Emelisse Art Hotel

We must have stayed here at a similar time to the previous reviewer, but I wouldn't recognise it from his description! We had a very large beautifully furnished room with a sea view. The room was spotless and the service was first class. We arrived very late at 1am but someone was waiting for us at the main gate and whisked us off to our rooms. Staff were all very friendly and helpful. Great breakfasts, with home-made jams and croissants. The pool area is wonderful, with fantastic views across to Ithaki and Lefkada.

From the moment we arrived,we could see that the hotel was not the "5" star property it said it was. The reception area is best described at ill definied, a desk in the corner with no sign's denoting what it was, staff not that welcoming. We were shown to our Juinor suite which was disappointing, dark, cold, small balcony and no bath. We returned to reception to ask for a change of room,this was met with almost "hostility" how dare we not like the room, we were told to sit on the couch and wait! We were then reluctantly shown another room which was worse than the first. Left with no alternative we had to stay with the first room as this is really the only hotel in the area. We had dinner in their "a la carte "restaurant twice the first was fine but only lulled us in to a false sense of security, as the second time was terrible, service was appalling e.g not asked if we wanted dessert or coffee or after dinner drinks add to this it was my wedding anniversary I was less than happy, needless to say that was the last time we ate there. Breakfeast was equally bad as commented on by several reviewers. The open buffet was plagued by wasps hovering over none covered food,the choice was very limited thats if you could find a plate to put it on! We never had breakfeast there again. The rooms were never cleaned properly,towels not changed ashtrays left unemptied, toiletries not replaced. We also were bitten very badly but were not told there were devices in the room for this until it was too late. From the second day we spent most of our time in Fiscardo, it is small and there are only a few shops but you can sit there in one of the bars but the wasp's are a big problem here to, goodness knows what it must be like in the hight of summer. The only "plus" about this place is it's location the views are stunning and there are little coves where you can sit and relax. In conclusion I have to say that Kefalonia is not geared to high end tourism, its service is sadly lacking and it is not as friendly as other greek islands they seem to tolerate tourists rather than welcome them.

We recently spent a week at this hotel and overall found it to be a very relaxing experience. We had a ground floor junior suite with a side seaview (Room 214) which turned out to be have a lovely view from the terrace across the water to the island of Ithaca. The room itself was fitted out in a minimalist style and had a TV and DVD player - one good thing for those looking to escape while on holiday was the limited choice of channels, most of which were Greek. The bathroom only had a shower and sure that other rooms would also have had baths - we never asked about this when booking. Only gripe with being on ground floor was occasional noise from occupants of room above due to tiled floors. The main infinity pool, with wonderful views out to sea with the island of Levkas in the distance, is very refreshing once you get in. While we were there, the hotel was fully booked but we did not have to get there really early to get a lounger by the pool so able to take our time at breakfast before going down to the pool area. For food, there was a good selection at breakfast which was laid out as a buffet with selection of sweet and savoury items, freshly squeezed orange juice (with bits) and strong Greek coffee! Best things were excellent locally produced yoghurt and honey. The staff were very helpful and had a good grasp of English so there was no need to be able to speak Greek. They did sometimes have a tendency to be a bit too attentive such as clearing away things at the breakfast table before you had finished! We did not eat in the restaurant in the main building but did have a couple of lunchtime snacks at poolside restaurant and one evening meal - the latter being marred by the presence of a fly in the pasta but at least we didn't have to pay for this! Generally preferred to go into Fiskardo and eat at a number of the tavernas dotted around the edge of the main harbour. For those who are wanting to experience the taste of fresh fish, you are in for a disappointment as much of what is on offer is frozen - not sure if this had anything to do with the time of year we were there. One other thing that others have commented on was the presence of a large number of wasps who were attracted to the variety of sweet things on offer - notably the honey, iced tea and sweetened iced coffee. The staff did their best in trying to deter them by placing smoking bowls around the place but the smoke from these did sometimes cause more of a problem than a solution! Overall our stay was very enjoyable and would recommend others to give it a try.

We stayed here for ten days in September and found it very agreeable and relaxing – in spite of the plague of wasps. Whatever we asked reception the immediate response was `of course’. The views are splendid and our balcony was not overlooked by others. The hard pillows were immediately changed for softer ones when we asked. The food was acceptable, though breakfasts a little disappointing. This hotel shares some of the idiosyncrasies of designer hotels, for instance, few drawers and mostly open shelves for storage. The only shelf space it the bathroom was achieved by moving a lot of the hotel’s stuff to other boxes. The handsome mirror in the bedroom was nowhere near anywhere where one could keep a comb or a lipstick. Bedroom lighting is a little weak for those who like to read, and the designer of the menus must have had very good eyesight; in the evening, a torch is helpful. And the louvred shutters plus net curtains do not keep out the light at night; don’t discard those airline eyeshades. We managed without a car. There is transport to the beach (though on one occasion it failed to pick us up); younger people walked. The same is true of Fiskardo, from which there are a number of boat trips. Longer excursions (for instance to Assos or Argostoli) can be made by taxi, though it would probably be sensible to ask reception to book this the day before. Most of the visitors were English and being September they included a number of pre-school children who seemed to be having a great time. Since the hotel was far from full when we were there (in spite of their telling me it was fully booked) the lack of public space – especially when it rains – was not a problem

