Klelia Beach Hotel

We did have a decent holiday, though I have mixed feelings about the place. We arrived on Monday 6th October for a week, hoping to spend our All Inclusive break relaxing in late summer sun. The staff were superb, and the location was handy: a 2-3 minute walk to the beach and its cracking beach bar, right at the start of Kalamaki on the main road near bars and restaurants. There’s a bus to Laganas just around the corner. The pool was lovely, though the fresh water was cold. Our lower-floor room faced the pool and seemed to be below its surface. It was gloomy, dated and musty smelling. It grew on us over the week, but still looked battered and in need of TLC. The eating area felt more like a canteen than a restaurant. The food was average in choice, edible but nothing to write home about, and more functional than enjoyable. Most of it was tepid or cold rather than hot. The salad selection was lovely, but the desserts tasted of nothing, like at most all-inclusives. The all-inclusive drinks were poor and very low in alcohol. I had one drink with half a large glass of vodka and felt nothing. Soft drinks came from plastic bottles and were tasteless, warm and flat. There were wasps everywhere during our stay, so taking drinks to the loungers wasn’t worth it because they’d swarm around you. The loungers were dated and mostly uncomfortable. As it was out of main season, there was nowhere else to relax after eating except the canteen or our room. For what we paid, some parts were acceptable. We ate out a couple of times, which made the average food stand out even more. The canteen got busy in the second half of the week, so I dread to think what it’s like in peak summer, with no space and the same issue around the loungers. Maybe it’s okay for a cheap pre or post high-season break, but I wouldn’t choose it for my main summer holiday.

October was a lovely time for a relaxed family break. It was off season, but there was still plenty to do, though the turtles had already migrated to nest somewhere else. We all enjoyed the hotel. My room opened right across from the pool, which I loved, and the rooms themselves were average. The staff were so friendly and helpful. There isn't halal food, but they can provide halal chicken if you ask. Lisa cleaned my room every day and was especially lovely and patient. She made our stay easier and deserves a bonus. Families looking for a quiet holiday should consider October.

The main dining food was very good, and the kitchen and serving staff were great. George at the bar was excellent too. It's a small, friendly hotel, though it does look a little old now. Keep in mind the Greek star system isn't quite like the UK one, so a local four or five star rating may not mean the same thing. Still, it was a good hotel and I'd use it again sometime.

The staff, food and location made for a lovely stay, but we still wouldn't come back. By UK standards, it felt closer to a two star hotel than a five star one, and hotel standards here can be lower than at many other European five stars. The food was excellent overall, the staff were friendly and attentive, and room 801 was spacious with lovely views. The location was great. A lot of the facilities felt tired. The in-room hot tub was dated, the sunbeds were old, broken and cheaply made, and the beach and pool towels were worn and unpleasant. The hotel also looked shabby around the edges and needed work. We had a constant sewage smell behind the fence near the road. At breakfast, the eggs were deep fried, and a flat frying hotplate would have been better. Some cutlery looked hand washed instead of dishwashed. The drinks were very weak, and the room safe should have been free.