Arkadianos Apartments Reviews

this hotel is full of lanagaus cast off it is full of 18-30. so you constantly woken at 3,4 am with screaming and laughter, there is only one main pub in agosis called the wild roses it is ok if you like karoke but only on tuedsay and saturday there is nothing going on any other days so you have to venture into lanagas even the locals are fed up of the 18-30

There is only bar on the main strip catering for kid it is called the britsih bar you will always find a good and frendly welcome there, the owner as ps and a x box for the kids.and the so called family steet that your rep direct you to is rubbish the only good thing was tramplines and golf which is very expensive. If you are party of six dont let them put you in room a2 there is a pipe running along the top and it leaks pure sewage on to your head has i found out at 7am in the morning oh by the way the repair man only speaks greek,german,spanish not english has he sort of told us on the second time of this pipe leaking and has for the rep she does alot of airport duties so be ready for a long await its was two weeks before i finally got she was at the airport on my way home.

but on the plus side we found a great bar/restraunt it is on the beach it is the second one along and there a little man who will chase up the beach but the food is great.and i would recommed the turtle boat trip and also the trip company just up the road from this hotel are cheap and very good i did four trips with them and very one was good and half the cost of thomas cook.
the water park is not to missed either if you have kids but make sure to take plenty of money it quite expensive once you get in side .

Hi All,

We had a fantastic in October and will be going back again next year.

The apartments to be honest are a bit cr*p, there are no cooking facilities apart from small hotplate,no kettle or toaster and the walls are paper thin (i guess it didnt help being next door to Steve and Karen Mcdonald from Coronation street with 2 brats, mother and mother-in-law)but we really only went back to apartments to sleep while they were recharging their batteries for a couple of hours.

The resort itself is lovely and the people are just as nice, we were made to feel very welcome. I wouldnt say this resort would be suitable for young people looking for a bit of a lively holiday as there are only a handful of restaurants and 1 place with nightlife which we didnt go to as we had 2 children with us, though i think they were very child friendly.

Next to our apartments was a restaurant called the Maestro, which i would highly recommend to anyone visiting the island as the food was lovely, fresh and very reasonable (just be careful when visiting the toilet!!!!!!) just across a quite road was the beach which was small quite and very safe with sunloungers provided which is where we spent most of our time as the weather was great and we bought lilo's that we had hours of fun with (especially after a few sex on the beach cocktails).

So a great holiday was had by all (mum,sister,2daughters and myself). I believe there is a child club at the resort though it wasnt available when we went as it was the end of season.

The only down side to our holiday was the airport on the way home but we had been warned before we went (through friends) what to expect, it was over crowded and the place was full of flies, not bad enough though to stop us going back.

We did a cruise of the whole island on the last day which was stunning and a must for anyone going to Zante.

Well a big thank you and well done to everyone who made our holiday so great and we cant wait to see you all again next year-Enjoy your time off (well earned!!!!!)xxx

Angela,Linda,Julie,Amy and Erin

we arrived at are apartments 9a.m on sept 19th 2004. after a struggle of getting are suitcases up the stairs.

the rooms were really small and dark the bathroom had a little hand held shower and a little bath. these apartments are not recommened if you have a push chair or a wheel chair. we where told there was plenty of things for the kids to do. there was a kids club, but only one kids rep. she was really good with my kids they loved her she was called jo. that was the only thing they had. me and are friends spent the first week of are hoilday away from the apartments to avoid any trouble (kids will be kids there was nothing for them to do so they where all argueing with other kids. the wild rose is ok for adults but not for children.

i would recommened the cruise anf the zafri drip around the islands. the water pk is ok i have been to better take plenty of mostgito cream. the cruise was the best seeing the turtles and the dolphin cave. are daughter and her friends got to swim in the caves they thought it was great. the ship wreck was ok i was like a wreck getting of the ship to get onto the beach. we got soaked nearly lost are flip flops and no good for little kids.it was a experience. aghios sostis is not the place if you want something to do for yourself and the kids there is not much there.

it is a good walk to lagnas or about 9 euros for a taxi. are kids where so board. never again will we go back. we could not fault the weather it was hot.dont try to walk along the beacg to get to lagnas no good if you have a pram/ we used to walk along the road. good luck. shanley from benwell newcastle.

