Louis Palazzo Di Zante Reviews

Stayed for one week all inclusive at the beginning of August. We were initally apprehensive due to harsh criticism levelled at this hotel by other reviewers.

On arrival, reception staff provided a first-class service, courteous, fast and efficient, and explained that, because the restaraunt was closed (it was 10:30pm), cold meat platters were being sent to our room. These proved to be delicious and were most welcome after the journey.

We found the room to be clean, comfortable and larger than the average 4* room. Although my wife found her mattress to be somewhat firm for her liking, everything worked the way it was supposed to and we all slept very well, the hotel being relatively small (about 180 rooms), and quiet through the night. It's a very low level building and is very picturesque.

As for location, the Louis Palazzo is one of three sister hotels located absolutely on the edge of nowhere. There is just scrubland for miles around. If you are looking for a busy bar crawl and clubbing holiday then look elsewhere. We just wanted a week lounging in the sun, however, so the remote location wasn't a problem for us. The beach is located about five minutes walk away, down 156 steps. There is a lift that travels part of the way, though, and a sort of rickety cable car for the brave.
The beach is quite small, sandy with crystal clear water and is very safe for children. Sunbeds and watersports are availabe at extra cost (4 euros for a sunbed).

Food was generally very good, with fresh cooked specialities like English style pancakes prepared in front of you at breakfast. Lunch is taken down at the beach and consisted of barbecued chicken; pork chops; chips; salad; pasta; and the like. All washed down with self-service draught Lowenbrau, wine and soft drinks. The evening meal was typical of the type of food you get in such hotels 'abroad', albeit with the added bonus (for us, anyway) of a higher than average number of Greek dishes. As about half the guests were Greek it wasn't surprising to find feta salad; stifado; stuffed vine leaves; hand wrapped kebabs; etc, on offer.

Evening entertainment was provided at one of the sister hotels, and it could be a bit risque. Having said that, it was typical of what we've seen in other hotels in the med, and was often hilarious. Karaoke night was a particular treat, with the cast of international guests fielding some of the worst singers, singing the worst songs in the least lyrical languages imagineable. All over by 10:30pm, though, so junior could get to sleep.

Overall, we had a wonderful week at the Louis Palazzo di Zante, and we wished we'd stayed longer. If you like small and friendly hotels with few British guests, decent food and low key evenings, then you'll like this place. We would definitely visit again.

We have just returned from a week in what we like to call COLDITZ, if you like being stuck in the middle of nowhere you may like this hotel.

Right where do we start, we booked all inclusive for a week as we were in Zante to look at buying a holiday home, we booked 4 star as we like to travel in style and we are bored of BandB and fancied a change. Firstly the room (603)was poor ";good view thou";, the decor is very 80's and a little american xmas decoration theme is going on its peeling off everywhere and has been stuck back down with glue, the bathroom was dirty and the work quality leads a lot to be desired, the air-conditioning had white tape plastered all around the pipe and stunk of dirty water, if you have a bird fobia stay away from the balcony as you will get pooed on by the 1000,s of swallows that have made this hotel there home, our balcony was regularly used as a toilet and it took 4 days before the mess was cleaned away, also the maid seems to think we like to keep our plastic bar glasses as she seemed not to want to move them again it took 3 days to clean them away.

The dining experience is a little 2 sided, in the restaurant its not bad although we advise you to check if your chicken is cooked and to try to avoid early eve as this is when the kids like to run around or crawl under your table while you look at the lovely but rather noisy waterfall (ASK THE MANAGMENT WHAT WE MEAN). the day time meals are RANK if you have no children your scuppered, Chicken nuggets, fish finger, chips and stale bread with manky ham and wierd cheese, we asked once we complained about the raw nuggets whether we could get a toastie? the bar maid looked puzzled, our rep 25 mins later took away the raw nuggets as the hotel didnt seem to want to know, we got a management appology and a thank you a free bottle of wine and an a appology in front of the whole restaurant from the head chef who assured us it wouldnt happen (how embarrasing) again like I said check the chicken before you end up ill.

Right down to the evenings, you have 3 bars one is what we would call BUTLINS style this is where 100's of kids hang around while the parents get drunk till the early hours watching what I can only describe as very non PC entertainment run by the so called Animation team, watch the kids statue game and were sure you will agree!! very strange, we drank at the rather small bar situated within the royal complex again along with the GERMANS and lots of kids, the palazzo bar dont bother with unless you eat lots of carrots its very dark and has an unapealing atmosphere.

The beach is around 400 steps away down a steep cliff or a long winding walk or if your really brave attempt the green steps!!, you will get charged for a sunbed more than any other beach nr by and they are better,the sunbeds are very close together so be prepared to share the shade, you may meet someone up close and personal or like we did find a used condom slap bang in the middle of the beach where kids were playing and being rather noisy as kids are.

all in all ";NOT"; really a good hotel or holiday no way this hotel should be classed as a 4star or 4sun, in a nutshell its too far out and feels like a prison within its huge walls you are forced to go outside and even thou NIKOS bar is only a 10 min walk up a winding hill thats about it!! there are a few tavernas locally but why should you be forced to pay when its supposed to be ALL INCLUSIVE.

