Apollonion Asterias Resort and Spa

The closest beach was extremely small, even smaller than it looked in pictures from previous years. There were plenty of bars with sunbeds and food, though, and the water was warm, clear, and very clean in mid-September. The hotel itself had a lovely atmosphere, with staff running a short water-gym session in the main pool and playing quiz games with guests at the evening bar, then singing and dancing. The vibe was very nice. There’s a wonderful garden and two nice swimming pools, each with a bar for drinks and snacks between meals. The main restaurant serves alongside two others, a Greek and an Italian one, which you pay extra for. Other facilities include an open-air cinema, an exhibition or museum, a gym, a spa, two shops, and a large chess table on the terrace. The rooms seemed a bit old, but service was very good and everything was kept clean. Food was good, fresh, and varied. If you’re planning to stay at the hotel, I definitely recommend it.

Late September was a bad time for atmosphere. The hotel closes for winter and already felt as if it had shut. The location is isolated, with few local restaurants, though they’re cheap enough. The hotel shuttle to the nearest town turned out to be a public bus that passes by, not the free service we’d assumed from being told there was a shuttle. Don’t count on all-inclusive unless you mainly want lots of cheap coffee and alcohol. Most of the drinks I wanted weren’t included. We weren’t expecting much and weren’t too bothered, but the hotel’s star rating and the opinions of happy guests could set the wrong expectations for people with different standards. Think modern three-star and you should be happy. We’re not snobs, though I do feel a bit like one writing this. At least the stray cats got lots of love and were well fed while we were there, thanks to the paid extra restaurant, lol.

The facilities and quality felt more like a budget stay than a luxury resort. The service was inattentive and unhelpful, which didn’t seem acceptable for a place sold as five-star. My room was in poor condition, lacked amenities that had been promised, and didn’t match the description on Booking.com. I stayed at Apollonion Asterias Resort & Spa from 22 to 26 September 2025, and the experience fell well short of what I expected. It wasn’t worth the price or the five-star rating.

The main restaurant staff were lovely and worked so hard. I also really liked Angela and Jenny at the cafe bar by the main pool. The hotel was beautiful, clean, and had friendly staff, with everything we needed and more. At lunch, we would have liked to sit outside but weren’t allowed, and the buffet felt fairly small for such a large dining hall. Even with those faults, I’d definitely book again.