Achileas Beach Hotel Reviews

just come back from a very enjoyable and relaxing holiday (June 08).i would recommend this hotel for anybody who likes relaxing the hotel is very clean and the food is good there is even entertainment on every night.hope to be going back next year,

Just got back from a week last few days of Sept/ beg Oct 2005 at Achilleas and it was the most relaxing holiday we have had for a while. We read the reviews and made our decision to go because we got a very good deal last minute through Med hotels who sell you the room and we booked the flights with My Travel.

We went with the view that if the food wasnt up to much we could eat out as really we didnt pay much more than self catering would have cost in the same resort of Mastahari which we really liked the sound of. The Hotel was actually much better than we had expected, it was well maintained and run and was very clean everywhere. I really can sday that the place was kept spotless we never saw any litter or dirty glassses, spillages or anything out of place.

The room we had was very good no 39 which was in a block of 4 on the second floor with amazing views out to sea towards Kalymos Isalnd with sunsets to die for from the balcony. I would recommend this black 37 to 40 becuase it had a very gentle ramp up to it so would be brilliant for those who cant do steps , but like a nice view. The room wasnt 5* star we didnt expect it, we wanted clean and adequate which is what we got, with the bonus of a fridge in the room. this we kept water in and a few drinks for sunset watching from the balcony , but it was needed because I did not see any drinking water at the bars or in the restaurant. Drinks were self service, in the restaurant and the beer pumps on our side at the pool and served in proper glasses only plastic cups for soft drinks at the pool.

The pool area was brilliant very clean loads of sunbeds and the largest cleanest freshwater pool I have seen in Greeece. We tended to use the beach where again sunbeds and brolly were free. If there was a down side for us it was that the restaurant was very large and lit with purple (I kid you not) flouresent lights. It completely lacked any atmosphere, and was ruled by a miserable old guy whom it has to be said kept standards high , no spilled and squahed chips or messy tables here matey, the tables are spotless, they even change the tablecloths between every diner!.

The food was edible, lots of salads and quite a lot of choice at each meal but did get a bit samey after a while(would recoomend the mousaka and the cheese and spinich pie, which I swear was the best I have tasted in greece in over 26 years! We never got any tummy troubles , and the white wine was very very drinkable(hic !) I dont think I would like to stay there at the height of the season, I think you would probaly have to queues building up , but when we went it was great. We intended to eat out every other night in Mastahari which is about 20 minutes walk along a well lit path along side the beach (we saw a crab walking across in front of us to the dunes!)but actaully only went out twice at night because the food really was OK. Entertainment - A fakir show , a greek dancing show, that was it, but who cares? I think they had something on for the kids everynight, we could here the same kiddy tunes as we walked out to the restaurant 'I am the music man umm-pa-pa!' and there is a disco but we didnt go.

Mastahari was very sweet apart from the harbour which seriously smells, but the taverners are good , so go and try El Greco and the Traditional both just a the end of the beach path from the hotel. Would I go again? yes at the right price, and out of season, I just think you can get a better deal self catering eating out every night, and that there are much better places to eat and stay I believe the Neptune in Marmari is excllent food wise, if you want to be hotel based. As the saying goes you pays your money you takes your choice, so Good Luck amigos.

we did not visit this hotel by choice our other hotel was overbooked so we had to stay here for 3 nights. room was bsic with double bed but quite hard. we didnt have to pay fo ai conditioning i think to compensate for mix up.

pool nice and big ample sunbeds and the food wasnt bad passable. lots of cats waiting outde restaurant and i thought it was a god idea to get your glass from poolside bar and get your own beer. animation not good they offered darts and that was about it they had some shows fire eating but that was at amn ampthie theatre by beach i missed that and some other guests said we hadnt missed much people where leaving before it finished. they had a greek dancing night which looked good.it wa nice the pool tabel and tebale tennis room was not dominated by kids the adults could have a go.

