Gerakas Belvedere Hotel & Spa

As any of you know who have read my reviews previously, they normally rate high and are quite long. I do this for two simple reasons. 1.) A review is always high if you sort any issues out whilst at a resort. 2.) Long reviews capture everything you could want to know and more in one place. So, let's start:- Location. The hotel is situated 14km (9 miles) to the South of the nearest major town which is Argassi. It is in a very rural & peaceful setting with plenty of nature and wildlife going on. The hotel is in a designated conservation area due to the turtle population at the nearby beach, therefore there are no high rise apartment blocks, no wild nightlife, no traffic, no neon lights and loud music. This location is very much unwind, de-stress, de-compress and spend time with the people you came with. Beach. Closest beach is 1km walk. On the way you will pass 3 Tavernas, one of which is at the Turtle Sanctuary. Opposite these there is a mental amount of parking (some undercover) which you can use for the Tavernas and beach. From the parking area it's 5 minutes to the beach. When you get there you will notice there are sun beds available (20 Euros for two). There are NO other facilities on this beach (No bar, no loud music, no food or drink). The reason being is, it's a turtle sanctuary. It's where turtles come to nest during the season and lay their eggs so you will notice areas and signs marked 'do not trespass' so please don't. If you walk to the left of the sun bed area towards the rocky peninsula, you will also notice that the beach becomes more nudist. There are no signs warning you, it just appears so to speak. If this isn't your thing then keep walking and don't look. Please don't laugh when one of your kids points out someone's love trophies! Hotel. Can roughly house 200 guests. When we stayed, the majority of guests were Dutch, Danish, German, some English. When you arrive there is a steep walk to the main entrance steps (about 10 metres). There's also disabled access via a ramp to the left of the steps. The reception / lobby area is open plan with plenty of seating & space to relax. You will normally be greeted by Spiros who you will come to realise is a fixer. You need something, he'll find it, book it, reserve it, fix it. Top guy. Help yourself out & pack some stuff for the pool in a separate bag so that if you arrive and your room isn't ready (typically check-in from 3pm) then you can store your luggage and go walkabout or chill at the pool. Wifi. It works in all areas. Remember this is Greece and not a major capital city or home. Sometimes it drops out, but recovers quickly. If you're still having issues then the team at reception will help. Rooms. We took a Junior Suite with Garden / Pool view (Room 211). Can honestly say it was exactly what we wanted. To see the sun rise in the morning over the peninsula and sea was breathtaking. The junior suites are normally one double bed and two single beds made from the sofa / couch. The 2 single beds are not fold out, but sofa seating (one can take a full grown adult and more, the other a teenager). Bathroom with bath / shower etc. Your room is typically cleaned 3 times a week (this might be 3 consecutive days or random days in that week). If you think you need more then ask at reception. All rooms have a kitchenette area with electric hob & sink with basics of cutlery and cups / plates. Small refrigerator and freezer box. TV is HDMI capable, but in all honesty we never used it (I don't come on vacation to watch TV or play Xbox). There is a kettle for making hot drinks, but you need to source the cow juice to go with the hot drinks first. One thing to mention here. The electricity in the room is operated by a fob on your room key. This means that if you're not in the room, none of your gadgets will charge. Safety deposit box. In all rooms and locked using the key you get with your room, no extra charge. Restaurant. We took breakfast everyday which is buffet style. Remember this is Greece, so a European buffet is going to be different to rest of the world. Plenty to choose from whether it be pastries, hot breakfast, cereal etc. You won't come away hungry. This is also the same location for the bar (well stocked) and dining restaurant which comes in the form off Buffet or A la Carte. Pool. So much has been said by others about 'It's not cleaned or cleaned frequently enough' or 'I was disgusted that there were leaves floating in the pool' or 'The sunbeds were not wiped down so they were wet and got mould on them'. So, let's clear the air once and for all. The pool area is cleaned between 7am-8am EVERY morning (I took a photo of the guy doing it). The same guy mops the wooden decking area. The same guy wipes EVERY sunbed down clean so it's dry. It is an immaculate area. The hotel quite clearly takes pride in how it presents itself. I'm not saying that there were no issues in the past, but there are clearly no issues now. Pool Bar. There is a separate bar area which serves all day. The menu for food is not extensive, but there is something for everyone. You will normally find Markella or Spiros serving you. Remember, English is not their first language so speak slowly and clearly and they will help anyway they can. Towels. Go to the pool bar and ask for the number of towels you need and then return them at the end of the day. Don't turn this into rocket science because it isn't. Plain and simple. Spa. There is an onsite spa which is in a separate building to the hotel (you can see if through the trees from the pool area). You will also find a fully functioning gym for those Arnolds amongst you which has a cable crossover machine, free weights, bike, treadmill. All modern equipment and there to be used. Getting around. It's fair to say that where you're staying is out of the way. It is a place of relaxation. So, how do we get around? Enter Spiros! Want a taxi, he'll get you one. Want a car rental, he'll get you one. Want a quad bike / ATV, he'll get you one. Want your own private yacht, he probably can't do that but will definitely know someone. Finally. All the staff at the hotel are there to help and want to help. They are a young team, but certainly know what they're doing. Treat them with respect, you'll be amazed at what you get in return. It's a shame when I've read past reviews about this hotel and it's quite clear that English is not the reviewers first language. So the review has been put through Google Translate, makes no sense when it comes out the other side and comes across as negative (with bad grammar and punctuation). Some special mentions:- Spiros 1 - The caped crusader (could be Batmans twin). Markella - Rules the bar area and could've been Cat Woman in another life. She knows how to mix a smoothie or cocktail. Athena - Although quiet do not be fooled. Clever brain in that head & she will go far. Spiros 2 - Sometimes pool bar, sometimes restaurant but all round nice guy. Kostas - He knows a thing or two about olives. Genuinely nice guy and very knowledgeable. Also, all the other people that work behind the scenes to make this a great stay. You will get to know that some of them are related. Whether sister / brother / cousin / cousins girlfriend etc. What I mean is that because they're family it means more to them that your stay is the best. If something reflects badly on one of them, they all take it personal. Last comment. Go with open eyes. If you want bright lights, busy bars, lots of noise, cheap tourist food then don't come here. If you want views, wellbeing, family time, couple time, exploring and a clean, well maintained environment then you've come to the right place.

