Margarita Hotel

We’d recommend this hotel. The rooms are a good size, especially the superior one overlooking the pools. Food was fresh and tasty every day. Some hotels offer more choice, but that wasn’t a bad thing here. The local alcohol in cocktails wasn’t very strong, though drinks were easy to get, and cocktails weren’t served until 4pm. It’s in a good location, but I’d still hire a car to get around.

All the hotel staff were excellent, friendly and helpful, and the evening music was good. The location is great, with Zante town reachable by bus. The stop is right at the end of the road, but buses back aren’t frequent, so check the times. The beach is about a ten minute walk away. We’ve just come back from a week here. Our room was dated and needs refurbishment, though it was clean and comfortable. There are a couple of newer blocks that look really good. The dining room is basic, but there was a good range of food, even for me as a vegetarian.

We had a brilliant, relaxing week at Margarita Hotel and would definitely return. We planned to eat out a few nights, but liked the food so much that we stayed in for every dinner and most lunches, which we never usually do. I’m a very fussy eater and often struggle on holiday, but there was a fresh, tasty selection with plenty I enjoyed. Dishes were clearly labelled, and the Chef checked and replenished them, which was helpful for anyone needing advice or dealing with allergies. Breakfast had continental and hot choices, including several kinds of eggs, bacon and sausage. The fig and watermelon jam with fresh bread was lush. Lunch and dinner had daily grilled pork, lamb chops, sliced beef, gyros, turkey leg and chicken thigh, along with home cooked dishes such as Chinese chicken curry, bolognese, carbonara, beef and vegetable lasagna, cheesy pasta bake and chilli. There were also salads, soups, rice, potatoes, cold meats and cheeses. The garlic potatoes were very nice. The kids’ station rotated pasta, pizza, chicken nuggets, sausage, fish fingers and fries. Dinner drinks came quickly, never more than five minutes, and the snack bar made good quality sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs to order. The beer on tap was nice, with a wide range of spirits after 4pm. They didn’t have Malibu or coconut rum, but peach schnapps was a good substitute. We stayed in ground floor Room 118 from 29th August to today 5th September. It had a private pool, which we used every day, and was immaculate when we arrived. It was cleaned daily and fresh towels were provided. The pool gets sun from 10am to 6pm, and there’s a parasol for shade. If you can, I’d recommend upgrading to a premium/private pool room. Staff were always welcoming and happy to help, and the owners were visible around the hotel and at reception, making the place feel welcoming. The pools were well kept, with plenty of loungers and chairs at any time of day, no usual scramble for a spot. Our transfer was in the late afternoon, so we could still use the all inclusive and pools on our last day. Showers by the pool were available to freshen up before travelling. We came for a quiet break and didn’t take part in much of the entertainment, but did enjoy the ABBA tribute night on Saturday. A mini market next door stays open until 11pm, handy for water, snacks, room drinks and small gifts, at very reasonable prices. The hotel is about a 15-minute walk from the main strip in Laganas, and within five minutes there are plenty of shops, restaurants, pubs, car hire places and ATMs. We walked to Cameo Island, about 50 minutes each way on a flat, easy route, with a €5 entrance fee per person. The hotel felt peaceful and suited couples or adults looking for a relaxing getaway, though plenty of families were there too, with a family area, games pool and table tennis near the pool bar. We were impressed by the cleanliness, food, service and atmosphere. Beautiful rooms, great food and wonderful staff. Would absolutely recommend it and come back.

The good points were the fresh, tasty and varied food, three swimming pools, the location and friendly staff. Two pools are regular ones, while the third is reserved for superior rooms, which is odd. There were several problems with the rooms. The floors weren’t cleaned during our stay and were quite dirty by the end. The plumbing seemed poorly installed: after prolonged sleep, water spilled from the drain onto the floor, and the bathroom gave off an unpleasant smell after dark. We also couldn’t flush toilet paper, as tourists are said to cause the drain to clog. Nights were noisy because many guests ignored quiet hours and staff didn’t monitor it. For what we paid, it wasn’t worth it. At 30% less, like other nearby hotels that seem to have the same standard, it would have been okay.