"We had already considered the Avali last year, but decided at the time that it would be too early, as parts of the offering were still being finalised and it seemed better to wait for the first full season - and that was certainly the right decision. We stayed for ten nights in August. As is our habit, we will highlight not only the positives but also the areas where we feel there is room for improvement; we believe this is more helpful for future guests and hotel management alike.
The check-in process was very smooth. As we arrived around lunchtime, we were greeted directly by Minas, the F&B manager, and invited to lunch. This man is an asset and was absolutely spectacular: he knew every guest by name and made a point of accommodating them personally at every opportunity.
After lunch, the bellboy showed us to our room and explained all its features. We stayed in a Panorama Junior Suite, which was spacious and had a large balcony with a lovely view of the sea and of mainland Greece. As everything is brand new, the air conditioning was extremely effective and the Marshall speaker in the room was a nice touch. The bathroom amenities are by Olive Era. The only thing we missed was somewhere in the room to stow our empty suitcases, although the hotel does have a luggage room we could have used. Kudos to the cleaning lady, who really went the extra mile during our stay. The turndown service, however, was a little inconsistent, as the staff only came round once in the evening - usually while we were showering.
The hotel has a laid-back vibe: minimalist yet stylish. The pool is beautiful and the water very clean. The hotel is calm, as there were not many children around. For families with young children, the sister hotel Marbella is probably the better choice. The beach is nice too, although we would recommend bringing water shoes. Even though the hotel is brand new, the large tiles on the path down to the beach already seem loose. To our surprise, by late morning all the sunbeds were often already reserved, which is something we are not very fond of. During our stay, however, we noticed that the hotel had ordered and installed new sunbeds, so management is clearly working to resolve the issue, and we are confident there will be enough loungers for the next high season. There are also a lot of wasps in the grassy areas, but they are not at all aggressive and we soon got used to them. The first time, we ordered lunch to our sunbeds; the food was delicious and arrived quickly, but the wasps found it even more delicious than we did. We therefore moved our lunch to the lobby bar, where we could enjoy it in peace and where Alexandra took great care of us.
Breakfast in the Zardini restaurant was plentiful and varied. We did not fashion the coffee as it was rather "watery" and the eggs were often only lukewarm. Breakfast would have been even better with a few à la carte options, such as eggs Benedict or avocado toast.
We had dinner at the Zardini buffet (the main restaurant), the Stia à la carte grill and Apaggio at the sister hotel Nido, and each offered a distinctly different experience. The buffet at the Zardini was small but of very high quality. The theme evenings were a nice, creative idea, but they could benefit from a few more iconic dishes — more sushi options on Asia night, for instance, or tacos and burritos on Mexican night. The desserts deserve a special mention. Thanks to the small size of the hotel, the buffet never felt crowded. The staff made sure that everything was well presented and promptly replenished at all times, and the waiters were attentive and cleared plates quickly. The Stia à la carte grill was excellent as well. What we appreciated most in general was the quality of the wines at Avali: having stayed at other all-inclusive resorts of a similar class in Greece, we have not found a selection of local and international wines as good anywhere else. One thing to improve: the ice buckets were not always filled with ice, which in this heat is something guests would particularly appreciate for keeping wine and water bottles cold. Our dinner at Apaggio in Nido was complimentary as part of the Dine Around programme, and there is no need to worry about the transfer to Nido, as the hotel arranges it free of charge. One suggestion for management: the evening dress code could be communicated and applied a little more consistently. In this heat we certainly do not mind shorts, but flip-flops and sportswear feel somewhat out of place in a hotel of this class.
Be sure to have a cocktail in the lobby bar in the evening, where Theodora serves with the greatest joy. What a busy bee! Yamas!
A word on what is included, as this is often the biggest question with a hotel of this type. Our package officially covered four à la carte dinners over the ten nights, and the minibar was refilled once a week (daily for guests with specific Marbella status). Beyond that there were no hidden extras of any kind, which we very much appreciated. Make sure to download the Marbella collection app for all necessary information.
We booked the airport transfer through the hotel; the airport is close by, only around 25 minutes away. Despite explicitly requesting the minivan option, we were collected in a minibus on both occasions. For a hotel of this standard, a vehicle more along the lines of a Mercedes V-Class would feel more appropriate. Being near the airport, you do see planes passing over the hotel, but never in a disturbing way - we rather enjoyed watching them. The main road nearby blends into the surroundings so well that it did not bother us either.
As other guests have already pointed out: what makes this hotel special is its people. We would return without hesitation - a small hotel with great food and wonderful staff."