Firstly. Beware hidden charges.. 50 euros for your 14th nightfor your room, 5 euros p/day for air con.Book excursions locally, not with tour rep.

We booked a cruise around the island, on the alexandros, for 15 euros per adult, it took us to all the best beaches and caves, including shipwreck and porto vromi, where we jumped off the boat and swam into amazing caves.unforgettable day out.
We also booked a tour bus around island interier- anafronita monastry, macherado church, blue caves, etc.also brilliant.
We bought local table cloths, rugs, pottery etc. from local villages for a snip.much better than going shopping in zakynthos town.

Aghios Sostis is a lovely place. Authentic tavernas overlooking the sea,with cameo and marathonisi islands really worth a visit. The taverna on cameo island just has to be seen to be believed, like something from a bond film. Hire motor boat for 15 euros for an hour(40 for 4 hours)and pick your own beach, or enjoy jumping in the clear waters.superb.

The island is truly gorgeous, only let down by Laganas, a gross disco town of the tackiest kind. avoid. dissapointingly, much more of the laganas beach should be shut off to tourists, so the turtles can nest in peace. We did see a turtle, but in the evening from cameo island, not from a glass bottom boat, gliding you past plastic imitations.
Arkadianos apartments were pre fabricated, poor quality and very thinly equiped. The pools got really busy early on. Why???

The beach at sostis is really lovely, with fabulous views, and bar/tavernas set right on them. far better. The best thing about aghios sostis is that the greeks go there, so that says it all. Taverna prices were good, at about 35 euros for family of four to have a great meal with drinks. The Greek night at scirrocos was superb, dancing in the streets, stopping the traffic.

Overall. A beautiful island, charming resort, lovely people, not over priced, memories will live forever. Arkadianos was not my kind of place, so best to take a bit more spending money and discover the island.

J

ust returned from Aghios Sostis on the island of Zante and had an incredible time. The apartments were basic but large and clean, with the maid coming in twice a week to change towels and sheets (she even does the washing up). Two pools, one ddefinitely for the family because it has a shallow end and lots of children having a ball. The smaller pool at the very front of the apts was more for adults because it has no shallow end. From this second pool you can look out into the sea and the famous Turtle Island. Very relaxing. The family pool was great fun for kids, but should be avoided by non-parents wanting some serious sun bathing.

Many people complained that there was nothing to do in Aghios Sostis and for them it ruined their holiday. For us on the other hand it was a perfect location. It did not feel too commercialised because the strip only offers beatiful restaurants and a few bars - no disco music pulsing full blast. It was just the ideal location for a family with small kids. The Maestro restaurant (attached to the hotel) serves great food and you can eat while your kids play on the beach.

The beach is tiny outside the hotel, but if you walk up to the right of the beach it becomes a little wider and a little bit more 'up market' with bars right on the beach that bring your drinks to your sunloungers. The sea is shallow enough for young children to play in unattended. And so clean!

We went on the Shipwreck boat cruise which I frankly would not recommend. The views were breathtaking but the trip was just too long and we all became tired and irritable. It should have been cut by half.

The best day we had was the day we hired quad bikes. Despite Emma the rep discouraging this, we went ahead anyway and had the time of our lives. We rented two bikes for 20 euros each for 24 hours. We each sat a child in front of us and up the mountain to Kerri we went. I was scared at first but the Greeks give you a wide birth and after a couple of hours I was very confident having the time of my life. We saw views we would never have seen otherwise. The reps always try to get you to rent a car through Avis because they get commission, but children don't like to be stuck in the back of a car they can hardly see out of. This way was perfect and the highlight of our holiday.

The main strip in Laganas was like Blackpool and not a place we wanted to visit. Likewise Zante town was not a particularly nice place to be. Too busy and no beach. We made the lovely if a little treacherous walk from Aghios Sostis to Laganas and found a great restaurant, but the strip was horrible.

