return ratio, which is one of the highest not only in Rhodes but anywhere. There isn't enough that the hosts Peter & Diane wouldn't do for their guests.
Returning once again
from sparky239
We have been to Rhodes for the last five years, We stayed for the first time for two weeks this gave us the chance to see all the sights that Rhodes has to offer, We now for the last four years have had a week at the end of September this is what I call our instant chill holiday as soon as we arrive at the Olive Garden Hotel Dianne, Peter and Nick make us feel we are part of the family and we spend time catching up on all the gossip, Lardos village has many bars and restaurants to choose from and the majority of the people who work in the village can speak very good English (due to their ties with Canada). We look forward to visiting once again this year !!!!
First Time Olive Garden
from A TripAdvisor Member
Last min booking and I went due to the earlier reviews, last in Lardos some 6 years ago at the Belle Mer, really has changed in that time with all the new all inclusive hotels. Must say that the hotel is very basic and that is not really a problem. The Hotel is about 20 mins walk from Lardos Village where at night is the place to be if you want to relax, have a good meal and a drink. Dodgy walk on the main road but if you are having a serious drink get a taxi back. The Olive Garden is all on its own so during the day you will pay 5 star prices for food and drink even though you are at a 2 star hotel. Place is kept clean but could have benifitted from more than one towel change during the whole week. Breakfast is included but consists only of jam (Strawberry) rolls and toast with tea and some mornings fruit juice?, a must is to take your own tea bags and "decent" jam. Most people had paid around £450 for two weeks or £420 for one week with Thompson so no one could really complain regard value for money. The Olive garden is booked by Thompson for 6 months for all rooms and the owner only recieves approx 4 euros per room per day, (room should be 45 euros high season) work it out yourself what Thompson are making. Would I go back, possibly not to the same hotel as it is some 20+ years old and could do with a little upgrade work. Most hotels just outside Lardos are now all inclusive and full of our european friends, but at least being all inclusive it keeps them in the Hotel.
A little piece of Heaven
from barbaracook100
We arrived 13 July 2005. We had read the previous reviews before leaving home but went with an open mind. The writer who experienced excessive noise must have been very unlucky, we did not hear any noise whatsoever whilst there! I must say it is not the hotel's fault if the holidaymakers you are booked in with are a noisy bunch ! Peter and Diane made us feel very welcome and part of their family. We have never been so comfortable so quickly with people that we have never met before. Nothing was too much trouble and Diane catered for a veggie with no problems. The breakfast was continental as advertised, which we enjoyed but Diane would cook full English for a couple of Euros extra. The planting that Diane has done in the last 6 years since taking over the hotel is a horticulturalist's delight. Seeing the aerial 'before' photos shows just how much has been achieved. On thing we would recommend if going in the warmer months is air-conditioning in your bedroom. This can be requested in advance from Peter by phoning or using the hotmail e-mail address. The rooms are clean and simply furnished. The shower tray was a little shallow which meant water on the floor afterwards but a mop and bucket kept under the staircase on the ground floor was available for guests use to prevent slipping. We went outside the hotel for evening meals mostly but did enjoy BBQ and Quiz night. The buffet Diane prepared was sumptious and for 10 Euros each was very good value. It was a good chance to meet your fellow guests and attempt to win Diane's devilishly designed quiz! The Lardos Lamb served at Valantina's taverna in Lardos village is to die for and the Roof Top Garden restaurant is a very pleasant place to eat and plan yet another lazy day. We have been home just a week now and fond memories of our visit to Olive Garden will be with us for a long time to come. Barbara and Keith Cook - Essex
Olive Garden rocks!
from A TripAdvisor Member
Unlike the previous reviewer who stayed at the same time as me, myself and my family LOVED this hotel. Some people are notoriously hard to please and expect the impossible. Yes the rooms are plain and ordinary but the rusticity is part of the charm. This hotel is classed as two star and believe me, this is on the basis of the accommodation alone. The lack of fanciness of accommodation is MORE than made up for by the friendliness of the owners Diane and Pete. The hotel is clean and well managed, the staff extremely pleasant and yes, the sounds of doors slamming and voices DO carry in hotels where the floors are tiled (what on earth do people expect - total silence??) However, this did not present a problem for the huge number of guests who return year after year. This was our first trip and within hours we were made to feel part of the family by not only Pete and Diane, but other guests who are regulars at the hotel. This is NOT a hotel for typical English miseries who expect total silence, five star rooms and other guests who don't talk to each other. This is a hotel for people who love life and people and who are prepared to accept the fact that people who have been released from the daily grind are often in exuberant mood, especially after being plied with Pete's Ouzo! Everyone we spoke to was enjoying themselves thoroughly. Diane even went to the trouble of catering for myself and my daughter, who are both vegetarian, by coming up with some interesting Greek veggie dishes and she even put on a party for my son's seventh birthday. Nothing was too much trouble and we loved every moment of our holiday. We only noticed slamming doors ONCE and were so sun-and-ouzo-tired that we managed to get straight back to sleep! I highly recommend this hotel to anybody of any age (we all got on so well together, English, Scots, Welsh; all age groups, all social backgrounds.) However, as I said, if you expect total silence, no communication with other guests and rooms with champagne on ice, four poster beds and fluffy rugs, don't bother coming!
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS !!!!!!
from A TripAdvisor Member
Just returned from a week at the Olive Garden. Found the hosts Peter and Diane to be so friendly. This was our first visit to Rhodes, and we found the area and people to be fantastic. The 20min. walk from the hotel to 'Valentinas' Taverna in the Square, at Lardos village is well, well worth it. - Try the 'Lardos Lamb' The Olive Garden itself has to be THE NOISIEST HOTEL we've ever been to!!!!! The constant slamming of doors, and inconsiderate, shouting guests, are guaranteed to keep you awake until 2 or 3am atleast - and if you're lucky - like on a couple of occaisions - 4am!!! Some times after only a couple of hours sleep - it was a real effort to make breakfast - and most days it wasn't worth the effort for what was offered!! Rooms were sparce - bathroom was dirty, with loose and rusty fitments. Patio doors helped with the sleepless nights, by constantly rattling in the wind.!! - WILL NOT BE BACK.
Olivegardens are the best!
from A TripAdvisor Member
On our first visit in 2001 the Olive Garden Hotel was just starting up. It was our first visit to Greece and I was a bit scared about who I might see. It was outstanding! We met so many fabulous people! It was the very best holiday ever! Don't expect a huge resort, but do expect a great welcome by a lovely local res0rt! Lindos is just around the corner! Since 2001 we have been back again and again and plan to go back in 2005. If you go to Lardos please visit the Rooftop Restaurant and also the very hidden Internet Cafe called Bar Tropikal! It is the most exotic garden with the very best cocktails. We met the most lovely local people and of an evening had the greatest music nights! But the Olive Garden Hotel was the best of all.
1 reader found this review helpful
We arrived in the afternoon of june 2nd,peter was most welcoming and a mix up with our room(by the tour operator)was sorted in minutes.Entering,the room,it was clean and tidy with free facilities of a fridge and tv and also has mozzie nets throughout(a godsend,didnt see any... more