Calimera Hane Garden Hotel

The cats around the grounds were a sweet touch. They never begged for food, but were often there to greet us, and there were plenty of activities and events too. We felt looked after like royalty. I’d happily come back, and really recommend it. Food was available almost every hour, with loads of choice for different tastes. If you couldn’t find anything you liked, maybe you’re just too picky! The rooms were clean and tidied every day, and the staff were warm and always happy to help. The pool was just as warm as the sea, and clean, with drinks brought by staff. The bar served snacks all afternoon. I reckon I put on 15 kilos in a week. The hotel is very close to the sea, and there’s a bus to the beach every 5 minutes for anyone with sore legs or who’d rather not walk. I felt like a king!

The location worked really well for us, close to the beach, supermarkets, bazaars and shopping centres. We stayed for a week in February as a family. Our five-person bedroom felt quite small for all of us, and the air conditioning wasn’t working. The rooms were cleaned and given fresh towels daily, and the cleaning ladies were super. We had a good stay overall. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were lovely, with some variety, and the pizza at the pool bar was the best pizza ever. The indoor pool and sauna were great too. We tried the Hamam with massage and found it a very good experience for a very good price. Afterward, though, they kept asking if we wanted more treatments for more money, which got annoying. The waiters and barmen and women were so lovely, always joking and checking that everything was okay. I didn’t like Mr. Muzzaffer’s attitude, though. We asked to book the a la carte restaurant as part of our week, and he said there was no room. We went down anyway and it was 95% empty. Not a good look for the hotel, since the restaurant was part of what we’d paid for. The animation team could be better. I understand most visitors are German, but dance nights and similar events should include everyone. After we said more inclusive music was needed, they played it, and it turned into an amazing night with nearly everyone up dancing.

The hotel’s location was great, near the beach and bazar, and it felt more suited to families. The waiters brought us the most fun, always joking around. Without them, we would have been bored most of the time. The program itself was unfortunately very boring, and the animators were the weakest part for us. Other hotels had music and activities going on all the time, while Hane Garden was quiet by 11pm. The food was nice, though I would have liked more pasta and sea food. Breakfast was a little weaker, but lunch and dinner were good. The pool sunbeds were always taken, so we had to get up early to “reserve” them. Honestly, that was really annoying. The cleaners were great too, always smiling, and the service was very nice and friendly.

The food was excellent, with plenty of choice and lots of it. Get in early for some items, though. The salad bar was especially good, and most staff were friendly, though their attitudes varied. We ended up at Hane Garden because our original hotel had closed. This one was nearer the beach, so that worked out well. Everything was very clean, and we had a good room with a balcony that caught the sun, even though the weather was unusually cold. For the very reasonable price, it was more than adequate.