We only went for a week which wasn't long enough. We wanted to go on the Jeep safari which everyone raved about but it was booked up. If you want a quiet holiday with great food and spectacular views, this is for you. Not really recommended for single people.

Well, where do we start! We have just had one of the most enjoyable holidays in a long time. So much so, we didn't want to leave.

The apartments: we stayed in a studio that was equipped with basic necessities for a self catering holiday. The room was clean, with bed linen and towels changed twice a week and with a daily 'clean-up'. We did not use the air conditioning unit provided but would fully recommend it, especially at this time of year! (5 Euros per day). There was a mixture of different people including young people looking for a relaxing place during the day and a lively place at night (that was us!). Aswell as young couples and families with young children. The people we made friends with included all the above and appeared to be having just as good a holiday as us.

The nightlife: The pool bar is a must..especially with a bar guy with a name 'Mentor'! He makes the best cocktails and supplied us with regular free shots..which were 'interesting'! The Wild Rose is next door with kareoke and regular themed nights. There are a few other bars near by but we didn't venture there. Laganas is a 1/2 hour walk on the beach (quicker when pissed!) and is an extremely lively, 24 hour party town. We went once and visited Rescue, Potters bar and Cherry Bay..all highly recommended.

Eating out: We went to the Maestro which is next door and serves traditional Zakynthian food. This was good value with friendly staff. We were recommended the breakfast roll served here at 3 Euros but never got to try it ourselves. We tried Syrataki and decided it was the best of the three we ate at. The other restaurant was over the road from Syrataki and was ok. There are also a few other restaurants in this resort providing plenty of choice.

The resort: friendly, a relaxing place to be and we fully recommend it. The beach is quite narrow but has plently of sun beds (watch out for the 5 - 6 Euro charge for these!). The sea is gorgeous, warm and clear. There are lovely views all around with Turtle island and Cameo island being regular hot spots for visiting.

Trips: Booked a deal with Thomas Cook which included three trips; we visited Zakynthos town which was interesting but we found the heat too much to cope with as we were there at midday. We went to 'A night to remember' which consisted of a 3 course meal, unlimited wine and a show performed by the reps. This was a fab night and a must see. Last of all we did the 'Sunkissed cruise'. This involved a day on a 3 tierd boat (with 250 people) with plenty of shade, an air conditioned lounge and a snack bar for those who want it. It took us around the south of the island visiting certian hot spots and stopped for a BBQ lunch on a beach (good food!). We would highly recommend this trip.

Over all a fantastic holiday and met some great people who made our stay even better. Thank you to the Scotts of the HOTEL OF HORROR (don't worry..this is where they work in Scotland)!!!

This was Charlie and Nic (AKA Suzi and Talula) reporting. XX

We travelled on the 09 October 2003. The party consisted of 3 Adult Females in their 30s 1 Adult male in his 30s, 2 young girls of 11 and 12 and a young boy of 2.

We found the accommodation to be basic but very clean, the facilites were good for that time of year due to end of season, lots of resturants to choose from and plenty of supermarkets too. The only complaint we had was the main pool looked green all the time and the left hand side of the accomm never got the sun. However, the Maestro Resturant served some of the best meals in the area, Breafast Rolls are to die for!! As was the Lamb Souvlaki.

There was always a very friendly smile no matter what time you went into receiption 8am or 4am in the morning. The staff were all very pleasant and friendly.

The resturant staff you could not fault, all were very friendly, especially Vangelis, and the breakfast waiter, whose name we did not get.

The staff in the Wild Rose are just the best - Mentor and Just George! Yammas!!!!!

The beach was clean and not very busy, and you could order bar service from Maestro too. Just remember to take your empties back!

The clamber over the rocks from resort to Laganas is easier in trainers and around 5-6pm at night as it is not too hot then. Also do not recommend taking small children in buggies or those with walking difficulties as is a bit rocky - however, we found that a bottle of vodka helped the encouragement - well at least for 2 of us anyway.

