"We’ve just returned from a stay at Aphrodite Hills and, overall, while it wasn’t a terrible experience, it certainly didn’t feel like a true 5-star resort.
We stayed in a room with a private pool. On arrival, the room was clean and tidy, and although the décor was dated and in need of refurbishment, it was comfortable enough apart from the sofa bed, it was a room for 4 and the double bed was nice but the sofa bed for our daughter was that old and hard we let her sleep in with us, if you were looking to book with older kids and that was the option I don’t think they’d be particularly thrilled with their bed for the week.
Our flight was delayed, so the hotel kindly left some food in our room for our late arrival, which was a thoughtful gesture and much appreciated and the night staff on reception were so nice and the service was initially great.
Most of the staff were polite and friendly, although there were a handful who didn’t seem particularly interested in being there.
The standout members of staff were the pool attendants and luggage team and the night reception staff when we arrived, who were consistently welcoming and helpful. Unfortunately, the overall level of service elsewhere was disappointing.
During our seven-night stay, we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at the resort every day. Surprisingly, we were only asked whether we wanted drinks on around five occasions throughout the entire holiday. Normally, in a hotel of this standard, you would expect to be offered tea, coffee or other drinks shortly after being seated. As we were travelling with two young children, we often found ourselves having to get drinks from the bar area or machines ourselves. While that wasn’t a major inconvenience, it’s not the level of service we would expect from a 5-star resort.
Another frustration was the restaurant seating arrangements. Our children love sitting outside, but on most occasions the restaurant hosts tried to seat us indoors, claiming there were no tables available outside. However, there were frequently plenty of outdoor tables sitting empty, cleaned and ready for use. When paying premium prices for a luxury holiday, it’s disappointing to be denied a simple request when there are clearly available tables.
Housekeeping inside the room was very good, and the cleaning staff did an excellent job each day. However, the private outdoor pool area was only cleaned on the first day of our stay and then seemingly ignored for the remainder of the week. We ended up trying to keep it tidy ourselves. We also struggled with rubbish disposal, as the bins inside the room were very small. Although they were emptied daily, they weren’t sufficient for a family using both the room and outdoor area, and rubbish would quickly accumulate. Again, this isn’t what we would expect from a 5-star property.
The most concerning incident happened when maintenance staff drained the private hot tub from the room above ours. Without any warning, dirty water was released directly onto our terrace, soaking us, our children’s toys and clothing. Most alarmingly, our four-month-old son was sleeping nearby when this happened. The water was filthy, and the whole situation was astonishingly careless.
We contacted reception immediately and were told that the head of maintenance would come and speak to us. Instead, a maid was sent. Given the seriousness of the incident, we found this response disappointing. Had the water been hot, the consequences could have been far more serious. My wife spoke to the people carrying out the work, who apologised, but by that stage the damage had already been done.
One positive was the number of cats around the resort, which our daughter absolutely loved. However, one evening we witnessed some guests allowing a cat onto their dining table to eat scraps directly from their plates. Given that these cats roam the grounds and are effectively there to help control rodents, it was quite unpleasant to see them on restaurant tables around food.
For the past two years we have stayed at Ikos Resorts properties, which are also marketed as 5-star resorts. The difference in standards, service and attention to detail is significant. In all honesty, the two experiences are difficult to compare.
That said, Aphrodite Hills has a fantastic location and plenty of potential. With improvements to customer service, better maintenance standards and some much-needed refurbishment, it could be an outstanding resort.
Unfortunately, based on our experience, we wouldn’t return. For anyone considering booking, I would describe it as an average 4-star resort charging 5-star prices"
