Zouboulia

The location was ideal. The main square is less than a minute away, and the shops and restaurants are all nearby, while the hotel itself feels peaceful and sits just a couple of minutes from the beach. One reason so many people return to Zouboulia is Dino, who creates a welcoming atmosphere by the pool. He’s friendly, makes time to chat when he isn’t cooking, and makes his own burgers, chips and Zatsiki. He tries to source meat and sausages from local butchers when he can. The menu is simple, but he works hard to use good ingredients without taking on so much that service suffers. The rooms were all renovated within the last three years. They’re simple, clean and a good standard for this kind of hotel. They’re cleaned every day, which was a welcome surprise. Our balcony was nice, and the thick walls meant we didn’t hear other rooms or much from outside. Booking direct includes air conditioning, the safe and tax in the price, which was a nice surprise for us. We booked through Hotels.com, which I think has the same terms as Expedia, and there can be extra charges through other companies. The pool always had beds available, with easy access steps into the water. The ground floor apartments are easy to access too. There’s a lovely, relaxed feel around the pool. Dino spends the day cooking and chatting with guests, and his young family enjoys hanging out there. I usually go out for breakfast and lunch, but this time I preferred to stay and relax. The main bar opens around 6pm. Dino’s brother Billy is usually there and takes time to chat with guests. A few nights ago, I came back around 11pm a bit drunk and sat talking with the two of them. They’d ordered takeaway pizza, cut it up and offered me some. That’s the kind of welcoming, inclusive owners they are.

The beach and shops are both just a short walk away. The place was beautifully clean, with maid service every day. We didn’t spend much time there during the day, but the bar and pool areas looked very clean too 😁

The shower turned the apartment floor into a slippery mess. There was no proper slope toward the drain, and our room was missing the sliding shower door. The owner seemed a bit uninterested and said the door was “on order,” but even a shower curtain would’ve helped keep the water from spreading. Towels and sheets were changed every three days, which wasn’t enough when we were using towels to mop it all up. The aircon cost €100 for two weeks and took 3-5 minutes to kick in. That sounds minor, but after being out in 35° heat it felt like forever. The place has loads of potential, but the owners seemed disinterested. We had to leave by 11am, or pay €30 to keep the room until pickup, even though nobody was arriving that night. I felt really ripped off by that. The location is right in the town centre, with bars, restaurants and a huge supermarket just around the corner, only about a five-minute walk from everywhere. The pool was lovely and clean, though it needs more umbrellas and closing at 6pm felt too early. Food at the pool bar seemed expensive, so we didn’t try it. Some people struggled to get into their safety deposit boxes because reception was locked most mornings, so getting money out for a trip could be a problem.

We had a great stay and would definitely come back to Zouboulia Apartments next time we’re in Kardamena/Kos. The location makes it easy to enjoy the beach, restaurants and bars, with the bus terminal, taxi stand and a supermarket right nearby. Dino gave us a warm, friendly welcome as soon as we arrived. The hotel has recently been refreshed, and there’s a lovely pool open from 9am to 6pm, plus a beach bar serving coffee, drinks, breakfast and snacks. Each unit has its own balcony, and there’s also a shared lounge area with a bar and television.