Aphrodite Hills Hotel by Atlantica

This is our second time back to Aphrodite Hills and it did not disappoint. The hotel is beautiful, even down to the little details of the nice smells they pump into the main reception, the lovely hand soaps and the decor.

The staff, both Tui and local are all fab and go out of their way to make sure everyone has what they need.

We stayed in a family suite with private pool and they are just spectacular. Would highly recommend if you are able to.

The food at the buffet is fantastic and it has an amazing choice of à la carte restaurants as well as a good selection of restaurants in the village square. You get a discount on these restaurants which is a lovely touch.

This was the first year we went where the hotel were enforcing the pool rules around not reserving beds. I don’t think I’ve stayed at a hotel in Europe where there hasn’t been some kind of sun bed lounger drama or rules about reserving beds. I personally think it is refreshing that they are enforcing the rule as it does make it fairer to everyone. My husband is an early riser so it didn’t impact us too much, he got down at about 7.30- 8 most mornings and didn’t have any issues. We met him for 9am, went for breakfast and then enjoyed our day by the pool. We did not experience any of the lifeguards being rude to people, they were simply doing their jobs which was to take peoples belonging from the sun beds if they were left there before 9am. People know those are the rules so if you risk nipping back to your room to sleep then you can’t really complain.

We loved the evening entertainment as did our 6 year old daughter. The main pool is great for all ages and we spent most of our days playing there. The staff at the kids club are fantastic and my daughter loved going along for some of the sessions they ran. They have great themes and all of the kids seemed happy there and excited to go back.

If you are looking for a family orientated all inclusive that has the luxury feel and perks of an adult only hotel then I would really recommend this resort.

DIRE LACK OF SUNBEDS

If you want a sunbed and a relaxing holiday this is not the place for you.

If you want happy, pleasant staff members and helpful management who give consideration to guest's concerns and act promptly this is not the place for you.

Please note that many of the 'good' reviews on this hotel are referring only to the Spa, not the hotel itself, so don’t be misled by that.

There is a dire lack of sunbeds at this hotel, made worse by the ‘Pool protocols’ and the 'pool policeman' all of which make the simplest of holiday pleasures, A SUNBED, impossible unless you are sitting on one by 6am. As this hotel complex does not have a beach facility there is not the alternative of obtaining a sunbed on the beach, as there is in many other hotels. This serves to exacerbates the sunbed chaos.

You are obligated, under the ‘pool protocols’ to sit on the sunbed until 9am, under threat of your possessions being removed and your bed/s being taken by other guests should you leave.

This resulted in a great deal of competitiveness and bad feeling between guests with ‘forced’ early risers being tired and irritable throughout the day. You had to make a choice between sleep and a sunbed. Not an ideal holiday scenario. Many guests commented on and complained about this to the Tui reps and the hotel management, but nothing was done, as the lady in an earlier review remarked. There was a lifeguard regularly ‘policing’ the pool area who would remove possessions if you were absent from your sunbed for too long, so no relaxing long lunches! We witnessed this numerous times during our stay and the approach from the policing lifeguard was, we found, intimidating and less than pleasant. All in all, not the nicest of holiday atmospheres.

The morning after we arrived, we went to the main pool at 8.30am and there were no sunbeds available. We subsequently went to the children’s splash pool in search of seats and again, not a single sunbed was available, thus as the children were excited to splash about, we had to sit on the hot floor, with no shade! Not quite 5-star facilities.

I reported this sunbed situation to the Tui rep and asked him to log it and to let the hotel know this was an issue for many guests, not just us. The Rep was clearly already very aware of this issue, but his response was that there was nothing Tui could do, it was a hotel issue, and that his hands were ‘tied’. He advised that if we wanted sunbeds we should get to the pool early and sit on them until 9am. There were countless pool regulations, eliminating any fun at all. To add to the chaos, guests are prohibited from using the pool until 10am when the lifeguard comes on duty (although the lifeguard appointed as ‘sunbed policeman’ was patrolling hours earlier).

So many people complained that, in a futile effort to improve matters, shortly after our arrival notices were put on doors advising that ‘sunbeds may not be reserved before 9am. Any personal belongings used to reserve sunbeds prior to the time will be removed and taken to the Main Pool Bar for safekeeping and identification. Additionally, sunbeds left unattended for prolonged periods during the day may be cleared in order to accommodate other guests.’

Of course, this was not a resolution to the lack of sunbeds. Instead, the result of this was that guests wanting a sunbed had to get to the pool by 6am and sit on the sunbed until 9am under threat of their possessions being removed if they did not remain in situ. This had the knock-on effect of creating an immense influx of tired guests into the restaurant for breakfast at 9am resulting in queues forming, restaurant staff being overwhelmed and unable to provide adequate service. Because of this, some staff were so incredibly rude, aggressive and confrontational. We subsequently received apologies for this behaviour, but the damage was done! Grumpy guests and grumpy staff are not a pleasant mix.

We have never experienced such behaviours and unpleasantness in other hotels. If you can find a staff member with a smile you have done well.

NOISY AND DAMP ROOMS Our room was one of many in very close proximity to what the hotel called ‘the Entertainment Lounge’. It has no soundproofing and the sides facing the area our room was located in were open. The noise from it was beyond acceptable levels and went on very late into the night.

After a week of requesting a room change, we were moved to a damp room with leaking aircon and water dripping into the wardrobe. From the state of the wardrobe it was clear this was an ongoing problem.

Be prepared to be constantly asked for your room number in restaurants and bars.

Also be aware that there were many items on the menus throughout the resort that are not all inclusive and incur an additional charge.

ENTERTAINMENT LOUNGE The area designated as ‘Entertainment Lounge’ had significant amounts of mildew across the ceiling area, plastic chairs and a makeshift bar. Some fabric drapes had been placed across some ceiling areas but failed to conceal the mildew. Be aware that this ‘lounge’ is a marquee, it has no aircon or fans. It is not a theatre as other hotels provide for their entertainment. Whilst the website states ‘Professional entertainment sets the scene after dark’, we were immensely disappointed in the evening entertainment in the ‘lounge' which we felt was not as described, not professional, reminiscent of 1950's Butlins, falling far below that expected of a 5-star resort.

MAN IN CHILDREN’S BEDROOM One morning two of the children were asleep in the room with their dad sitting on the veranda. The room had blinds and curtains drawn so whilst dark there was adequate light to see children asleep in beds. An unknown man entered unexpectedly, with a key and woke the 10-year-old who was terrified at seeing a stranger at the bottom of his bed and screamed for his Daddy. The man did not explain who he was or what he was doing there and left when approached by the children’s Dad. We reported this immediately to management and the TUI rep and asked for security and to know who this man was and why he was in the room. No security came.

We were told it would be investigated but no-one came back to us about this until 5 days later, and only after much chasing on our part and a great deal of concern for us about the safety of the children. Neither management nor Tui reps allocated any urgency to this matter and we were eventually told it was a waiter coming to collect a plate from the room.

Thus, ensure you have the chain lock on your door.

LATE CHECK OUT There were no courtesy rooms available, just, we were told by the Tui rep, a couple of showers in the gym with no private changing areas. Thus, if your flight is a late one (as most are) and with having to vacate your room at 11am, late check out is the best option.

BUT be aware there are few available and at the ransom cost 180 EUR per room. Accordingly, most guests 'camped out' in the bar area awaiting coach pick up .

Overall, this was the worst holiday experience we have ever had and we would definitely not return.