Akti Palace Hotel in Kardamaina

My friend and myself visited Akti Palace at the beginning of October. On first impressions the hotel looked great. I enquired about paying for an upgrade to a maisonette room which we were given. It was really nice, a bit tired in the bathroom, the towels were totally unacceptable. They were thin, hard and grey when they should have being white. We used the beach towels to bathe with as they were better quality. The beds were comfy and the rooms were spacious. The items the room were lacking was a full length mirror and an iron which we had to pay a 20 euro deposit for. The grounds were lovely but there was no up keep of the beach, there were broken umbrellas and it was very uneven. It wasn’t the hotels fault but it was very unstable to get into the sea as there were so many rocks and stones, I witnessed quite a few people stumbling while trying to get in and out. We enjoyed our holiday but felt we wouldn’t return to this hotel, maybe it is better in summer but they really need to look at comfortable seating, ambience in all areas and the flavour choices in the buffet restaurant. The pool bar at lunch served a good range of food but some of it could get quite dried out but there were plenty of choices and fresh salad and bread. The pool bar staff Christos and Natalia were so busy but still super efficient and friendly and funny. The al a carte restaurants didn’t have much atmosphere and service was pretty rushed especially in the Asian but the food in there was beautiful and freshly cooked, we could have eaten it every night. The seafood restaurant didn’t have much ambience but a nice view into the open air, the food was absolutely beautiful and just the right amount with lots of flavour. Our waiter George was very professional and spoke very little. The Greek restaurant was very nice, flavourful food but far too much food, we were in a food coma after all the courses. We just couldn’t eat it all, our waiter George( young curly hair with glasses) was so friendly and helpful, he always had a smile on his face also in the buffet restaurant. The buffet restaurant had no atmosphere whatsoever, it was more like a canteen. The chairs were uncomfortable and the waiters were more like robots getting rid of your plates before you took your last mouthful. After you’d ordered one drink they didn’t offer another. The food was better some nights than others, there was something for everyone but the food was pretty dull with no flavours sticking out. The glass bar was like gods waiting room, it was full of people playing cards and uno, Natalia at the bar was wasted in there, she was so friendly and full of fun but again the bar was understaffed. The entertainment was in the pool bar which in October was a pretty poor decision as it was so windy and cold there, no heater or blankets so many people left, the only night we stayed for the entertainment was for the supremes who were brilliant and entertaining

Really feeling missold regarding this hotel. We booked via Jet2 who rated it 4 star plus and the hotel proudly displays 5 stars on its entrance and publications. In reality it is more like a 3 star hotel that is clinging on to past glories of a 5 star rating. Jet2 should be ashamed of marketing this hotel any higher than 3 stars. I would best describe the Akti Palace as " very tired". Bad points: The shower was dangerous. The hook up head was at the sloping end of the bath and pointing out of the bath tub making it difficult to shower without losing balance (see pic) The screen was narrow and it was impossible to shower without flooding the room. We found out this was the same with the room next door, so definitely a safety issue throughout. Also the screen sealant leaked , pouring more water on the floor (see pic). The towels were always grubby and hard, looking like they had been boiled a thousand times. The hotel offered a La Carte dining in 3 themed restaurants, all of which looked like an afterthought, with concrete floors (see photo) no decor and a distinct lack of tables. All 3 restaurants rushed you through the multiple courses and couldn't wait to get you out. The waitress even argued with me when I asked for a clean plate and called the head waiter ! Thankfully, he obliged but not very willingly ... In the main dining room, the food was average at best, although there were many choices, the food was more Cafe than 5 star dining. A fussy eater would struggle. One thing that was also very disappointing were the cocktails at the bar. All were poured from pre mix plastic bottles, cheap and cheerful and tasting nothing like the recipe. Very poor as there were no real cocktails or cocktail waiters at this hotel. Good points: Although the hotel was at best a budget venue, the staff, all except one, were fabulous, helpful and friendly. The only one that let the side down was the blonde in the main bar ... always grumpy and pouring drinks like it was way too much of an effort. The pool areas were always clean and well maintained. The evening entertainment was on the whole pretty good. All in all, that's a snapshot of this hotel. I'm not a great lover of putting a place down without good reason, but even with the lovely people who work there, this is a hotel we will be avoiding in the future ...