The Gardens Gallery Hotel

On September 10, 2021, two friends and I stayed in room 109. The hotel is handy for walking into the center, and Pefkias forest is close enough for a walk. There’s also a small pebble beach just a few meters away. The front door locks at night, which made us feel safe. The hotel looked nice, and breakfast was served on a pleasant, cool patio under the trees. The place was clean and the staff were polite and helped with the local information we asked for. They did, however, have a serious communication problem with each other. We requested twin beds, but the maid wasn't told and made them as one bed with a single sheet, so she had to come back with extra sheets when we arrived. We also asked not to have the room cleaned on the second day, in line with the new COVID-19 hotel rules, but that message wasn't passed on either. We were told to inform the next employee, but didn’t get the chance because the maid came in while we were having breakfast. While cleaning, she carelessly kept touching the clean sheets with the dirty vacuum cleaner. Given these issues, I don't think €70 plus tax per night was good value. The hotel did try to follow COVID-19 procedures: they gave us disposable gloves for serving ourselves at breakfast and divided guests into groups to prevent crowding. Our room could also use a balcony clothesline for swimsuits and a full-length mirror behind the door, and staff communication needs to improve. On the plus side, the bathroom was spacious, the mattress was fine, and the pillows were very soft and fluffy. There’s free parking, and checkout is at 11:00.

We arrived late, and Spyros was there with a smile, doing his best to make us comfortable. The staff were all friendly and helpful, and breakfast was generous, too. The Gardens Gallery Hotel is newly renovated, with very clean rooms, right by the beach and surrounded by nice cafes. It’s a good place to stop while traveling in Greece.

The staff were so warm, friendly, attentive, and open that I felt welcome right away. I had a really pleasant stay, and the hotel’s modern style and artistic touches caught my eye as soon as I came in. Our room may have been the best one, with two balconies. From the eastern one, we could see the pine forest just beside the hotel, smell the trees, and catch a glimpse of the sea while hearing it. Breakfast is served on the patio next to the forest. The hotel is on a quiet side street, at least off-season, and only a minute’s walk from the pebble beach and promenade leading to busier parts of Xylokastro. There’s also a café at the hotel with snacks, and a chicken diner just around the corner, so we didn’t need to walk ten minutes along the water for lunch. I’m not sure Xylokastro is an ideal base for anyone wanting to do lots of sightseeing. We drove another 1,700 km over ten days, including the airport transfer, since Archaia Olympia is quite far away. Still, there are several historic places nearby, including Archaia Korinthos, Akrokorinthos, Archaia Nemea, and Mykines, all about an hour’s drive or less.

The rooms were cleaned every day, and breakfast had a great selection of dishes. The people here were nice, helpful, and professional. This is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in, and I’d happily come again.