We have just returned from a two week honeymoon at the Emelisse. It is the only hotel that we have stayed in that actually looks as it does in the brouchure. We booked into a full sea view room (308) and it was great. The views were absolutely stunning. The balcony is small but ok. However the screen that seperates you from your neighbour does not provide much privacy. The room itself was very nice. Nice clean lines, no clutter and spotlessly clean. The bathroom has a really good shower and the free toiletries are lovely. The hotel was fully booked during our stay but there was never a problem with sun loungers. Provided you were up by 10:30 you were able to get a pool side bed. The breakfast is disappointing and can become very busy. Food overall in the hotel was very good, but the menu didn't change in the two weeks and is quite expensive. We ate in Fiskardo most nights which was actually nicer and cheaper. The staff at the hotel cannot do enough for you. And the free shutle bus to Fiskardo is a nice touch. I would recommend this hotel if you want to totally chill. Normally two weeks would be too long but I'm not complaining! We will definately return.

It was a very relaxed location but felt isolated if you do not have a car as the public transport is non existant apart from taxis. The hotel facilities was good and the staff are generally very helpful. There is a spa, a small gym, a tennis court and two pools. The rooms was generally good but some of the walls looks marked and tatty looking. There were two restuarants each with pools nearby. The service at the bar area/small restuarant is poor with hardly any staff nearby if you want to order drinks, but the main pool is very good. The pools area are very nice and relaxing. We ate at the main restuarant but it is relatively expensive compared to the restuarants in the village nearby. Recommend getting the shuttle bus to the village which the hotel provides as the route is pitch black so can be quite dangerous as you're not sure where you are going even though it only takes 15 minutes to get there by foot. We tried it! Tennis court was good but at 20 euros an hour was expensive. The hotel provided bikes for use at leisure but the quality of the bikes was not very good as there is only one gear as the gears do not work. You can only go at one speed that the bike can take no matter how fast you peddle!

The Emellisse Hotel is in fact a group of buildings set on a beatifull headland. The buildings look all the same and reminded me a bit of a small characterless suburban housing estate. It doesn't scream luxury. There was a very nice infinity pool with comfortable couches, heavily cushioned chairs and beds all following the design ethic of the hotel of deep earthy colours. You had to bag a poolside bed early which you should'nt have to do in a quality establishment. The open air restaurant situated adjacent to the pool had amazing sea views with the islands acting as a dramatic back-drop. You don't go to Greece for the cuisine...we stuck to the fresh fish of the day and had some excellent sea bream and bass. The wine list is not inspired. The beverage manager should be told it is possible to purchase wine that has been made from grapes! They also need to get their wasp problem sorted out. We were plagued with them when we ate. The Breakfast buffet was quite poor. Only 1 choice of juice....fresh orange. Usual suspects of some fresh fruit, bread and cold meats, cereals and hard boiled eggs. The type of buffet you would see in any budget hotel. If you wanted a cooked breakfast you had to pay for it and by all accounts it was quite expensive. The hotel was fully booked. We could not obtain a suite so ended up in an executive room with sea view and private balcony...room 122. This was not luxury. The room was quite small...the bed was comfortable but no way could you describe the furnishings and decor as luxurious. I guess the idea was for cool, contempory chic. It did'nt come off. Nothing in this hotel told me that an interior designer had been involved in any way. The bathroom was adequate...excellent shower but attention to detail was badly lacking. Old paint smudges on the tiled floor tell me there was nobody insisting on high standards. Housekeeping was O.k. but I had a feeling that on some occasions the towels were'nt changed twice daily. The staff were excellent...very helpful...nothing to much trouble and they seemed happy to serve you. There was an excellent complimentary hotel bus service to Fiscardo...lovely little town with tavernas jostling for position round the delightful harbour...one of the prettiest harbours in the greek islands. All in all a pleasant enough hotel to stay for a few days. It was sold to us as a luxury hotel. It clearly was'nt that.

