Royal Hotel and Suites

"Great Location and Clean, But Food and All-Inclusive Let It Down The hotel's biggest strengths are its excellent location and cleanliness. We stayed in a two-bedroom suite, which was lovely, spacious, well-equipped, and kept very clean throughout our stay. One thing to note: if you intend to use both bedrooms, make sure you specifically request this, otherwise as in our case - the second bed may not be made up on arrival. This was a problem as the receptionist was not able to authorise anything without a manager - who was not there. I called the tour operator and they managed to sort it out for us. The pool area looked attractive, and the sunbeds appeared comfortable. Unfortunately, we didn't spend much time there. The area is quite small and was often crowded and noisy, and although there was a dedicated children's pool, families were using all of the pools. If you're looking for a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere, this is not it AT ALL. As for the all-inclusive package, I honestly wouldn't recommend upgrading. While premium packages include branded drinks, there was a noticeable difference in both quality and service if you didn't upgrade. The standard drinks seemed to come from dispensers and often tasted watery and overly acidic. The cocktails were particularly disappointing, with very little care or attention given to their preparation. Even simple requests, such as a slice of lemon in a gin and tonic, couldn't be accommodated, and no drinks were garnished with fresh fruit. Mind you - the bar area is quite small and as it has nothing going on there, no live music or decent drinks it does offer a relaxed quieter vibe. The biggest disappointment, however, was the food. This is where the hotel falls far short of its ambitions. Halkidiki is famous for its incredible fresh produce, fruit, vegetables, olives, and honey, yet very little of that was reflected in the dining experience. The selection was basic and repetitive, with only apples, pears, and oranges available daily. During our stay, we never saw bananas, and only once were melon and pineapple offered. Honey came from plastic tubes, the butter substitute was served in plastic containers, and there was only one type of bread available, which was frequently stale. I raised this issue on several mornings. They did offer Gluten free bread but that was often stale and not labelled so I could never be sure it was actually GF. There was a small grill station preparing pancakes and omelettes, which was one of the better aspects of breakfast, but overall the food felt more in line with a 2-star property than a hotel aiming for a more upscale experience. Don't bother with the complimentary à la carte meal. It was honestly one of the most bizarre dining experiences we've ever had - we were the only ones in the restaurant and it felt like something straight out of Fawlty Towers. The dishes were disappointing and certainly didn't offer anything above what was available in the main restaurant. The one exception was the Greek salad, which was fresh, tasty, and probably the highlight of the meal. The poor chap who was serving us literally just popped to the main restaurant for our food and waited outside until we finished our course. He was very upset that we couldn't eat the steak - it was horrible. The hotel appears to be positioning itself as a higher-end resort especially with the suites and private plunge pool area and also it seems to have a partnership with Bar Olivio on the beach. They promote it often so we visited - no one told us the hotel offered a shuttle bus to take you to the bar so we did the 15 min walk. The bar itself is pleasant, but everything is served in plastic containers. Sunbeds cost €10 per person, along with a €30 minimum spend, which felt excessive when most nearby beach bars required around €20. As a result, we ended up spending most of our money at the local beach bars and cafés, where the food and drinks were 100% better. Overall, the hotel offers a great location and excellent cleanliness, but the disappointing food, poor-quality drinks, and crowded pool atmosphere mean it's not somewhere I would rush back to or recommend."