mastrahri the villge is about 20 min walk along the costal path part of the beach is nudist but the nudist were older and they had everything on show love handles etc. in the hotel they advertise the number one bar when we found it it wasnt open until 19:00 hrs. i would stay here again i found it ok dont be put off by some of the reveiws i would only stay for a week rather than 2

we stayed here in aug 2005 and found the apartments very comfy(apart from the pillows).. exceptionaly clean and althoug told air con was 6 euro per day bot me and my friends air con worked without paying. the place is kept exceptionaly clean and the pool is huge, also we went high season and found it always easy to get sunbeds and restauant was never rushed or packed. the food does get monotonous but could always find something to eat,

however on the nights we got bored we found and excellent restaurant called tasty palace on the sea fron just up from elgreco, we ate at both and tasty palace was by far more appetising and the staff extremely hospitable. the hotel had entertainment every night and plenty for the kids to do!... i would recommend this place for famillies and sun worshippers but not much in the way of nightlife for 18/30's...

all in all there are good points and bad to every holiday but to me the good far outweighed the bad and i would return! just 1 more thing ... all inc ice creams only available 3.30pm till 4.30 pm???? whats that all about??

Make sure you only book with medhotels or you will be without rep throughout your stay they are the only british company the rep there. Room was awful but were moved to a much nicer room with a fantastic sea view. Hotel settings are lovely and the pool is fantastic it really is olympic sized. childrens pool was good but the slope in was very slippery i fell straight on my back as did alot of other parents so need to be careful getting in and out. You need to be up early for a sunbed though.

Now to the AI part. Food absolutely disgusting my 2 year old did not eat a single thing not even their ice cream. You are made to feel like you are in an army camp by most staff with the exception of reception who are great. So many rules and regulations. My husband could not even get a drink for us and our daughter without going twice as you can only take 2 drinks at a time.

We ate out after the 3rd day as we couldn't take it anymore. Mastihari is nice with good restaurants and very reasonable prices 4 adults and 2 kids can have 2 course dinner inc fresh fish and drinks for 100 Euro's and 1 of us had lobster. Don't touch the rep deals do it yourself from kos town. reps want 35e's for 1 adult to go to Turkey for the day the boats in kos (lots to choose from) charge 5 - 10 inc bus at other end. other trips have similar price difference.

A must is paradise beach say no more really the name says it all. really safe for the kids too.

Entertainment in evening was moderate animation team were pretty good. kids club
staff were from germany did speak english but were quite cold and unapproachable.

Nice break would not go back. was there for a week could not have stayed for two if they paid me. We had a good holiday but everyday there was at least 1 thing that dissapointed us or we did not like about the hotel.

All inclusive.
July 27th - I wk

We flew with thomas cook from glasgow.Arrived 3.30am Kos time and were taken to the resort by minibus(hoteltransfer.com)We were greeted by staff in reception area and taken to our family accommodation which was spacious and clean. After reading some reviews I was extremely nervous about our holiday but I am pleased to say our holiday was perfect. No queues for food. Always greeted and given a table. Staff were friendly and welcoming. There was a large variety of food all of which was hot and edible with alot of ";british"; food. The pool was olympic size and also a childrens pool. Plenty of loungers.

All inclusive was great - Soft drinks, alchoholic, fruit juice, snacks tea coffee, icecream for kids between 3.30 and 4.30, Entertainment , kids club.Mini disco everynight apart from wednesday at 9pm. Walked to Mastihari along the beach which is lit in the evening. 20mins with children.Plenty of resteraunts and bars.Took shuttle in to Kos town-12euros running every other day.Book in advance. Parks, mini golf and games room. Beach to the left of the resort was lovely but beware of the strong currents.

Wish we had taken driving licence to visit other places on island. Very relaxing, children happy.

This is the hotel you need to visit if you are looking for peace and quiet.

The hotel I would grade 3 star but is advertised 4 star. The hotel is clean although the rooms are very basic.

Pool is excellent very big!! The animation team do various activities but are not pushy. You do need to be up fairly early for the sunbeds.

Food - Is what you would expect - There is variety but you do feel that is repeated many nights. If you get tried of the food you can always walk to Mastihari (20 minutes from hotel) they have plenty of restaraunts and would recommend Elgreco (blue rest. on beach)

Beach - Is small but ok

Entertainment - At the evening there is a one show per night except wed (which is the day of for animation team) alot of the shows are based on holidaymakers quizes/Mr and mrs etc.. but the bad side is the shows are away from any bars but you can take two drinks per person in plastic cups.

Bar - The bar is nice and relaxing but no entertainment.

Overall view of holiday. If you are looking for peace and quiet this is the hotel to go too. We enjoyed our holiday for a break and for last minute deal it was good!