Just got back from our honeymoon staying in this lovely hotel. We booked a week in a junior suite with a shared pool. The staff here cannot do enough for you and the view from our balcony (room 204) was amazing. We will make this report very honest so others can use it to make up their minds if it's for them or not as it's not cheap. We asked for a balcony suite with sea view and that's exactly what we got - we could not fault the room, the setting or the staff and service in any way. We were glad we did not have a terraced suite below as they did not enjoy the same view and the terraces were far from private and did not have the comfy lounge chair provided to us on our balcony. Fiskardo is gorgeous, the hotel lay on a free minibus service throughout the day and evening to drop you down there and bring you back which is great. (You wouldn't want to walk it unless you are quite fit)! Also the beach next to the hotel is stunning. It's pebbles but they are white and the water is gorgeous shades of turquoise. The hotel prices are expensive, drinks especially. MUCH cheaper in Fiscardo village. The hotel food is not too badly priced and of a good standard though we advise you to try Fiscardo, we ate there most nights. A restaurant we loved if you enjoy Greek food was 'Ellis' it's the first one into the town from the minibus drop off point. We ate in a few and this we found to be superb - try the fillet dionese, rabbit stifado and the seafood pasta - not forgetting the prawn saganaki here!!! The maid service is twice daily and the room is left spotless with linen and towel changes even if you don't need them. Room service is also excellent and prompt but a little expensive re the service charge. At night the hotel is lit with candles and it's very romantic. Superb bathroom and powerful hot shower - lovely! We had robes and slippers provided with our suite and you have expensive natural products supplied for your shower and hair routine, plus body milk. Very nice. Towels are provided for you for pool use as well, on the bar at the main pool and left on the sunbeds for you if you have a shared private pool. Minor moans - The balcony is not totally private - all there is separating you and next door is a screen so you can hear everything!! Also bad when you are in the room with the doors open - be warned!! Breakfast - It was not what we were expecting for the money we paid. It's very continental only, don't get me wrong there is a good choice if you like this style of breakfast but not even an egg chef or a toasting machine? If you want anything hot you have to pay quite a bit extra?! Insects - There seems to be a big wasp problem on the island at the moment. We were told by the staff it was normal but we travel to Greece a lot at this time of year and have never come across this before, also lots of mozzies around in the evening at the pool bar though we did not get bitten once in Fiscardo of an evening? Take your Jungle Formula and a can of RAID 'Wasp'! Pool Area - Really lovely and luxurious but if you want a couple of sunbeds for the day get there early. To sum up - yes we had a relaxing honeymoon. This resort and hotel is not for singles looking for fun. It's romantic, 5 star chilling-out territory. If you have a few bob to spend and want to be totally pampered then this is just the place! Would we go back? Yes, but not for about 3 years - and just for a 'spoiling each other week' when we want to totally chill out.

We spent a week at the hotel on honeymoon mid August. It was fantastic and certainley lived up to our expectations, having chosen the hotel from Conde Nast's Hot-List. We had a room with sea view and it was amazing, I much prefer clean modern design rather than the chintzy-flowery-traditional look you get in many hotels, so Emelisse was perfect from the style aspect. Added together with friendly service it made a great holiday. The pool area is lovely, but even at a top class resort, there is competition for the loungers, at 8am many guests had put towels down and there were only a couple of spaces left. It can be a bit frustrating when people then go into Fiscardo and then come to the pool later in the day to their reserved spaces. The restaurants are nice, the view from the Votsalvo place down near the pool are great. The menu is ok but expensive in the evening but the all-day menu for lunch is good with delicious sandwiches and snacks. Breakfast is a good choice on the buffet, but I was a little annoyed that you have to actually pay extra to have a cappucino rather than filter coffee, 4.50EUR was a bit steep. Generally there could be more areas to socialise, the bar is quite cramped down at the pool, so you don't really meet other people. During our dinners up at the other restaurant, it was easier to chat to other guests. Housekeeping was very efficient and when we had a problem with our air-conditioning it was fixed immediately. It was so lovely that it was hard to drag ourselves away from the hotel to go to Fiscardo, but is definitely worth it, with a good selection of restaurants and pleasant atmosphere and people. Overall I would say this is probably the best hotel we have ever stayed in on holiday! It's not cheap but it is worth it.

My husband and i spent our honeymoon in this hotel in mid August. It was wonderful!! The hotel was of the highest quality and very very stylish whilst remaining a relaxing environment. The best feature of the hotel was by far the staff. They went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and cater to our every need. The shuttle into Fiskardo was wonderful. You could either utilize a scheduled trip down and back, or just ask or give the reception a call and they brought the minibus to get you whenever you liked. The room was very stylish and the bathroom was very nice but we found the room a little small for such an expensive place, and we didn't use the balcony at all, even though we had a marvellous sea view, because there was only a screen between us and next door. We're private people and just didn't find this comfortable. The bed, however, was very comfortable(!), furnishings very nice, and great having a dvd player. The hotel food was delicious, but more expensive than Fiskardo town and we had some even better meals there. Vegetarian evening options were limited but they were more than happy to serve a starter as a main course. The pool restaurant particularly was a lovely place to eat with fantastic views. The setting of the hotel was idyllic and we had a very relaxed time, just like we wanted. Oh and Fiskardo was probably the nicest resort i've been to, very charming! Definitely hire a motorboat, we had such fun and only cost about 70euros incl. petrol for the whole day!