2 of us are already booking up for next year maybe May or October.

All I can say is thank you for everything - we had the most relaxing, entertaining, brilliant holiday in such a long time.
see you all again next year!!!!!

I have just returned from a wonderful holiday in Zante which much exceeded my expectations.

On the first day we arrived I was very disappointed to discover that our toilet in the apartment did not flush. Due to this problem, there was a constant bad smell in the bathroom, which smelt like it had never been bleached. We complained to the staff on reception within the first 10 mins of arrival and within an hour and half, a member of the maintenance staff were sent to rectify the problem. The JMC rep was told but did not appear to be too concerned and we were told moving to a different room was not an option because there were no rooms available. This was ok for a day and then the problem occurred again which resulted in us manually flushing the toilet with a manky old loo brush! Very stomach churning in 95c heat! Nevertheless, we put up with this problem for a week as we assummedthe standard of the rooms were the same throughout the hotel. This however, was not the case as the rooms in the 2nd block are of a much higher standard and spotlessly clean! Do not let this put you off though because the hotel staff are very reponsive and will see to you problem.

Apart from the toilet problem the hotel room was clean and basic and we had lovely sea views. It was very hot late afternoon in the room as the sun went down but this is something you have to accept if you are holidaying in Greece.

The most wonderful thing about these aprtments was its location of about 10m away from the beach. The beach is so clean and there are sun beds available at a charge of 7 euros for 2. The beach is ideal if you are a family with small children as the waters are calm, clean and shallow.

I highly recommend hiring one of the samll motor boats available for hire and visiting turtle island. The boats are roughly 45 euros for 4 hours which is pleanty long enough. In that time we visited turtle island which as a wonderful, Carribean style beach at the back which is perfect for snorkeling. Hiring your own boat is certainly much cheaper than the large organised trips which are known to be very noisy and overcrowded. One of the main highlights of the holiday was our own private viewing of a logger head turtle which seemed very happy to put on a show for us. This is definately the best way to see the turtles. If you are not boat minded, there is no need to worry as the staff give you full instructions of where you can and can not go and teach you how to use the boat properly.

Maestro's Tarverna is exceptional for food and very reasonably priced. We enjoyed it so much that we ate there every meal time for our entire holiday. The kids will very much enjoy the pizzas, the Chef's sald is top and beef stifado and the stuffed peppers are great examples of Greek cooking at its best. The full English breakfast is also great value at 4 euros and comes with both a hot and a cold drink! And what can I say? George, Mangellis, Pari and Co were so friendly and welcoming and nothing was ever too much trouble. Definately there presence as well as the great food was what made guest keep returning.

Night times in Laganas are great if you are in the 18-30 category like myself but it is certainly no place for a quiet night! The drinks are just as expensive as back home in the UK so taking advantage of happy hours and free shots with your first drink is your best bet! Bad Boys bar is great if you are into RandB and hip hop- my best bar by far!Cherry Bay is good for cheesy tunes but gets very crowded and hot!

Finally, be aware that if you have a night time flights, you will be required to vacate your room at 10am on the day before you leave. You are required to pay up to 50 euros for a late check out, just to get your 7th night. My best advice is to get day time flights where you can to avoid all this. The airport is a nightmare, mainly because it is not big enough to serve the amount of tourists who pass through it every day.

Nevertheless, this has been one of my best holidays by far, you really feel at home in Aghios Sostis and it is somewhre I am definately going to return to next year- I'll just have to make sure my toilet flushes!

Being a big fan of Greece I was especially looking forward to going to Zakynthos. However, this was the first time it was just myself and my parents going on holiday.

This meant my holiday personally started off boring, the resort is very small and the hotel was packed with kids under the age of 12! This was because there's a kids club.