Booked this last minute so did not have much time to research. The hotel is a bit off the beaten track, around a 20 minute walk along the beach from the village of Mastihari. We stayed in a family apartment overlooking the mini-golf and the beach. Fairly basic accomodation, no TV (who cares) and the air conditioning was on even though we did not ask or pay for it (double result!!). You would expect at least a hair dryer in 4 star hotel, but there was none. Other than sleeping / changing we were not in the apartment, so no real complaints there.

The pool at the hotel is huge, around 50 metres x 20 metres, and although we were there in July we never had any trouble getting sunbeds, but try to get your towel down before 09:30. There were two beaches at the hotel. The first one is pretty small and the sea is rocky, but walk along to the left for about 100 yards and there is another longer beach. The seabed here was less rocky. Sunbeds at both beaches were free for hotel guests.

The all inclusive food and drink was basic, but this was our first AI holiday, so I have to take the word of other guests we talked to. The food did get a bit repetitive, and you eat all 3 meals in the same place. I don't drink spirits much but was told that they were quite rough! Wine appeared to be watered down at the main bar, but the beer was ok. Snacks during the day were the same all the time (filled rolls, pizza fingers, veg pie). Soft drinks were ok but were of the Soda Stream variety. Pool bar closes at 18:00 when the main bar opens. Both bars are next to the pool. There appeared to be a beach bar building and area, but this was not open.

Entertainment - I'm not really in to this but we went to one show at the outdoor amphitheatre which was ok (a Fakir show with beds of nails, fire eating etc). There were also the usual musical shows, best boy / girl etc, which the kids enjoyed.

Outside the hotel area there is the village of Mastihari, which is a 20 minute brisk walk away along the beach path (lit at night). Double the time if you are trailing tired kids. Village is very small but there are around 20 bars / restaurants, and most seemed ok. The beach here was good. You could also try the Dolphin Bay Bar, which is around 200 yards from the Achilleas Beach, left along the beach. Exellent cliff top views over the sea to the islands, and a good place to go when the All Inclusive ends at the hotel.

ps book excursions from the village rather than through the tour rep, you will save a fortune. Don't do the Turkey trip on a Tuesday as there is a market day on and it is very busy.

Like a lot of the reviews we read just after booking (last minute.com) we would start by saying we were scared after reading reviews of travellers who had previously stayed at this hotel! However, we were very pleasantly suprised. The transfer is a mere 10 minutes. We paid £18 each for a transfer there and back but then found out that a taxi is 12 euros each way. We'll transfer by taxi next year beacuse in the words of Arnie...we'll be back!

We arrived around 3pm their time and for the 6th October the weather was cracking the flags. In fact, it didn't rain once through the day whilst we were there and temperatures were in the 80's so we were pretty chuffed (as they say in our neck of the woods).

Our room was certainly not 4 star. But, it was clean, had a fridge, free air-con, bath AND shower, sea view, nice balcony and generally was ok. The beds were indeed rock-hard and the decor was drab to say the least. But, all in all it was fine.

The pool is good - although colder than an eskimos nose! And, the pool bar was fine although it is true that the poolside bar staff are a miserable bunch. However, the beer pumps are on our side and the warm snacks are self-service too so we had no real problems. Plenty of sunbeds but that's probably down to the time of year we went.

The beach is a spit away and was lovely and virtually deserted. The sea was nice to walk in but we wouldn't have dared to swim as it was a wee bit wild. The food was generally fine with lots of choice catering for us Brits, the Germans and locals. Although, you must walk to Mastihari and checkout Al Greco. Their food is to die for - particularly the prawns sagnaki. And, it is a romantic walk and well-lit at night.

We played lots of table tennis, bit of pool, crazy golf etc. As for the animation team - they arranged water polo and darts - PERIOD! The ";zoo"; is erm, ";cheap and cheerful"; and ";the lake"; (with swans and ducks) is anything but a lake. However, we didn't go there for that. We went there for the advertised peaceful location and decent amenities offered. And, we were not disappointed.

Don't think we'd risk it in high season but all in all we'd give it a 9 out of 10.

Enjoy!

Like many others have said, after reading other reviews, I wasn't sure this was the best place to come, but was considerably suprised.

All of us were finishing our A Levels and wanted a place to chill out with the oppertunity of parting but not with force.

