Katerina Palace Hotel, Argassi, Zante

Hotel Information

User Rating:
8 / 10
(30 User Reviews)
Hotel Class: Katerina Palace Hotel Studios ReviewsKaterina Palace Hotel Studios ReviewsKaterina Palace Hotel Studios Reviews

Hotel Description:

The central location of the Katerina Palace Hotel combines views of the green mountains with being close to the sea. Argassi’s many restaurants are within easy reach, as well as the shops and bars of this bustling resort.
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Katerina Palace Hotel Reviews

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" Basic but pretty good "

Katerina Palace is a nice little complex in the centre of Argassi, a busy little resort on the north coast of Zante. There are either B&B rooms or you can stay like we did in the self catering studios. The self catering studios are basic - very small cooking facilities and a tiny little shower facility (but no shower curtain quite bizarrely, leading to very wet floors which could have been quite dangerous). We had a couple of twin beds and a small but adequate balcony. To be honest, we were only going to be using the accommodation for a roof over our heads, so we didn't need anything fancy and this met our needs pretty well. There is a good pool and pool bar which served food and drinks throughout the day and into the night. We didn't have to use the reception very often but we found the staff on the reception quite unfriendly and rude when we needed their help. Location wise, the hotel is spot on; you're very close to all the main restaurants and bars within the resort but far enough away from them to get some peace and quiet when you need it! As a resort Argassi was nice;the lack of a decent beach was a problem and we didn't fancy cramming onto the free bus to St Nicholas Beach. The local people were just wonderful and so warm, friendly and genuine, they really made the holiday special. I wouldn't go back to Argassi in the future however there is lots more we would like to see and do in Zante so would definitely recommend anyone thinking about having a holiday there to consider it.

Advice: Great resort for small families/couples although lacks a good beach

Activities: Peppermint and Papilon were both excellent restaurants, Beer Academy & Snack Academy great bars

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  • User Rating:
    7 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
  • Board Basis:Self Catering
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Katerina Palace "

