Dolce Vita Hotel

We’ve been to Kalamaki eight times over the years, but this was our first stay at Dolce Vita. We really enjoyed it and highly recommend the place. The complex is small, family-run, well maintained, and very clean. It has eight studio apartments, each a single room with a basic kitchen and separate bathroom, plus four larger apartments with separate bedrooms. We stayed in a ground-floor studio. As expected for a one- to two-star property, the apartment is basic. It was cleaned daily, with sheets and towels changed every third day. The air conditioning worked very well, even during the unusual 42deg heatwave, though it costs extra, as does the safety-deposit box. The pool was clean, with a shallow end at both ends, though it may not suit toddlers. There’s a pool bar serving lovely snacks and a good range of bottled soft drinks and beers at reasonable prices. Your beer comes in a frozen glass. Checkout was at 11.00am on our last day, and we had an evening flight. The owners kindly let us stay at the complex and use the pool and snack-ba, which was very welcome. The property is in a quiet, peaceful area, about 50yds from a supermarket if you cut across the field. It’s a mile walk to the kalamaki centre and about 1.2m to the beach.

Joy and her family made us feel at home, and were always happy to sort out taxis, car hire or trips. There are several restaurants and bars nearby, plus a bakery and shop almost next door. We stayed for seven nights around late May and early June, and felt we got great value. The rooms are simple but clean, with comfortable beds and fresh towels and sheets each day. The pool was clean too, and often nearly empty because there aren't many rooms. We heard the dogs and cockerels that other guests mention, but they didn't disturb us. I suppose it depends on how lightly you sleep. We'd happily stay again.

It's a small, peaceful place, handy for restaurants and a short drive from Zakynthos town's lovely boulevard. The staff are really friendly, and the outside is attractive and well maintained. The rooms look dated, but they do the job, and we weren't planning to spend the day indoors anyway. There were little salamanders, wall geckos and, occasionally, a praying mantis around, which was less welcome for me as I'm scared of them. In summer, you'll probably want air conditioning for a decent night's sleep. That costs an extra €5 a day.

The pool area is pleasant, and the staff are helpful and very friendly. You can walk to plenty of nice places to eat, and the towns are about a 20-50 minute walk away. The hotel itself was fine. The dogs made a lot of noise at night, though, and it was hard to sleep. That's not the hotel's fault, but worth knowing.