Hotel Makarios

The receptionist gave us a fantastic welcome and went out of her way to make us feel at home. She was friendly, helpful, and professional, and her service really lifted the whole stay. It was a little noisy because the airport is quite close, but we can absolutely recommend the hotel and would return.

Vicky at reception was lovely and gave us all the information we needed. But breakfast was awful. It was the same every day, with no variety of fruit or milk options like oat milk, so I ended up eating yogurt for a week. There's no dinner available because the chef has to catch a bus at 4 pm and the kitchen closes, and there wasn't any guest entertainment. The pool closes at 8:00am and the bar at 10-10:30, so the place felt very boring, with no ambience. The barman kept recording videos and posting them on social media without customers' consent, and people weren't happy about it. Sometimes a little guy sat at reception who seemed to have no idea what was going on and barely spoke any English.

The beds were so uncomfortable I was bracing for a bad back, and the view across the way was rubbish. The rooms were clean, except the air conditioning leaked and left water on the balcony. We arrived in May, and for all seven days the only warm breakfast items were microwave scrambled eggs and pretend bacon. There were no meals or snacks at the hotel beyond Greek salad. Two drinks at the bar cost €30, and the cocktails were awful. The staff seemed rude and uninterested in helping or making things easier. They sat watching TV in the lounge and talking in their language, which made me feel uneasy. Worse, housekeeping put things in my partner's bag when it had been left on the bedside table. That felt like an invasion of privacy. Hotel Makarios also doesn't say on all booking platforms that there's an extra €5 per day room tax. That should be stated when booking. It's a long walk to anywhere unless you have transport. There's only a tiny, overpriced supermarket nearby. The hotel has no vibe, and seven days was far too long. I've travelled around the world, and Santorini is beautiful, with amazing scenery, but this was an overpriced holiday for what we got. It was a depressing stay. If you go, I'd look for somewhere more remote with more life. This wasn't easy to write, but I see a lot of fake reviews and this isn't one. Unless you're retirement age with money to burn, I wouldn't recommend this hotel.

The location is fairly quiet, and Kamari's lively beachfront is about a 10-15 minute walk away. A taxi from the airport takes around 10 minutes and costs €30-€40, though the hotel sits directly under the flight path. The rooms are clean, well equipped, and kept tidy. Housekeeping does a good job, and the beds were especially comfortable. Air conditioning worked well, but only with the key fob in and the door closed, so you can't keep it running or charge devices while you're out. One of our rooms had no TV remote, so its TV couldn't be used. The pool itself was okay, though the water looked green and murky and the surrounding tiles needed a deep clean. There are plenty of poolside toilets, but they're underground, behind a damaged door. It's very poorly lit, with no gender signs and no locks on the stalls. The pool bar guy was genuinely friendly and made an effort with guests. Drinks are pricey, €6 for beer and €10 for a cocktail. There's a minimart five minutes away with better value. You can bring your own drinks to the pool, though it didn't feel especially welcome. Breakfast was limited, sometimes with bacon and beans, overcooked scrambled eggs, a few pastries, and scattered continental items. The dining room was stiflingly hot, with the windows kept shut. Staff worked hard in there, but it wasn't pleasant. Breakfast runs only 8-10 AM, which feels like 6-8 AM if you're travelling from the UK. The maids also start early. Our room was cleaned at about 9.30 Greek time, 7.30 GMT, and there are no do not disturb signs for the doors, so expect to be woken if you sleep in. The shower had decent pressure, but no door or curtain, so water flooded the floor every time. There was no mop, which left us using towels to clean it up. Reception staff were mostly friendly, but after a billing issue with two receptionists, things changed. Our booking agent confirmed everything was paid, yet the back-and-forth with the hotel left us feeling dismissed. Tourism can be demanding, but kindness and professionalism matter when sorting out disputes. Locals told us the hotel had really gone downhill over the years, and that the owners had ignored small improvements it needed. It's marketed as 3 stars, but I'd put it closer to 2.5. If those smaller things were fixed, it could be a really great hotel. Would I return? No. I'd only recommend it for a basic night or two; there are better options nearby.