We arrived at around 4.30 am to friendly but not overly helpful reception staff who got a guy to take us (by torchlight) to our room who stood for awhile expecting a tip. The pictures of rooms when we booked looked very bright and cheerful and although everyone should not rely on what you see in a picture, it was not quite what we expected. Colours such as curtains needed a wash and were a dingy brown, the beds in the main room were two singles (not ideal for couples) and the beds were rock hard. The bathroom was acceptable yet clean (every day by the friendly old women of greece).

The pool and pool bar was by far the best part of the holiday. The pool was excellent and extremily clean and at the time (october) sunbeads were not a problem in reserving or using. However, because we went right at the end of season they began clearing up around us, that was fairly annoying. The pool bar was around 20 seconds (25 if you were hot) walk away that served local (watered down however) beers, wines and spirits (WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THE 'TEQUILA SUNRISE') very yummy if you have enough. Food was served from the bar but dissapointedly only consisted of pizzas or as we called them (dry as you like mate!). The area was very clean and the people we met were very nice, but you'll have a job making the bar staff laugh... or smile for that matter.

The food. I knew I would have to get to this bit. Now I knew we are young but the food was dissapointing and not good if you plan to take young children. The food was geared towards Greece with dishes such as Mousaka and fried Squid. They were often cold but for those fries fans out there, there are chips and plenty of them (obviously thats how they cater for the Brits). The salads were very nice and so my girlfriend said so was the soup. Well nice as in warm. This was very poor and a let down on the holiday as we were that desperate to get to Gatwick to get a McDonalds. If you want to go in with a bit of leg showing (males and females) the strange head waiter will humiliate you and tell you to leave to put more decent clothing.

Most nights we ventured 20 minutes to the village of Mastihari that has a nice beach and a few restaurants that we ate at (if you go and eat the food, you will know what I mean) and there were a few gift shops that are relatively cheap. Food for three was about 35e.

The beach has some nice waves and good for kids to have some fun in. We did however, swim out a bit to far to find we were drifting away from shore. The tide is strong so be careful. The beds were free and offered shades free.

Now, if you are looking for a quiet holiday alone or with kids this is the holiday for you, but be prepared to eat out and also be prepared to venture to other areas of Kos in the evenings because the entertainment obviouslyy drowned in the sea. Kids may get a little bored, but we met a few couples there and they played cards and drank a lot... Good for couples as you are not pushed into anything in the day and have the chance to sit in the bar without loud music entertainment drowning out conversation.

Having been, have a strong feeling I would return but possibly in the high season to see if there is a difference. Already I can see prices remain the same. DON'T BE PUT OFF BY THE OTHER BAD REVIEWS would give 8/10 and thats not bad! JOHN

We were pleasantly surprised for the normal standards we expected in Greece. We would rate the hotel as one to visit if you are looking for a relaxed laid back holiday with no hassle from the staff or locals.

Accommodation
The room we stayed in was large, clean and private. Had air conditioning (which we didn't have to pay for), a kitchenette, fridge, shower/bath, radio alarm and tv. Towels were changed when you left them in the bath and linen was changed once a week.

Food
There was a good choice of food at all meals with plenty to choose from. Maybe lacking on the fruit and veg front but salads made up for that. Pool snacks were fine and with a good choice of drinks (not served in plastic glasses in the evening).

Entertainment and Staff
Low key but available if you wanted to join in (no pressure). The staff weren't your typical friendly Greeks but what do you expect in a large hotel!!

The pool was olympic sized and clean. There was never a lack of sunbeds (probably the time of year). The beach was quite large and only a two minute walk from the bar, with free sunbeds and shades. It provided us with a cooling breeze too.

Mastihari can be easily reached by a coastal path from the hotel (15-20 minute walk). A sleepy village with a few bars, good eateries and gift shops.

We didn't buy trips from the rep but used the local bus service to Kos and other areas and ferry over to Kalymnos. It was a lot cheaper and you didn't get hoarded around sheep.

We would advise you book your return transfer with Med Hotels (due to the lack of taxis on the island and it's cheaper).

All in all we would recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a quiet, relazing break.

We booked this holiday through the internet but were slightly concerned by some of the awful comments on this site!
Please do not be put off by the negativity of some- their are some valid points mentioned but all in all good value for money and a relaxing break.