Because of the kids club the hotel was very busy so we did not spend anytime there during the day.
We mostly spent our time on the beach which is practically right outside the hotel! Towards the end of our first week we discovered the hotel just along from Arkadianos, can't remember the name but the bar attached was called Sirrocos! Staff in Siroccos are absolutely lovely! Ros and Ben own the bar - Ros is from England and Ben is from Albania, most of Ben's family work in the bar, but there is also a scottish waiter called Michael who is one of the funniest blokes i've ever met - (Hi if you read this!)

If the pool area at Arkadianos is too overrun with kids you can use the hotel's pool next to Siroccos completely free!

Back to Arkadianos! The walls of the apts are paper thin so i recommend ear plugs unless u like to eavesdrop! Apts exactly what you would expect in Greece - basic but clean!
Two bars in hotel but the main one we used was called Wild Rose, this place is not exactly brilliant! I advise not using the toilets because they aren't very clean!
Entertainment is quite good - when we were there the kids rep Disco Dave organised quizes and pool tournaments and there was karaoke some nights - can't remember which!
Both reps (Dave and Melissa) were lovely and i'm sure they would be very helpful with any problems (we had none!)

If you want to go sight seeing it's best to go to one of the tour operators opposite the restaurants.
If you like to walk I advise taking the half an hours walk along the beach into Laganas! This walk is very rocky so you need your good walking shoes!

Overall Aghios Sostis is a nice resort although it is quiet. We regularly ate in Siroccos- mainly because we became good friends with the staff!

The locals/bar staff/restaurant staff etc. were very friendly and always eager to teach me more Greek!

I recommend Aghios Sostis to people with young children who will enjoy the kids clubs!

After a frantic search for a last minute holiday we were offered Zante ...... we couldn't have asked for a more perfect Resort for our family.

If you haven't travelled to Zante before then the first impressions will not endear you much - the Airport has got to be one of worst I've ever used. Only one carousel and about four flights all coming in!!!! No trolleys (so take cases with wheels) and a half mile hike to the coach station.

Aghios Stostis is fantastic, just enough bars and tavernas with a few shops to keep you in the Resort but only a 1/2 hour walk to the busy resort of Laganas if your looking for something a lot livlier!!!

The Hotel was just across a small (not very busy) road to the beach and sea. The sea is calm, warm and very clear and clean. It's absolutely ideal for the kids and very safe!!!

The Hotel itself was extremely basic - two ring stove/ fridge / two pans / crockery and cutlery. The Hotel was very clean and the maids are always busy the whole day. The pool area was also very clean and nice. The downside being - no Air Conditioning (fans available to rent from reception). The rooms are also not very noiseproof!!! so a pair of earplugs wouldn't go a miss. You can hire a safety deposit box that are held in reception for all your valubles.

Most of the resorts bars are along the front and evenings can be spent just eating, drinking and watching your kids paddling in the sea (fully clothed). They all are about the same region of prices and the meals are very nice and fairly sized. We personally liked the Maestro Bar opposite Arkandianos as the food was gorgeous and the waiters very friendly (beware you get given a free Ouzo shot after each meal)

We also liked the Paradise - which was to your right on leaving the hotel with a short walk up the road and round the corner. The menu here for kids was especially nice and they have a small play area - food was fab (try the Chicken Paradise). We were spending on average for a family of four £13 per lunches (inc. one alcoholic bevvie) and £22 per dinner. Drinks a little more expensive that we'd anticipated but cheap enough if you stick to Mythos (lager) and 1/2 Carife of house wine.

We ended up booking all our trips from the lady opposite Manthos bar - much cheaper than booking through the rep and always as enjoyable. The half day cruise to the Shipwreck and Blue Caves are definetly worth a go!!!

We booked our Turtle spotting trip through the small outfit operating from the Manthos Restaurant (very nice men!!!)and actually did see a couple of Loggerhead Turtles. Although later on we booked a small motor boat for one hour (19 euros) and took ourselves round to Laganas bay and saw two more!!!! obviously a cheaper option.

The Island tour is worth doing just to see if there's anything you want to go back to and would recommend getting this done first!!!

Zante town is very nice too - although there are a lot of Art and Craft shops which you could spend a lot of money in!!!