We, as a party of 9, went to Argassi in late july for two weeks through to early august. We stayed in the Katerina Palace hotel which is just at the top of a busy strip of shops and bars (although wasn't particuarly noisy). Katerina Palace was an O.K. hotel, I wouldn't reccomend it for a luxury stay as it was very basic and the rooms weren't all that big. You don't get a fridge in the room even though you can only opt for bed and breakfast as there isn't a hotel restaurant. You get 10% off the restaurant down the road but the food wasnt fantastic there. The air con comes on at certain times which to be honest was just not sufficient for keeping us cool in the hotel at night. Extra air con was charged at five euros a night and you couldn't do it for just one night.
The staff were polite and helpful, no faults there, and the cleaners were also good. As clean as the rooms were, there were a few bits and pieces that just weren't up to the standard that the hotel had led us to believe. The plumbing (not sure if this is the whole of the island or just certain hotels) was awful, you had to let the water out of the bathtub very slowly to avoid flooding the floor as it came back up through the drain grate if it went too quickly. On the odd occasion the water would not run hot, and on one occassion did not run at all for about half an hour and when it came back on it was dirty and muddy. Not good if you're all trying to get ready to go out. Personally I wasnt a big fan of the dried paint down the side of the bathtub which hadn't been put on properly, it just didnt look professional and whilst everything was fairly clean, the stains on the bedsheets that wouldnt come out and hadnt been replaced with new ones all was a bit off putting. The TV in our room worked fine and it became a little routine of mine and my boyfriends to watch ER every night before going out! However, our parents TV's in separate rooms had no signal and didn't work so there were a few issues there. It is a very basic hotel, and for a lower budget holiday it wasn't bad but it depends how picky you are and how used to pristeen conditions in other hotels you are. We have been in cheaper hotels elswhere that were much nicer. If you have the option not to pay for breakfast then don't, It is very basic, the food was ok (the yoghurt and honey was nice) but you might do better to get up and pop down to the food places down the road which we did even though we had paid for breakfast. There wasnt much variation on a day to day basis and you just get bored of having the same food every day.
Having said this, our stay was pleasant on the whole. The pool is quite big and there is a smaller shallow one for children. Beware of those saving sunbeds overnight though, it happens often and when there are a lot of you it means you have to get up really early to get your sunbeds. The area was mostly quiet (with the exception of the car wash facility behind our rooms) but if you want a bit of nightlife there is quite a lot to do. The bars and clubs further down the road don't really get busy until about 1am so if you can stay out that late then go for it. There are some lovely bars that we went to regularly, Molly Malones is a bit out of the way, down at the right at the bottom of the road, but was really nice company, the bar staff were really nice and we made good friends. Rossi's is another great place to go for your breakfast and general chit chat, Vanessa was fab and kept us in the know about all the places to visit. For good food, visit the Thai restaurant 'Summer Moon', Ethnic Grill, Papillon, and the one next to 'double' with a pirate themed interior.
There is quite a lot to do sightseeing but be wary of the trips that you can go on and really look at some reviews before committing. We did the free bus to St Nikolas beach which was a bit difficult. As a party of nine, we got there early so we could get on the bus, but two of us were left off and had to wait for another one as some of the other tourists were very rude and everyone pushes to get on. The beach was ok as beaches go, the food a little expensive and was quite small but the water was clear and considering the bus was free (you have to pay for sunbeds each but that gets you the ticket back to the bus anyway) was quite a nice day. The waterpark was also enjoyable, there wasn't much in terms of rides compared to other waterparks in the canary islands and places like that, but the boys seemed to enjoy it and it wasn't that expensive.
Don't go on the boat trip around the island unless you really have to. You are led to believe that you will see lots on your way but Smugglers cove was a shipwreck from the 1980s full of graffiti, the other stop offs were basically swim stops and unless you are a strong swimmer you wont spend long in the water. They tell you that around 200 people can get on the boat and advise you not to go on the glass bottom ones as they get too cramped but our large boat had at least 400 people on board, it was very difficult to get seats and we had a herd of foreign people sleeping on the chairs taking up lots of room and jumping off the top of the boat into the water at the stops. The rest of the journey was about 2 ours full of cliffsides and a few caves, we didnt get close enough to see the turtles which was supposedly the highlight of the trip, and on one side of the island the winds are very strong and everyone spent about an hour and a half feeling very sea sick. I would suggest maybe looking into the coach trip, at least it has air con and you dont waste the whole day looking at cliffs. If you do go on the boat, take the advice of the tour advisors and take a packed lunch, the prices on the boat are ridiculously high.
One thing i would definatley recommend is going to play crazy golf! Everyone enjoyed that, and both places (molly malones and world golf) have lovely bars to sit in and play pool, watch footie and listen to some music were really good.
On the whole, we had an enjoyable stay, we were able to relax at the poolside, the food overall was very good. For me and my family, it wasnt the nicest hotel to stay in and we should ahve done some more research into trips as we missed out a few that would probably have been very good. Having said this, the evenings were great, there are lots of places to go and visit and bars and restaurants are really good where we were. I would recommend seeing if the rest of the hotels in Argassi have the same situation with fridges, air con, water systems etc. before booking but on the whole not a bad holiday.

Advice: a good location for a bit of nightlife but not like the 18-30s places!

Activities: Ethnic Grill, Molly Malones, World Golf (beer acadamy), Papillon.

Good for: Beach 

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  • User Rating:
    6 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Portland Direct

" dissapointing. "

katerina palice is NOT all its somed up to be. many people staying there wer dissapointed. it's like world war 2 to try and get breckfast in the morning, food is too basic and barely have warm or fresh food. the pool's are too small and beds are always taken early.i reccomend the beach bar remmezo/remmizo absolutely fabolouse staff and free sunbeds plus it's nicer than the pool because there is a breeze. also the rooms are not cleaned tidy and towels are not changed regular enough. the maids always complain accusing you of [--] everywhere basicly. i reccomend the snack bar oppise the hotel they do brilliant chessy chips. plus the piccadily does superb lamb! and for the night life bar rossi is brilliant, the beer acadomy but mine and my partner's favourite place to party was magic mushroom where i suggest you try a fat frog! also the price of the air conditioning is over priced it should be included! many complaints where for the studios,one couples lock on they'r door wouldnt lock and the staff just tould them not to keep any valubles in they're room! also another couple made many complaints that they'r balcony was falling apart, and one day they had no water and asked if they could use another room for a shower and the manager replied 'do you really need to shower' it is disgracefull and i wouldn't ever go back!

Advice: as above.

Activities: as above.

Good for: Beach 

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  • User Rating:
    3 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Booked Independently

" Katerina Palace "

Do not pay for the bed and breakfast its a waste of money. All you get is fresh orange juice, french bread, boiled egg, ham, cheese, luke warm cornflakes its disgusting!!! Rooms are very basic and a big let down for us, no shower curtain and shower holder so gets very slippery in the room. No kitchen in the bed and breakfast rooms and maids do not mop the floor!!!! There is nooooo beach in aragassi, you would have to rent a quad/car to visit other beaches. Not much nightlife neither!