The hotel is ideally situated beside the beach and we were lucky enough to have rooms directly onto the beach. The beach itself wasnt brilliant-it was much better in Mastihari itself. This lovely village could be reached by a 10 minute walk along the coast-good food at El Grecos. An unspoilt vilage with pretty harbour - try the cocktails at the Bali Bar!

The hotel food was ok! Breakfast and lunch were fine-but by the evening particularly after a few visits it was nice to eat out elsewhere. However, from expereience this is similar to most AI hotels I have visited. Dont expect a relaxing evening meal as it gets quite busy and is a bit like a school canteen. But for the price we paid for our holiday we were quite happy to eat out sometimes.
The pool is fantastic,plenty of sunbeds in September. The rooms are roomy,free air-con,clean bathroom-plenty of hot water and clean towels.

Do try and venture from the hotel -we hired a scooter at the shop oposite the hotel and saw plenty of the island-visit Paradise Beach for a treat! Kefalos for an unspoilt village, harbour and great tavernas. Kardemena was 18-30's style, nice beach but packed with sunbeds and dogends!

All in all a great holiday-the weather was fantastic (september) and we had a great time, definitely going back to Kos but will stay in Kefalos.

I went to the Achilleas on August 4th, and I very nearly cancelled the holiday after I had read some of the reviews on this website.

I was pleasantly surprised. It's fine.

We arrived at the hotel at 3.30am, and were shown to our room by torchlight. The rooms are basic but fine, they are clean and have an ensuite bathroom with a balcony (We had a fantastic view of the beach)
The pool area is great, a huge pool, plenty of sunbeds, and lots of greenery, shaded areas, and of course, the pool bar.

The food. My only complaints were: No fresh fruit, and watered down juices. There was always a great selection, with loads of choice for all tastes.

Loads of entertainment, with the Animation team announcing games of water polo, football, and loads of other things. There was a small ampitheatre on site, which was used for childrens entertainment.

The drinks are all fine, locally produced soft drinks and the beer was quite nice too. There was also a really nice bar area, with seating indoors and outdoors, with non intrusive music.

The snacks in the daytime were a bit naff, usually consisting of the leftover sausages from breakfast on top of a small pizza!!

Get a taxi from the airport, it will cost about 15euros. There is a small shop opposite the complex that sells all the basics.

I will answer any questions you have.Don't listen to any of the bad reviews, they are all very unfair.

We booked accommodation and flights separately - last minute (2 days prior to departure). We then read the reviews!! We paid e15 for a taxi to the hotel arriving early hours. Check in was very swift. Shown to our room by smelly man who was,I think, in training for the 100m olympic race.

ACCOMMODATION - Room was basic but ok. 2 bedrooms with extra large double bed and 2 single beds in 2nd room, large bathroom with full-sized bath, good shower with plenty of hot water before 6.30pm. Towels changed daily if used ones left in bath. Fridge in smaller bedroom. Bedding changed once in the week we were there. Curtains could have done with a wash!

FOOD - Unfortunately I can only give this place 2/10 for their culinary skills. Mealtimes were like a cattle market. Never enough tables for everyone. Although it seemed that larger families could reserve their tables. Best food was soup (as this was always hot) and the salads and feta cheese. All the main meals were cold or barely warm. Watch out for the head waiter - he's always on the warpath at breakfast and lunch times looking for female new arrivals who are wearing sarongs over their bikinis that are slightly see-through. He takes great pleasure in humiliating you by shouting to you across the restaurant.

DRINKS - This is where the place really lets itself down. The bar staff are the most miserable bunch of individuals we've ever come across. 11pm is cut-off (literally). We watched someone go to the pool bar to order their allocated 2 drinks. Barmaid served him one of them then pulled the shutters down and nearly chopped his hands off. He complained that she hadn't finished serving him only to be told that it was 11pm and the bar was closed. This angered alot of people, but to be fair, they knew it closed at 11 so should start queueing earlier. Drinks were available after 11 but you had to pay.

