"The hotel itself was okay, but overall our experience was disappointing.
Upon arriving at Marathon Hotel, the first thing we noticed was that our room was much smaller than expected. It was clean and well-maintained, but simply too cramped for our liking. There was also a loose cable protruding from the bathroom wall, which wasn't ideal from a safety or maintenance perspective.
The pool area was clean, but getting a sun lounger was a challenge. Many guests would reserve loungers early in the morning by leaving towels on them and then disappear for long periods, sometimes for well over an hour. This seems to be a common issue, but the hotel could benefit from introducing some form of organisation or policy to prevent loungers being occupied but unused.
The food was another disappointment. Having stayed at several all-inclusive hotels before, including some much smaller properties, I was surprised by how limited the selection was. The menu was largely the same each day, with only a few items changing. There was one Greek-themed evening that offered a small selection of local dishes, but I expected to see more authentic Greek cuisine throughout our stay. While the food was generally acceptable, nothing stood out as particularly memorable.
The all-inclusive drinks package was also unusual. Beer and wine were only available between 10am and 6:30pm, while cocktails were restricted to the period between 6:30pm and 11pm. I've stayed at many all-inclusive resorts and have never encountered such limitations on cocktails. Unfortunately, when we did try them, they were among the worst cocktails I've had and were barely drinkable. If you're not a fan of beer or wine, I would think carefully before paying extra for the all-inclusive package.
The entertainment was probably the weakest aspect of the hotel. Every morning at around 10am, a staff member would place a large speaker next to the pool and play loud music. While this might suit a lively resort atmosphere, very few guests seemed interested, and it wasn't ideal for those looking to relax by the pool.
The evening entertainment was equally underwhelming. Karaoke nights often ended up with hotel staff doing most of the singing, and the standard wasn't particularly high. There was also a music quiz where guests had to identify which films songs were from. However, despite the hotel attracting guests from many different countries, the quiz focused heavily on songs familiar mainly to British tourists, meaning most people couldn't participate. To make matters worse, exactly the same quiz was repeated on two separate nights. Overall, the entertainment team seemed unable to adapt activities to the audience or gauge what guests were actually enjoying.
The only entertainment we genuinely enjoyed was the Greek night, which provided a much better atmosphere and offered something more authentic.
In summary, if you're happy with a small room, a limited and repetitive food selection, restrictive drinks options, and loud poolside entertainment, then this hotel may suit you. However, based on our experience, there are better all-inclusive hotels available that offer better value and a more enjoyable overall stay."
