Paradise Resort Evia

The restaurant team was lovely and attentive, and they clearly tried to offer plenty of dishes, fresh vegetables, and fruit at every meal. We also enjoyed the all-inclusive extras, especially the free bar and ice cream. The beach was nice, the sea very clean, and our brand-new room felt pleasant, with spotless new furniture and a new bathroom. You can see the staff are trying to make guests feel welcome. Still, this didn't feel remotely like a five-star stay. We had booked a smaller, quiet boutique hotel and were moved to Paradise Resort, a huge, crowded family resort with the opposite atmosphere. Management offered no compensation for that change, such as paying the extremely expensive €150 one-way airport transfer or providing spa treatments. Construction was still underway, with constant noise, and the water could stop running at any time, even when we needed a shower. There wasn't even an iron available. One morning, while we were drinking coffee on the balcony, a female staff member who wasn't a cleaner unlocked the room and came in without knocking or warning. She apologized on the balcony and said she thought we weren't there, and needed to bring two maintenance workers to check something outside. That was a serious invasion of privacy. The bar alcohol tasted cheap and seemed heavily watered down with water or sodas. It gave us stomach aches, so we stopped drinking for the rest of the week. The wine at lunch and dinner was also either watered down or unpleasantly sharp. Food was okay at first, but by days 5-6 it felt repetitive. Pasta and meat were consistently bland and under-salted, while the fish was over-salted. The restaurant staff were good, but reception couldn't answer basic questions, like whether they had an iron. Housekeeping was unpredictable too, with some days when nobody knocked or came in to clean. “We just opened” seemed to be the excuse for everything. The hotel has potential if it raises its service to a real five-star level, but right now it felt more like three stars, and the stay didn't match the expectations set by the rating. It's also very far from the airport, so the transfer is expensive.

The food was good and varied, and both the kitchen staff and the Fram team were pleasant and professional throughout. Thanks to Fram for finding me another room so my vacation didn't have to be canceled. The resort was still under construction, and it clearly doesn't deserve its current four-star rating. Of the two advertised bars, only the pool bar was operating. The other stayed closed in the evening despite the posted hours. Housekeeping ignored the Do Not Disturb sign and tried to come in several times while the button was on. At 8:30 one morning, a cleaner even tried her key card while I was still inside. Luckily, I was awake.

We were promised a dream hotel, but it was still being renovated and should have waited a month before opening. We booked a bungalow and never got one. For a five-star place, it was mediocre, especially the buffet, which felt like a school cafeteria. Fortunately, we'd rented a car and could eat elsewhere. I hope they make improvements.

We had a great stay at this hotel!