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  • User Rating:
    2 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" This is our 2nd year at this Hotel... "

This is our 2nd year at this Hotel and despite having a comfortable and enjoyable stay we did however notice certain flaws that made it feel more like a 1-2 star than a 3 star which it so rightly deserved in 2007. The issues we had were mainly in the bathroom of our apartment and are as follows:-

1. No shower curtain and bad plumming which resulted in the floor becoming so wet it was like a death trap!

2. No plug for the sink, may seem minor but when you want to wash or shave it proves difficult.

3. Brown dirty water from taps on several occassions.

4. Boiling water coming from both hot and cold taps on several occassions.

5. Broken toilet seat and bin.


There are a few minor faults with the complex as a whole which are as follows:-

1. Air-conditioning charge was too much as it is a neccesity in that heat!

2. Reserving of loungers around the pool is a major problem and causes unneccessary stress when you should be relaxing.


This is a lovely hotel in a fantastic location but rooms are basic and if you are looking for a more luxurious stay and polished finish then this hotel is not for you, however it is a good all round hotel for the price!

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  • User Rating:
    7 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
  • Board Basis:Self Catering
  • Tour Operator:Portland Direct

" Just returned from a wonderful two... "

Just returned from a wonderful two week holiday at the Katerina Palace, we stayed in the new building room 337 perfect we had a pool view & to the right a sea view. we couldn't fault the room we were expecting basic because it is a greek island but no it was excellect. The bar staff were great very friendly hi to George & his family.The only reason I didn't give it a 10/10 is because there is no day/evening entertainment at the hotel & as Argassi is a quieter resort it would be nice to have the option, once you had eaten your evening meal there wasn't much to do, there are bars for younger ones but we had our 12 year old daughter with us & my husbands parents. You must try one of the pool bars they are great they dont bother you to buy drinks or food & the sun beds are free, the views are lovely, our favorite one was the Dimitrios pool bar hi guys & scooby, & there is Remezzio next door if you dont like the music to loud. If you like the beach go left from Demitrios & walk 5 mins or so to the left there is a lovely beach. We would go back again definetly.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" BEWARE of ROOM 322....the hotel have... "

BEWARE of ROOM 322....the hotel have absolutely no right to even dream of putting anyone in this room...it should be a store room not a bedroom!!!! Its location is just above Reception and directly at the side of the main air conditioning system chilled water plant that serves the main hotel block. When this little beauty fires up in the early hours its like sleeping at the side of a jet fighter.....the noise is absolutely horrendous!!!!
Funnily enough though the hotel agreed to move us the first morning we complained, they didn't even argue (you could see the "problem room" expression written all over the receptionist's face!). However they did try and charge us for the apartment block air con until I refused owing to the fact that Thompson had already charged us this for being within the main hotel. Apart from the unsettled start the hotel facilities turned out to be fine. Eating out was very good but after trying out a number of restaurants/tavernas the two that shone out way above all the rest were Stars and Granada, both at either end of the main strip. In terms of beach...there isn't one apart fron a few pebbles and bits of concrete but what the hey, there are loads of very good pool/bars to choose from. All in all Argassi is good place for a relaxing, sun-filled holiday.

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  • User Rating:
    6 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Ahh what a place to stay! Katarina... "

Ahh what a place to stay! Katarina Palace has t be one of the best I've stayed in easily. As soon as we arrived we was shown to our studio which over-looked the pool area. The room was cleaned every day by the excellent maids, the pool area was tidy and everywhere in the whole accomidation was clean. The staff were really nice especially Mirella behind the pool bar, she instantly made me feel welcome on our first day at the pool. The only small bad thing I can note is that the showers are tiny! The shower curtain kept on getting stuck to me and the bathroom got soaked everytime me and my partner had a shower but we only used the studio to wash and sleep as there is so much to do!

Theres a 24/7 cafe literally outside the hotel so you can grab a kebab at 4am if you wish to do so if you been on the razzle all evening. Plenty of shops open late and George's supermarket which is also just outside has loads of gifts for the family as well as food/beer etc all decently priced. And with all the lively night activity you are never bored (especially as theres a mini-golf next door too) and even though there is all this, you still manage to get a peaceful night sleep (provided you have some air-con or you sweat yourself dry)

Overall you cant really say much negative things about Katarina Palace. I know where I'm going next year...