POOL,BEACH - Pool was huge. Could have done with being hosed down in the evenings as the surrounding tiled area was quite dirty. Be prepared to get up early (7.00 am) to reserve your beds as it gets very busy. Snacks were ok. Queueing for all incl ice cream cornets between 3.30-4.30 was an absolute joke! You can buy other ice creams any time of the day.
The beach was lovely. Very peaceful compared to the noise around the pool. The fact that it was so nice, clean and picturesque made up for the crappiness of the hotel. We spent most days on the beach but again had to be down there with towels at 7.00-7.30am.

ENTERTAINMENT - What entertainment?

SURROUNDING AREAS - Turn right as you come out of the hotel and go and have a drink/eats at the Dolphin Bay Beach Bar. Very nice place.
In the opposite direction is Mastihari. We walked into the village most evenings. Takes about 20-25 mins but is a lovely walk. We ate at El Greco's - very nice. The village has a small assortment of bars, supermarkets, restaurants. It is very unspoilt, the typical Greece we were expecting. We caught the ferry to Kalymnos from the harbour here one day - highly recommended. We had a great day there - another beautiful unspoilt island.
All in all we had a wonderful week away. Spend as much time as you can away from the hotel and you will have a great time. If you've booked a cheap last minute deal as we did - take some extra cash and eat in Mastihari not at the hotel.

This is an all inclusive'ish hotel. Don't expect 4* it is more like 2*.
We would like to go back to Mastihari one day but would stay in one of the many self catering accommodations in the village.

On reading various internet reviews we had doubts as to whether we should have taken a last minute booking here. However, these doubts were completely unfounded.

We flew with Excel Airways. Normally the airlines have only a couple of check in desks open but Excel had about 10 in operation and we went through rapidly.

On arriving in Kos it only took about 15 minutes before the bags could be collected. There was no indication as to which conveyor belt they were being delivered on, however, as there were only two it was not too difficult to find them!

We were met by a Med-Hotel rep. who guided us to our transfer bus, which we were advised to book due to the lack of taxis on this small island in peak season. The transfer took about 10 minutes. This worried us as we thought that being so close to the airport we would be disturbed by aircraft noise but this was not the case.

We arrived at a very unsociable hour of the morning but this was no problem as the reception is manned by very pleasant staff 24 hours a day. It was only through reading the various reports that we knew that we had to pay 6 Euros per day for air-conditioning, we were not told this by the hotel. I advise it, as this means that you can keep the patio door shut at night which prevents the mosquitos from entering. We also used a plug in repellant. They did not appear to bother you during the day.

The room was large and clean with a good bathroom. We had no problem getting hot water at any time (although it was nice to have a fairly cool shower!). The only critiscism was the rock hard bed.

Although the dining hall was indoors and it did get full at times, the choice of food was excellent. I can only imagine that those who criticise it have no sense of cullinary adventure and want to exist on egg and chips all day.

The pool was huge so at no time was it crowded, although the sun beds around the pool were constantly occupied. There was, unfortunately, the universal habit of reserving sunbeds with towels. This appeared rather a selfish act, particularly as I observed that one set of beds were reserved for a whole day by a family who used them for a total of about 10 minutes (an English family not German).

Cold drinks were available throughout the day, as were snacks (if you could face them after the excellent meals).

The grounds of the appartments were superbly kept. It was a pleasure to walk around them. They also had a small zoo but perhaps not the best kept animals.

The appartments had their own beaches but not very large and rocky in places. I read reports of them being dirty but this turned out to be black volcanic sand washed up from other islands! The better beach was a pleasant 20 minute stroll along the coastal path into Mastichari. There were the usual sunbeds laid out but not compacted as in many more popular resorts. Only about two-thirds of the beds were in use at any one time and some under the shade of trees. There was a breeze for most of the time which was pleasantly cooling for us older ones!

There were plenty of restaurants along the main stretch of beach but we did not feel the need to try them due to the standard of food at the hotel.

Entertainment in the evening was pretty standard, delivered by the reps; quiz evenings, top of the pops etc. The highlight was the Greek evening where Greek music was played and traditional dancing demonstrated, with the option to join in for those who felt the urge. I would like to have had better evening entertainment, particularly live music.

The reps worked tirelessly all day, providing splashasize, water polo, volley ball, kids clubs etc.

On the return journey we were met as Kos airport by huge queues. This is apparently normal as the airport is quite small so only a few flights are allowed through at any one time. However, it was a bit allarming not knowing this at first.

All in all it was an excellent holiday and I recommend it, particularly for the price.