Anthemus Sea Beach Hotel & Spa

We had a fantastic trip to Anthemus. In early May there were lots of retirees and young families at the resort, while we were an overly energetic group of 30 somethings. I especially loved the birds, palm trees, and fruiting citrus trees. They made the resort feel natural and very Sithonia. Maria?, the reservations lady, went out of her way to accommodate us early on. We enjoyed the complimentary tennis, Pilates, and Greek night. The bar playlists were great, the buffet was phenomenal and nutritious, and the service at Yialos was really nice. Most things ran smoothly. The TVs in the rooms and the digital ways to communicate activities need upgrading, though, and the wellness suite could use more toiletries. Check in could also have been more instructive. Still, we had a great stay.

The hotel grounds are beautiful, thoughtfully designed, modern, and a pleasant size. You can see the care put into sustainability, which is a big plus. WiFi worked throughout the hotel, including at the beach. Getting there is the main drawback: the airport transfer takes about 2 hours, and the shared shuttle is inconvenient. A private transfer or rental car is a good idea, especially for getting around the remote but beautiful area. The website seems out of date and online check in doesn’t work. I was surprised that simply entering the spa costs 25 euros per person for two hours, even without booking a treatment. I’d expected basic things like using the sauna to be included, especially with “spa” in the hotel’s name. The reception and guest relations team was superb. Service was positive and thoughtful, though sometimes a bit slow, perhaps because we were there near the end of the season. Clearing finished dishes from tables could take a while, and it could be hard to get the bar staff’s attention to order. Their friendliness and caring attitude mostly made up for that. Animation was quite limited, with few options, all in the mornings. Childcare was decent and available for most of the day, but the animation staff didn’t stand out. Evening activities were mostly bingo or movie nights. Monday’s Greek night had very good musicians, though the dancing was underwhelming. Jazz night was also very good. The other evenings were mostly lackluster DJ sets in the bar, which was far too loud throughout. See the other categories, food, drinks, and rooms, below. (11/15) The hotel has the potential to be outstanding. The drinks and, to some extent, the service and entertainment took away from an otherwise very positive, luxurious, and above all friendly impression. Overall: 23.5/35.

The staff were friendly and polite, and the rooms were okay. Food was passable, though the fruit and vegetables were oddly dry and hard, almost like plastic. The watermelons were the one exception. The tavern served better food than the beach bar. The beach was clean but very still, with no waves, and lacked the deep blue color of nearby beaches, which felt disappointing. Drink prices were wildly high: EUR 8 for a glass of beer is nuts, and it felt like a rip-off. For this quality, the stay felt too expensive and dull. Greece has such beautiful nature, but its tourism industry needs to do something. It’s pathetic.

The one thing that bothered us was the sunbeds. Guests kept leaving towels on them for long stretches while they were away, so we ended up in the back rows. That was awkward with young children who need supervision. It’s selfish behavior, especially since the hotel has a clear policy, though some visitors ignore it. When I asked a staff member for help, they acted right away and cleared the unused beds. Getting between the rooms, reception, and parking can mean a few minutes’ walk in the Greek summer heat. The hotel has an airy, cooled underground corridor connecting all the rooms, which made that walk comfortable and even enjoyable. I hadn’t expected that level of thought. The hotel is stunning, modern, well maintained, and carefully designed. Rooms are spacious and equipped with a fridge, power outlets, TV, and good, reliable internet. The air conditioning worked perfectly, which isn’t easy to find in the Chalkidiki area. Reception made us feel relaxed from the start, and the receptionist was very professional and welcoming. All the staff were polite, helpful, and professional, and everything worked as it should. I don’t usually write reviews, good or bad, but the hard work here deserved recognition. Congratulations to the owners, manager, and whole team for working so well together. We’ve stayed at many five-star hotels, and Anthemus left us with a very positive impression. I’d definitely recommend it to families with children.