We have just returned from a weeks holiday at this hotel. On the whole it was a relaxing and enjoyable break. You have the use of the imperial and royal facilities apart from restaraunts. We upgraded to all inclusive when we got there which was alot cheaper than first choice wanted. (22 euros adult, 11 euros child per day.) When we discovered there is nowhere for miles around, and also how expensive hotel drinks and snacks are it seemed sensible.

The pool at the hotel is small, and there is no shady spots come mid afternoon, so we preffered to use the imperial pool which is much bigger, with a good size kids pool and water slides. All the pools and surrounding areas are clean.
Beach is nice, with clear shallow water for a long way out, which is great for kids. If you take a snorkel you will see lots of fish. also lots of crabs in the rockpools. A bit miffed that you have to pay for sun loungers on the beach 4 euros each, so if using them daily would work out quite alot. Also in some parts of the beach there was alot of litter, cigerette stubs, so choose your spot carefully before shelling out on the sun loungers! Watersports on offer, very pricey. (jet ski around 50 euros for 10 mins)
Restaraunt was quite plesant, indoor and outdoor seating with a huge waterful feature. Shame I cant be enthusiastic about the food, it varied from good to awful! Probably had two good meals in a week. The worse thing was breakfast, and if eating lunch at the beach expect leftovers daily, even the chips were recycled! There was a choice but it was very samey.

The rooms were fine, and spacious with very nice balcony over looking water surrounding the pool. cleaned daily with complete linen change. Yes the decor is dated but we were never in the room for long so we could live with it, and actually its not that bad. We did get loads of mossies and bugs in the room, beetles, and my sister who was also staying at the hotel had a scorpian in her room one night!
Kids club was not very impressive, but mini disco at 8.30 every evening.
Entertainment was o.k some nights, but only lasts for an hour so expect early nights because after 10.30 there is absolutely nothing going on.
All inclusive was great for kids because they can get ice creams drinks and snacks. snacks are basically cheese and ham sandwiches, thats it! But I will say that cocktails are included on all inclusive.
The shop at the hotel is so over priced, for soviniers head for zante town, where you will pay at least 5 times less.
Didn't try any excursions but if stayng longer than a week, you will probably need to, otherwise will go crazy with boredom.

We did have a lovely holiday, met some lovely people and came back refreshed.Had a hectic journey home as zante airport on strike and had to get ferry to mainland and take a flight from tiny airport with one scanner, but I guess thats just one of those things. Fab weather, glorious all week. I probably wouldn't return, but if I did would hire a car.

My wifw and I visited this hotel on the 23rd August for 2 weeks.Our first impressions on entering the hotel was very good. We got our key for our room and on entering were disgusted to see...Paper which did not much,hanging from the ceiling, a filthy bathroom, wallpaper comming off the wall and a rag wrapped around pipes for the air conditioning.As this was a 4 star room we went to reception and reported that this room was not acceptable.We were told to go for dinner and return.

After dinner we were told that there were 2 other rooms available which went to look at. We were not impressed with any of them but picked one so that we could sleep. In this room the wallpaper was comming off the walls and ceiling, tape around the pipes for the airconditioning, the bathroom was dirty, the curtains and bedspreads were marked.We complained to our REP who did nothing about it. We phoned home and complained and on the Friday..6 days later we were moved to a room which was ok.

I thought that the food was presentable,however I had food poisoning for 2 days and later discovered that a number of staff and guests had been ill.

I would not recommend this hotel .It is too far out, the rooms are at best 2 star,the food is repetative but the staff are fantastic. If I could pick a nice hotel anywhere in the world you would not get better staff. (this does not include the management of the hotel).

Having stayed at the Imperial Beach last year in May - it was so lovely and quiet and hot, (no complaints at all lovely room and view), and considering that we spent every day around the Palazzo pool and most nights in the Palazzo restaurant, as you could eat at any of the three hotels - then. I didn't hesitate booking to stay there for a week in June this year ................

Whilst the food and service were good (for a buffet every night), and the weather - well, too hot! It was not what we were expecing.

I had asked for a specific first floor room with a view over the pool and arrived to find we were in a ";tired"; room at the back on the ground floor overlooking the car park. Now to give them their due, they offered us one of the private villas at the Imperial, which we were delighted with - then we found out why. We had to eat at the Imperial for all evening meals. Apparently what has happened is that the Palazzo is the most beautiful setting to eat at, you'll see if you go. And they have had to rule that if you are sleeping at one of the three hotels, you have to have your evening meal there, because everybody from the three hotels were queuing up to eat there. I have not checked the brochure, but I don't know if they tell you this now. As last year, we ate wherever we wanted!

Also, there is a terrible sunbed baggsying problem - go armed to get up at 3 if you want sunbeds in a good place with a brolly too!! I think you know what I am talking about, they were putting towels on the beds and then leaving the resort all day or spending the day on the beach. Be prepared to be put in the sun if you are lying next to ";someone"; who wants to put the brolly up, they won't ask or care. Also, don't expect to get a sunbed around the swimming pool. Yes, I know I sound quite bitter - but it was awful!

Go to Niko's bar whilst you are there, just follow the road, you can't miss it - he's great American/Greek and really funny. It broke up the monotony a bit.

I won't even talk about the trip home and the disgrace that is Zante Airport.

They do say that you should never go back to the same place twice - we won't again!