Avra Imperial Hotel

“Peaceful, well located, leisure resort”

Me and my girlfriend spent a week at Avra Imperial Hotel half board last July, we have been to Greece and Crete several times before but never stayed at this hotel before. We really enjoyed our week here in the beautiful town of Kolymbari, we found the location of the hotel to be great since it was… more

Me and my girlfriend spent a week at Avra Imperial Hotel half board last July, we have been to Greece and Crete several times before but never stayed at this hotel before. We really enjoyed our week here in the beautiful town of Kolymbari, we found the location of the hotel to be great since it was remote enough from major cities to enjoy the peaceful beaches and beautiful views onto the mountains that the town has to offer, yet it was relatively close to Chania allowing for a pretty quick transfer from the airport to our hotel as well as convenient commutes to the city using the public bus. There were lots of great restaurants such as Edem and Palio Arhontiko located close to the hotel (5 minute walk) allowing us to have a great A La Carte dinner and a sunset walk each evening we spent there. There were quite a few nice sightseeing opportunities close to the hotel such as the Byzantine monastery located just up on the hill (20 min walk) with beautiful views of the island and sea. Upon arrival we were pleasantly surprised by a sea view room despite opting for a garden view room. There was a supermarket located a short walk away from the hotel allowing us to stock up on essential items our trip as well as local gifts for our friend s and family back home. The rooms were clean, modern and renovated when we arrived. The rooms were designed beautifully and practically for a couple’s retreat, fridge was kept empty according to our request, the air-conditioning while not adjustable was set to a good temperature which allowed us to escape Greece’s July heatwave during the peak afternoon hours. All the necessary appliances and additional garments such as a safe, vanity mirror, fridge, bathrobes, slippers, mugs and glasses as well a corkscrew were found in the room as additional items were provided to us upon request. One little feature of the room which did annoy us was the matte glass window found in the bathroom leading to the hallway which we found quite unnecessary and let in excessive noise during the night from the hallway. The balcony of the room was large and provided adequate privacy from our neighbours, one thing we missed was drying rack for all the wet bathing suits we anted to dry after the pool. The food found at the buffets was very good and there was a wide selection. It was a well rounded mix of international as well as local dishes. The breakfast service (specifically coffee ) took quite a while yet nothing out of the ordinary and the restaurant staff were generally friendly and helpful. The opening times of the restaurants were adequate and even after a delayed afternoon cruise we managed to grab to get a lunch with most of the options still available. There was a wide selection of international and local drinks, wines, beers and cocktails at the bars and restaurants of the hotel (averaging at about 10 Euro per cocktail). The pools, spa and beach of the hotel far outmatched our initial expectations, with several pools too chose form we were not disappointed (one of which is accessible to teenagers and adults only). The spa had a wide selection of of treatments, massages and an indoor pool (even though those are somewhat redundant in Greece it was nice to have the option). The beach mostly consisted of pebbles rather than sand which is quite typical for most Cretan beaches yet might scare off some visitors was equipped in sufficient sun loungers and a bar for guests of the hotel (we mostly stuck to visiting the beach between 16:00-19:00 and there were plenty of sun beds to choose from). We were able to rent a tennis court as well as equipment for free. The majority of the staff at the reception, concierge, restaurants and bars were friendly and spoke English very well. A few members of staff (3-5%) seemed less enthusiastic about their work which is understandable, we ourselves faced a few rude and entitled guest during our visit. The day before our departure we requested an early breakfast on the following day and were offered a well stocked breakfast box by the staff which we picked up from the reception whole paying our checkout bill, That being said we were disappointed by constant reminders and offers by staff to tip, as Europeans we used to a fairly discrete tipping culture where we’re not continuously reminded to leave a tip at any and all opportunities the staff gets to request one. We usually tend to leave a discrete tip of 5% when the service reached our expectation, 10% if the service was very good and 20% if the service and staff were extraordinarily attentive, kind and helpful, At Avra we felt very pressured to leave a tip any time we requested anything that was not included in our half board offer. Personally we believe we shouldn’t receive a bill with a blank space for a tip every time we order a drink or water on the room. Additionally I believe that the behaviour of the receptionist checking us out of the hotel was unprofessional by playing on our emotions in order to coerce a 15% tip on our entire checkout bill from us.

less

“Worth the money if you like to chill”

This hotel is great if you want to relax and eat amazing food. We had a great time and the weather was fantastic. The all inclusive package is amazing! Well worth the money. It was also very easy to get Sunbeds even if you went down to the pool at 10. However, I do have a few negatives. The buffet… more

This hotel is great if you want to relax and eat amazing food. We had a great time and the weather was fantastic. The all inclusive package is amazing! Well worth the money. It was also very easy to get Sunbeds even if you went down to the pool at 10. However, I do have a few negatives. The buffet restaurant doesn’t offer a wide range on food so if you’re a picky eater like me you might find yourself over at the kids section. There is NO entertainment and I mean none. There’s no music around the pool during the day which you do notice. At night time we would often find ourselves just going to bed as we were quite bored in the evenings. The location isn’t bad. You can stroll down to a local harbour however besides a few restaurants there isn’t a great deal to do there. You’re best off catching the local bus to Chania for something to do. All that aside, we had a fantastic time all the staff are so friendly and are willing to do anything to ensure you have a great time! Ps visit Elafonisi Beach- you will not be disappointed!

less