Arion Beach Hotel

This hotel is over 30 years old and offers only the basics: hot water, a bed, and air conditioning. It looks nothing like the photos used to advertise it. The beach right in front often has a red flag, so swimming is prohibited because of the waves. The accommodation is very dated and not especially clean, and they don't even leave a bottle of water in the fridge.

This is a quiet spot for a relaxing stay, though you may want a car to explore the island. The staff were VERY GOOD: everyone was friendly, the food was very good, and the cleaning staff always made us feel welcome. Arion Beach is an older hotel with about 20 rooms, not very modern but consistently clean. Our bed was comfortable and the bathroom was clean, and the pool was available and nice to use. There was no animation or entertainment, which suits people looking for peace and quiet. The hotel is in a calm side street near Kolymbari, about a 15-minute walk away, and the bus stop is 7 minutes on foot. The beach is just down some stairs from the garden, around 30m from the hotel. The water was usually calm and clear, with rounded rocks in the water and regular sand on the beach. Swimming was easy, and there was a lifeguard nearby.

There were blood stains on the sheets, and mosquitoes in the bedroom even with the windows shut. The sun loungers and their mattresses were old and heavily stained. The equipment looked new and clean in the website photos, but in reality it was old and quite the opposite. Breakfast was really bad, with hardly anything left, and I found ants in the apple juice. One sink tap didn't work, the shower had no hot water, and the towels were so rough they could use some softener.

We came to Kolymbari in early September 2018, when the weather was really good. The beach was a real plus: the sunbeds were free and comfortable, though it was pebbly and got deep fairly quickly. It's a decent place for families or groups of friends who mainly want to relax by the beach. With all-inclusive, the beach bar made great cocktails from early morning, so we could unwind by the pool or the shore. Our room was acceptable and cleaned daily, but felt old-fashioned, and the bathroom was disappointing. The air conditioning was very loud and got on my nerves a bit at night. The food tasted good, but wasn't anything special. We had paella and a few fancier meals, but the menu mostly repeated itself, especially at breakfast and dinner. I could always get myself a tasty Gyros, though. The staff were okay; restaurant workers seemed to be under close supervision and tried hard, but we kept getting in each other's way. It was basically a case of getting what you pay for.