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" we stayed in studio apartment number... "

we stayed in studio apartment number 123 which was 20 yards from main road exellent position, room was basic but clean maids came in every day,air con is a must in july cost 5 euro per night, shower was a nightmare no shower curtain whole bathroom was soaking wet after you showered, plenty of nice restauraunts along main road the piccadilly restauraunt was giving a 10% discount for katerina guests but dont bother it was rubbish,molly malones irish bar was very good 2 min walk away, free bus outside bottom gate on main road which takes you to st nickolas beach and back we hired a car for the week but it was not cheap,banana beach has brilliant cheap beach bar serving good food, go to keri beach to see the turtles overall a very good holiday.
ps
drink the greek alfa beer it is superb.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
  • Board Basis:Self Catering
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" superb! rooms are fairly basic, very... "

superb! rooms are fairly basic, very clean, someone was changing the sheets and cleaning but we never saw them so we were never disturbed, very clean pool and all the staff were very friendly and helpful, I would certainly recommend this hotel and hope to be going back soon.
Ian and Alison

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
  • Board Basis:Self Catering
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Just got back from Katerina. Even... "

Just got back from Katerina. Even better than we thought!! Room on B&B basis quite roomy, faced the new crazy golf, although bath a bit small!! Breakfast very sufficient. Food around pool bar excellent & staff all within the hotel are very friendly. Hotel very clean, beds made every day & room cleaned. Hotel is situated in the right spot for easy access to everythng within the resort, but not noisy. We weren't getting enough for our euros whilst we were there but i think it's pretty much the same everywhere at the mo. Only snag we found was that there is NO beach, only tiny bits( no promenade) nearest is a free bus ride away or local train. Plenty restaurants & bars, for all ages. Must admit though entertainment is much needed as resort wasn't busy whilst we were there, expected to get busy towards end june til sept. Overall, well worth going for a relaxing break!!!! Met some lovely people.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2008
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" just had a week in katerina palace.... "

just had a week in katerina palace. hotel clean and very friendly. special mention to layla from the pool bar and george from bar in the hotel, you couldnt meet nicer people. the beer academy is great, legends bar and the red lion.overall bit quieter when we arrived (12th may) but would go back again . we had no fridge or kettle in room but did find out you can request these on booking.we went into laganas for a day, lots going on but rumour has it does get a bit crazy at night.overall argassi was a great holiday for us 6. we all said we would go back to katerina palace.

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2008
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" just back from one weeks holiday at... "

just back from one weeks holiday at KATERINA PALACE in one word grate best bar
is ROSSI,S PLACE and BEER ACDEMY grate snackbar is 24/7 just as you come out of
katerinas good bar on the beach is seashell hotel NICO theowner makes you very
welcome new airport now open also ETHNIC restaurant on mainstrip very good

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2008
  • Board Basis:Self Catering
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" I have just returned from a stay at... "

I have just returned from a stay at the hotel, it was my first time to Zante and won't be the last. The hotel is lovely apart from the hard beds, the rooms have air con, a t.v and a hair-dryer. The location of the hotel is good, near to all of the shops however there isn't much of a beach in Argassi. The staff at the hotel are really nice and the rep, John was brilliant.

There is loads to do in Zante and I would recommend the island hopper to Kefalonia, Simply Zante and Sunday night live excursions. The Sunday night live was excellent and we had a brilliant night. As it was nearing the end of the season, Argassi was quiet but it is a lovely place to go and have a relaxing holiday. I would recommend staying at the hotel and certainly recommend going to Zante for a holiday.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Portland Direct

" My partner and I stayed at The... "

My partner and I stayed at The Katerina Palace from 8th to 15th Oct '07. Found hotel rooms very basic but clean. The beds were hard and squeaky. We were staying on the bed and breakfast option, the breakfast ok but not worth rushing up for! No fridge or kettle in room (think they should be provided even if you are not staying in studios). No shower fixing on wall so when showering you have to hold the shower head and wash and the same time, no shower curtain/screen so bathroom floor ends up really wet and dangerous when getting out! Cleaners in most days and do good job.

Nice pool area although I can imagine in high season it would be extremely difficult to get a sunbed as nowhere near enough space if hotel is full.

We hired a quad bike for the day (Euro15) and visited Kalamaki, Laganas and Zante Town which was a great day! Nice places to eat are Ethnic and Zorbas (both serving traditional Greek and English food) or the Chinese Restaurant on left at bottom on street. The Beer Academy (to left of hotel as you walk out) served good cocktails at very reasonable price (Euro 3.50) and had good atmosphere despite its name! Avoid the Factory unless you like very loud music and drunken teenagers! Not much of a beach at Argassi, but travel to Kalamaki and decent one there and at Laganas.

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  • User Rating:
    6 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
  • Board Basis:Bed & Breakfast
  • Tour Operator:Thomson
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