Brown Beach Evia Island

Location: good, and right on the beach. Rooms: Spacious, nice, good showers. Food: Very average quality, same stuff everyday , dry , no chef making omelettes. Pool: very nice. Pool bar: cocktails disgusting, burger was yucky, ice-cream good. Waterpark: awesome. Service: good. Spa: great massages.

I stayed at Brown Beach Evia Island and unfortunately had a disappointing experience. The biggest issue was the gym. The hotel advertises a gym, but during my stay it was regularly filled with unsupervised children. They were running around, shouting, swinging on the equipment and climbing on the machines. It wasn’t just disruptive for people trying to work out – it also seemed like a serious safety issue for the children themselves. More generally, throughout the hotel it often felt like children were left to do whatever they wanted without much supervision. Whether it was in the common areas or the gym, I rarely saw parents stepping in or staff addressing the situation. As a result, it was difficult to enjoy what should have been a relaxing holiday. I contacted the hotel to ask whether there were any rules or age restrictions for the gym. They replied after a relatively long time, apologized for my experience and said they would remind guests to supervise their children. However, they never answered my follow-up questions about whether children are actually allowed to use the gym or whether any restrictions exist. After that, communication simply stopped. I understand this is a family hotel, and children should absolutely enjoy the pool, beach and other family facilities. But a gym should be a place where guests can exercise safely and without children treating it like a playground. If you’re booking this hotel because you expect to use the gym, be aware that there appear to be no enforced restrictions regarding children, and the hotel did not provide a clear answer when asked directly. Unfortunately, the slow communication and lack of follow-up only added to the disappointment.

The housekeeping service in this hotel is far below any acceptable standard. They leave dirty sheets and towels, refuse to provide more than one set of towels per person, and will not replace the bed linen from check-in until check-out. Even when towels are dirty, you have to beg to get a clean one. Face towels are not replaced at all, as they claim you only get one and should manage even if it’s dirty. In just two days, I had to go to the reception five times to request basic things. Each time I was told it would be taken care of, but when I returned to the room, nothing was ever done. They kept me waiting, and even something as simple as tissues for the room required asking multiple times. On top of that, the room is advertised as having a safe, but they don’t mention it’s locked and that you have to call someone to come and open it. Overall, the lack of cleanliness, poor service, and constant hassle made this a very unpleasant stay. I would not return to this hotel

🛏 Rooms The rooms are extremely small and cramped. The sink is almost on top of the toilet, and there’s barely enough floor space to open a suitcase. Our daughter’s bed was made of two uneven wooden planks, placed in a way that made it nearly impossible to walk to the balcony. There was also a low wooden shelf above the mirror in the hallway that we kept hitting our heads on — uncomfortable and quite unsafe. The “sea view” from our room was mostly of the lobby roof and noisy air conditioning units, with only a partial glimpse of the sea. ⸻ 🥾 Walking Trails You can reach the Eretria promenade from the hotel by walking along the coast — it’s about a 1.5 km walk. The area is peaceful and pleasant for light walks, especially in the evening. Still, for greater convenience and flexibility, renting a car is highly recommended. ⸻ 🍽 Food & Drink Meals are simple and limited, with only a small selection that changes slightly from day to day. No dedicated meal options for children. Between meals, only minimal snacks are offered — usually one or two items, and sometimes even those were unavailable. The lobby bar was closed during our entire stay. The only operating bar was at the pool, with a very limited menu. Even the swimming pool had no visible depth markings, which felt like a safety oversight. The on-site shop sells only souvenirs and beach gear — no food, drinks, or cigarettes — which is inconvenient given the remote location. ⸻ 🏖 Nearby Activities The hotel is located in Eretria – a quiet coastal town with a charming seaside promenade, restaurants, and cafés just a short drive away. There is direct access to the beach and paid water sports at the hotel. A small water park is also on-site and featured prominently in hotel promotions, but entry is not included – €15 per adult, €12 per child. ⸻ 🔒 Safety There were no visible safety signs at the pool area. The shelf above the hallway mirror is low enough to bump into, and the small size of the elevator (barely fits two people and a suitcase) felt impractical. Aside from that, the general sense of cleanliness was good. ⸻ ℹ️ Good to Know The hotel is located about 1.5 hours from Athens Airport. Public transportation is not practical, and airport taxis can be very expensive. We highly recommend booking a transfer or renting a car in advance to avoid last-minute stress. In our case, we faced unexpected changes and struggled to find a reasonably priced ride from the airport. Luckily, for our return trip, we found George, a local driver who picked us up from the hotel, was polite, professional, punctual, and fairly priced — even though he clearly knew we had few options. He communicated with us via WhatsApp and was incredibly helpful. Highly recommended – George: +30 698 277 8510 Housekeeping was inconsistent — on some days, our room wasn’t cleaned even by 5:00 PM. A constant, loud cicada noise could be heard throughout the property, day and night. Wi-Fi was excellent. The elevator is very small and barely fits two people with luggage. There is a spa on-site, but we didn’t try it — based on the overall experience, we didn’t feel confident it would be worth the cost. Pool towels are replaced every two days. Losing the towel card incurs a €15 fee. The minibar only included bottled water. Two bathrobes were provided but could not be exchanged. Coffee and sugar were supplied in the room — but no stirrer or spoon was provided. We saw several guests with dogs, so the hotel appears to be pet-friendly. The hotel charges a local tourism tax of €10 per night, based on a 4-star rating — though the actual experience falls short of that standard. The hotel staff was truly kind and tried their best with the limited resources available, and we genuinely appreciated that.

Spent few days at the hotel last week, so here are my comments: Bedding is superb, bathroom size and amenities good enough. Had a sea view room with panoramic views of Eretria with a private balcony where I used to start and end my days. If you wanna use the sofa/bed for proper sleeping prepare yourself for a hard uneven mattress. Room size bit tight. Food wise - loads of options, tasty food, excellent cocktails, fresh fruit, variety etc. Cleanliness - medium to low. Spotted a killed mosquito at the back of my bathroom door, brown stains at the bathroom door, hair in our bedsheets and a brown stain at the sofa's bedsheet. Stained sunbeds at the pool to the extend you don't feel safe using them. The pool area is always packed and the pool is too small for the amount of the guests/kids. You have to pay for bottled water despite the fact its a 4* ALL INCLUSIVE! Loads of activities for families and kids, extra to the All Inclusive rate. Its a nice place to rest and relax with everything around you, but if you are a beach person prepare yourself for something bad. Pebbles, warm sea water, not that clean, very very basic for those who are used to Aegean Island beaches. Staff - the lack in service. Not enough personnel, you don't have the option of ordering something, but go and pick it up yourself. Tables at the buffet not always ready to use for next guests especially during peak hrs. Most of the staff are smiley and eager to assist, others are overstressed and on the go. Once, housekeeping did not replenish toilet rolls, I appointed the same to the receptionist and asked my to go and get it myself from the reception. Do not expect any food after 11pm as the kitchen is closed by then. Overall, I would suggest the hotel to those with not great expectations, would request the hotel to improve in their service and staff etiquette as you expect more when in a 4 star hotel. If I would be given the chance to go again for free, I would, but most likely I would opt for another AI hotel next time.