"Family holiday with two in their 60's, two in their 30's and two 7 year olds, from Inverness, Scotland
We had a look at a number of reviews on the Mareblue before we booked it and during the time we were preparing to go, just to give us a consistent view on the accommodation.
Obviously we were satisfied with what we read or we wouldn't have booked but it's sensible to check.
We arrived on the 9th July and departed on the 20th.
I'm not going to give a lot of detail on the hotel but, in summary, it's a superb hotel.
The staff are lovely and genuinely pleasant and pleased to speak with you.
The Hotel is James Bond themed and we stayed in block "M" which was ideal for us, with two 7 year old grandkids. Halfway between the pool and the main reception and restaurant.
ROOMS
The rooms are basic but very clean, with towel changes every day apart from Sunday.
The bed linen wasn't changed during our time, and this was a small minus, but we left this in our Guest Feedback form that was in our room.
RESTAURANT
The main restaurant where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served, is again, really clean and the food choice is excellent. The salad bar is to die for with a fantastic selection on offer.
We had salads every evening and at lunchtime down at the pool bar restaurant. It's classed as a Pizzeria but is a lot more than that, with salads, pizza, wraps, pasta with a choice of sauces, macaroni, kebabs, chips, hotdogs etc
You get a visit to the Olives Restaurant and the Pizza Restaurant on your visit with the food really good in both venues.
I'd suggest you don't eat for several hours before hand as their are numerous course in Olives and large portions in the Pizzeria. Both very good and the wines are really good and reasonably prices.
SHUTTLE BUS
The hotel is about 1hr from the airport and we prebooked an air-con taxi which is a bit quicker than the bus but we did take the shuttle bus from the hotel to Corfu Town, which also took about an hour. Worth a visit for 13euro per head. Prebook in the hotel and the bus pick up is at 08:30 and drop you off at the Corfu Harbour which is great. The walk from the bus station is a bit long when it 30deg plus if you take a municipal bus. The shuttle bus picks you up at the same point at 15:00, which a bonus.
PATRONS
The hotel has a fair mix of patrons from different countries but there is not really a majority from anywhere specific. There's a good mix of French, Germans, Italians, Brits, Norwegians which give the hotel a really good feel about it culturally.
TEMPERATURE
Bloody hot, but it is Greece after all. Coming from Scotland we got more vitamin D in one afternoon, than we did the whole of the summer in Inverness.
NEGATIVES
Only one really, and again, we left this in our feedback form at reception when we left.
There is a towel shed where you pick up your free towel (10euro deposit, returned when you return your towel ticket) The rules are clearly written in various languages on the front of the shed. DO NOT RESERVE SUNBEDS WITH TOWELS. THEY WILL BE REMOVED. Unfortunately, they aren't.
This is also stipulated in the Guest Directory in your room, so there is no excuse.
Having two 7 year old grandchildren we were hoping that umbrellas would be available when we went to the pool after breakfast at 08:30. Many of these beds remained reserved but unattended until 10-10:30am.
There were towels placed on every sunbed at every umbrella by the time we got there. We suffered this for 4 days before I resorted to lowering myself to reserve sun beds with an umbrella. I went down to the pool at 07:15 and the bulk of the sunbeds with umbrellas were already reserved, which is ridiculous.
We have been to several adult only resorts in Greece where they have an easy solution. The towel attendant picks up all towels and places them in a booth. This was called "the walk of shame" when you went to pick up your towel with folk attending the pool, clapping those picking up their towels.
Sorry for the rant, but it is very annoying, when no one applies the rules.
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POSITIVES
Everything else.
This is a great hotel, family owned and the staff run the hotel as if they are members of that family. When there, we bumped into one of the family, whilst we were in the reception petting the hotel dog, Daphne. His name was Pannis. A lovely gentleman who was only too happy to talk about the hotel and asked about our experiences there.
Book it. You will not be disappointed.
There are also Hotel photographers who are very pleasant, not pushy and do a fine and very professional job. Thanks to Robert and Yannis for taking our photos.
These lads walk around the pool and hotel grounds looking for clients and they are worth talking too.
They may stay out a bit longer at the pool if their boss got them a wide brimmed hat as they bake under these temperatures.
Many thanks to the staff, especially the restaurant staff who run their area like a military operation.
The pool bar staff are in post at 10:00am in the morning dealing out beers and cocktails more or less non stop.
The free ice cream shop is a fantastic addition for kids and adults alike and they also have deserts in the same parlour.
There is a spa which my wife, daughter and grand daughter all experience and loved it, and very reasonably priced.
There is a small, compact gym which my son in law used frequently.
There is a public beach just 150m along the road as a nice change from the pool and along there is a nice traditional Taverna - Hellas, and a cracking wee restaurant and bar called Finikas which we also used on a few occasions.
The hotel all inclusive drinks finishes at 11:00pm but you can continue to run a room tab after that.
Having been to Kos, Zante, Rhodes and now Corfu twice, we would certainly recommend this hotel. First class."
