Long Beach Resort

A great all-inclusive four-star resort about two hours from Athens, with a lovely view from the clean rooms and very polite staff. The cuisine is great and French-friendly. It could use a little renovation, but it’s still really worth it, and a perfect choice for families. The spa is great too, and Niki’s massage service was top notch. Highly recommended.

The website for Club Marmara Long Beach gives the impression of a quiet seaside hotel with clean rooms. What we found was a members-only resort with techno music blaring and French guests everywhere. After check-in, a man by the self-serve espresso bar asked whether we had the 'all inclusive' package. We didn’t. He hesitated a bit, then told us he sold coffee to people in our situation. We said we wanted the self-serve espresso, not his coffee, but he said non-members couldn’t use it. We smiled and went back to our room to make Nescafe with the water-boiler they provided. Once we’d unpacked, we found mold all over the bed. The headboard smelled like decaying moss. We turned our heads away from it, struggled with the miserable oversized pillows, and passed out. Breakfast was the usual spread of stale pastries and burnt food. I had coffee and butter, and the coffee was burnt. Your mileage may vary.

There’s plenty to do here, with a tennis court, beach volleyball, and other sports programs for kids, plus massages and more. The resort is huge and really nice. Breakfast was delicious and generous, and you’re very close to the beach. There’s also a pool bar.

For a quiet break, the spot in front of the bungalows is hard to beat. You can stretch out on a sunbed, listen to the waves, feel the breeze, and read or just take in the view. The rooms and food aren’t anything special, though the bar food might be an exception. Loggos square is a picturesque five minutes away, with places to eat and bars. Come for the atmosphere and nature.