Car hire is fairly cheap out there - we found a family who'd booked x6 days for a small car for around £90.00.

If you book through JMC - they run a kids club which you have to pay for (5 euros per child per 2 hour session)this we found slightly costly but in general didn't find the kids actually wanting to go as usually enough around the pool and beach to do!!!!

Sorry to waffle - but we had a really lovely holiday.......

In summary I would definetely recommend the Resort and prefer Zante to Corfu and Rhodes .... the hotel basic but clean and staff friendly and helpful ..... ZANTE AIRPORT IS A NIGHTMARE..

On leaving Zante (day time) pack up sun cream / water and food for when your stuck in the blistering heat awaiting to go through passport control .... its hell.

Would not recommend going in peak season as would imagine a little too hot!!!! it was late 90's at beginning of June.

So if you going ENJOY!!!! and have a nice time ..... say hello to Eddie the paraquete in Maestro restaurant for me!!!!

Thomson recommened this holiday to us. On a positive note the weather was lovely and the local beach was suitable for kids as it was clean and the sea was shallow for some distance so no worries there. The airport was mayhem and shabby.

When we got into our appartments I was shocked to see food debris in the corners where the cleaner missed with the brush I reported it to reception and they cleaned again still leaving mess in same places I just told my daughter not to touch while I cleaned the floor myself, we could'nt self cater because the two ring hotplate took a long time to heat up, the water tap had a dribble of water and took forever to wash out bowls there was no pans, things were very old and dirty and there were ants here and there. OK so we ate out it cost alot of money. You would think with self catering that you could at least make toast or a cup of tea -NO- not when theres no kettle or toaster or grill. It was very much like a camping holiday no lounge to have a few drinks at night we sat outside under umbrellas being bitten to death by mozzies. There was'nt really a bar only a hut thing.

The loggerhead turtles were lovely and the scenery was stunning the walk to Laganas was alright but not for the frail. We were warned by the rep to use bottled water which we brought but we did speak to a few people who had upset stomachs. We all had a upset stomach at some point on the holiday my mother took very ill with sickness on the last day the coach to take us to the airport arrived I told the rep who was very laid back and unhelpful.

This holiday is not in my opinion good for very young kids. Prob more suitable for young couples. We told our local Thomson agents what as a family from grand-parents to a child the standards we wanted in the holiday and they reassured us that we would enjoy it here they obviously have different ideas on standards.

There was 10 of us in our party and we all enjoyed our holiday very much.On first arriving we found the accomadation a bit grim though it was very clean.The rooms were very large but very basic it would have been difficult to cook a meal on 2 rings,this was not a problem for us as we ate out every night at the different taverna's in aghios sostis.We all liked the low key atomsphere of the resort and the beach was just outside the complex.The beach was very clean and the sea was gently sloping so you could go a long way out without going out of your depth.If you wanted more nightlife Laganas was a short taxi ride away which cost 7 euro's or during the day you could walk there which took about 20 mins personally we prefered where we were.

Just returned from a wonderful week at the Arkadianos Apartments. Perfect time of year to go, weather wonderful and nicely cooling in the evening so as not to need fans. Clean apartments, Debbie the manager is English and cannot do enough for you. Location is right next to the beach. Our apartment had a wonderful view of the sea and the deeper pool. Although we were directly over the 'Wild Rose' disco the noise was not a problem because we were having such a good holiday and believe me I'm not a heavy sleeper.

Favourite restaurant would have to be the Bougainvillia which is a walk through the back street and the Syrataki, which we looked onto from our massive verandah. Try the garlic mushrooms!! Showers were a bit hit and miss if you are looking for hot water, but with the heat of the sun you need to cool down anyway. Look out for the iguanas who like to sunbath on the pool shower. Two pools meant that we almost had the deep pool to ourselves as the many families with small children stayed by the shallow pool. Fantastic place for kids, though I wouldn't go July/August as I would think it would be too busy and the disco probably much noiser. Trying to persuade the rest of my family to go again next year and take our grandson. Try it - it's great value off season