Chrissi Amoudia Hotel

There isn’t much around the hotel, but the sea is a 10-minute walk downhill, or you can take the hotel shuttle. Taxis are easy to arrange. Lidl is about a 35-minute walk away, and the old and new towns of Hersonissos are roughly 50 and 45 minutes on foot, respectively. Both have bars and tavernas. A TUI rep is at the hotel most days. We had a lovely holiday. The staff were friendly and helpful, the place was very clean, and we could always find something good to eat. The pool was lovely, with nice sea views from several spots around the hotel. There’s a little shop on site, and the man who runs it is very friendly. Prices weren’t really any different from the shop down the road. There’s also an arcade and a beauty shop. The entertainment team was great, especially Tom, whose energy was second to none. We saw a band one night and a magic act another night, and both were brilliant.

If I went again, I’d make sure to book a newer room with a decent bed. The room we had was outdated, which made sense for the price, but its rough bed wasn’t something I’d put up with again. I’ve since learned they do have newer rooms with better beds. The staff were genuinely friendly and service was great. When the air conditioning broke, it was fixed within an hour. We’d left our stroller at the airport and they lent us one, and any key problems were sorted out with a smile. There was also food waiting when we arrived late by plane. The pool is spacious for the number of guests, with two kids’ areas and a lovely, well-kept garden around it. The sunbeds were as rough as the bed in our room, and you had to get up early to claim the better ones and a decent parasol. Nobody seemed to enforce any rules, though we sometimes came late and managed to find beds and a parasol anyway. The pool and garden, along with the food, are what would bring me back. I didn’t care about the animation, and found it a bit sad. The food was a big plus. Not everything was great, but there was always something fresh and tasty: gyros from the spit, grilled meat and fish, and good local dishes. Once we figured out what to pick, we ate well every day. There were also less tempting things like bland pasta, stale pizza, and dishes made from the previous day’s food. Fresh gyros with great tzatziki were served at the pool every day, and I couldn’t get enough. The pool bar and evening bar were nice too, with decent cocktails, a good fake Aperol Spritz, and Greek beer I liked better than Turkish Effes. There isn’t much nearby. We chose the hotel because we wanted quiet, not to stay in Gerso, though it’s close by car or taxi. Having a car also lets you reach some lovely beaches. The hotel itself doesn’t have a nice beach, honestly. The shuttle won’t take you to a good one, and the decent beaches nearby belong to the beach resorts, so I’d rent a car or stick with the pool. Gerso turned out to be more than just a party place. We often went there with our baby and had lovely evenings and meals at restaurants. There’s a cheap supermarket close to the hotel for wine and chips, and the hotel shop is reasonably priced with a very nice owner. The in-house car rental was great. I picked it by chance after comparing them all, then found out they had a desk at the hotel. The father and his two sons were nice.

We stayed for a week starting 7th September. Our room in the main building had an odd layout: one double bed, then steps up to a single bed. The balcony looked out at air conditioning units. There were cobwebs and beetles under the beds, and the surfaces hadn’t been cleaned properly. The hotel feels dated, though the staff were friendly. The food was lovely, and this location worked well for a short stay in the sun. Some people said the hotel was remote, but you can take a taxi to the old town. There was no entertainment on Saturday night, which was very poor. Drinks are 38 per cent.

The pool is spacious and nice, and our newer room was clean and pleasant. The hotel grounds around it were super clean too. Food quality was good, but there wasn’t much choice. The shuttle runs three times a day, not five. The beach is about an eight-minute walk downhill, with small stones, then 12 minutes back uphill 😜.