"A hidden gem, this hotel is full of surprises. Tucked away down a quiet lane amidst a more authentic Greece, yet only a few minutes stroll to the beach and many facilities, it's well worth a visit and will likely see you return many times. We've visited Greece and the Greek islands many times, but this is top of the lot and deserves the review. The room is beautiful and we were surprised when the manager advised us he had upgraded our room. The finish is both modern, pristine and spotless. It came complete with a beautiful modern shower room, a separate vanity area with a lit positional mirror. The blinds and curtain are electric and automatic. Entering your room you'll find it cool and pleasant. The blinds close after you leave to help with the cooling. The hot tub is pleasant and high spec, with tall dividers between rooms for privacy in the private balconies. The staff are all charming, friendly and eager to help. Genuinely can't fault them. Take the chance to greet them warmly and keep your eyes peeled for the tip jars! Many swifts nest in the hotel eaves, stripping away the mosquitos and other insects in the area above the hotel, meaning your evening is likely to be uninterrupted by bites unless you're exceptionally unlucky. The pool area is lovely and peaceful, with thick mattress beds for comfort and sunshades. Even heading there in the afternoon, beds were still available. A separate, well equipped, pool exists with a kids play area. There's lots of space and pretty views around the grounds. In terms of food, I'm a vegetarian and my wife eats meat and we've both been happy but let them know. Breakfasts include traditional cooked breakfast options, fruits, yoghurt, cheeses, cakes, pastries, cereals and much more. Foods are widely varied with many hot dishes available. I've seen all manner of dishes, including Greek traditional foods like Stiffado as well as all manner of foreign dishes, including the standard pizza and chips for fussy eaters. There's also a well-stocked salad bar, and a hard to resist deserts and fruit counter. Important tip: There is also a little grill that serves all manner of kebabs etc. It's hidden away on one wall of the dining area itself and worth a trip! Drinks are great. My wife's gone for the included wine with meals and confirms it meets with her approval as does the chilled beer. There's a range of fresh juices and soft drinks and ice too, including a beet and apple which was a novelty. The drinks are all nice. The area is superb. Though seemingly tucked away, it feels like only a couple of minutes to the beach across the road. On the crossing you'll find an ATM and taxi rank. Within a few minutes walk, there are numerous tavernas and other eateries, supermarkets, souvenir stalls, cigarette kiosks, drs and more. The beach is lovely with calm, warm mild waters thanks to its cove like location. Many of the beach areas include thick mattresses and most operate on a minimum spend policy. You may find yourself committing to spending 20-30 euros per couple and staying there all day, enjoying fresh foods and varied drinks. Along the beach you'll find all manner of catering and pretty Greek side streets. From pizza stalls charging 2.5 euros to little bakeries, even ice cream stalls - the pomegranate ice cream went down well. There's plenty of charm to be found. After 7pm it's a completely different scene. Even in early season the streets are bustling with many more shops, eateries and bars active. I'm told in peak season it gets very busy. For those who are adventurous, continue down the lane by the hotel and you'll find signposts to a turtle sanctuary up in the hills with amazing views and hordes of the cute little nippers. My wife suffers from arthritis but can confirm the hotel has a working lift and the walk to the beach is relatively short and gentle sp she can manage it. Based on experience so far, absolutely recommended."

"This hotel is overall a lovely place, small compared to other hotel complexs but it has a nice chilled and relaxed vibe. The pool and sunbeds are nice, cushioned beds and not overly busy so u don’t find yourself struggling to find a bed at any time in the day. The all inclusive buffet was really good, something for everyone. Our room was great and as described, friendly maids changed towels everyday too. clearly been redone recently feels fresh and the fridge is super cold love that! Staff here are lovely especially Cristina on reception she is so helpful and helped us with booking our boat day trip - super lovely! and the bar men also friendly and chatty. Table tennis and mini golf available too. hotel is 5 min walk from loads of restaurants and the beach, gorg area! a few areas for improvements: there seems to be an old spa area but is deserted, would be great to see this complete again. There are new nice cabana sun beds which were empty 90% of the time, but they are reserved for premium guest packages only - just think it’s a waste not to offer them to other people if they aren’t being used day to day. The snack bar is good but adding greek gyros to the menu would be amazing! Buffer food is good but most fresh fruit in the morning please as only has canned fruit. The hotel’s beach club/bar is at least 10 min walk away and u have to pay for a sunbed there which is a bit unfair if u are all inclusive anyway. also we turned up spontaneously and were told we had to have a ticket from the hotel so just went to another beach club as there are loads for cheaper btw! there are loads of flies around the restaurant area and pool in general but understand this probs can’t be helped! Overall this hotel is really nice for a relaxed vibe, close to the beach and town and fresh rooms/environment. Would go back!"