After reading the reviews of previous years, I was expecting an average stay. But I think there must have been a shift in management and a complete rebrand. Areas of the hotel have also been renovated and refreshed. It's a beautiful hotel. The breakfast is great, in a beautiful room that is open to a large balcony, the rooms are spacious and look very similar to the photos. The cleaners come every day which is nice. The pool is cleaned, the sun lounger cushions are new and really comfy. And also ALL staff are extremely friendly and go above and beyond. By far the comfiest hotel room we have ever stayed in! The only issue is the climate/ tourist tax which is €10 a night which is a little eye watering, but if you are expecting it then it's fine. Overall a wonderful stay in a much improved hotel. Don't hesitate to stay here! Also perfetto restaurant just up the road is delicious!

Don’t know where to start so I will start with rooms, don’t think they will look anything like the photos in the brochure, don’t get me wrong the rooms are comfortable but basic and the bed was unbelievably squeaky to a point I think any neighbours must have thought we were at it all the time, when in fact we were only turning over in bed. Not once did we get to sit on the veranda because there was a wasp nest and yes they offered us a different room, but not a room with a sea view , like we had upgraded too. Pool: We didn’t once see it being cleaned and the padding for the sunbeds wasn’t taken in on an evening so they got wet and damp, so were smelly and mouldy. I think in the 10 days we were there we were round the pool twice . Reception staff were helpful and informative. Food was basic and cold, we were only B&B I felt sorry for the half board people. If you go to the evening bar be sure to wear insect repellent as it’s in the middle of the woods and drinks are expensive for what you get. Some lovely tavernas nearby and Gerakas beach is part nudist so keep you’re sunglasses on , Haha

Wij hebben 10 dagen genoten van een heerlijke vakantie in Gerakas Belvedere Hotel & Spa op Zakynthos met halfpension. Vanaf het begin voelden we ons hier helemaal welkom. Het ontbijt en diner waren elke dag weer een feestje – het buffet bood steeds gevarieerde en smaakvolle gerechten. Complimenten aan de keuken voor de kwaliteit en afwisseling! Wat deze plek echt bijzonder maakt, is het personeel. Iedereen was ontzettend vriendelijk en gastvrij. In het bijzonder willen we Florian bedanken – hij nam elke dag de tijd om ons uit te leggen wat er op het buffet stond en hielp zelfs door de pannen voor ons open te houden zodat we gemakkelijk konden opscheppen. Ook Kostas verdient een speciale vermelding – wat een supervriendelijke en hartelijke man! Hij zorgde er altijd voor dat we ons welkom voelden en niets tekortkwamen. Zijn warme uitstraling en service maken je verblijf echt compleet. Morgen is onze laatste dag en dan sluiten we af met een bezoek aan de spa – iets waar we enorm naar uitkijken. We kijken terug op een ontspannen, warme en goed verzorgde vakantie. Dit hotel is echt een aanrader voor wie op zoek is naar rust, vriendelijkheid en goed eten op een prachtige locatie.