Zorbas Beach

There’s an adults-only pool, which is a plus. The sea is close, but there are no loungers there. The nearest beach is a 15-minute walk away and you have to pay for it. The grounds are clean and the rooms are modern and clean, but the umbrellas and loungers need replacing because they make the hotel look cheap. The dining area also looks old and needs new tables. Pool cleanliness isn’t maintained well; by noon there’s already sand all over the pool. Food was mixed. Dinner was tasty, with lots of seafood like fish, shrimp, squid, and octopus. Breakfasts were monotonous and had little in the way of greens, with too many sweets. There’s no kids’ menu, and nuggets and sweets aren’t children’s food. The coffee is instant, which doesn’t feel right for a 4-star hotel. Everything seems geared toward French tourists. The staff speak French and the entertainment is in French.

The adults-only pool was our favorite, with quiet, lovely views and none of the kids' noise. The other pools were great too, and the food selection was huge, so there was something for everyone. We had a really enjoyable stay, with the positives outweighing the few problems. Getting around was easy: the bus to Kos city stops right outside, and Tigaki town is about a 15-minute walk away. It gets lively in the evenings. The hotel sits in a peaceful spot between the sea and mountains, and the beach is close, though it’s only a narrow strip of sand with access to the sea, not a particularly nice beach. The staff were kind and let us use the facilities and services when we arrived early in the morning, hours before check-in. They did the same on our evening departure, which was several hours after checkout. Everyone was nice, and housekeeping did a thorough job. The room was comfortable, and our view was magnificent, but the bathroom drain gave off unpleasant smells. The air conditioning was much too loud even on silent mode, making it a bit hard to fall asleep. Internet kept cutting out, even in the lobby where it was meant to work all the time. The hotel is generally French-oriented, and the entertainment was in French. We don’t speak it, so that was a small inconvenience, though we’d been warned ahead of time. One big disappointment was the wine. We tried white, red and rosé, and all three smelled and tasted like nail polish remover.

The food was okay, and I could always put a plate together, but there wasn’t much variety. The room situation was a rough start. Our first room was too small, so we had to move, and in the new one the air conditioning didn’t work, the curtains let in too much light at night, and the bathroom flooded on the first night. Reception seemed reluctant to help at first, though they became friendlier once everything was sorted. I stayed here a few years ago.

The rooms look very modern, and the pool area is nice. The staff were so unfriendly, especially at the lobby bar, where they make you feel like you’re bothering them. Avoid ordering drinks while the red-haired girl is there.