Mitsis Selection Alila

"We have just returned from a stay at Mitsis Alila and unfortunately left feeling extremely disappointed, particularly with how our holiday ended. While there are definitely some positives, there are also several significant issues that prevent us from recommending this hotel as a true luxury all-inclusive experience. Starting with the positives, the drinks throughout the hotel were very good and the food in the main buffet was of a high standard. However, the buffet lacked variety at times and there was very little freshly cooked food being prepared in front of guests compared to other resorts in this category. The à la carte restaurants were excellent and easily one of the highlights of our stay. There was also plenty of choice at lunchtime thanks to the food trucks and additional dining outlets around the resort. Some members of staff were fantastic, particularly the lifeguard at the children's slides and several of the bar staff, who were always friendly and welcoming. Unfortunately, the negatives significantly outweighed the positives. The biggest issue was the complete lack of sunbeds around the main pool. Unless you were willing to get up at an unreasonable hour each morning, there was virtually no chance of finding one. It became so frustrating that we ended up paying extra to upgrade to a private pool room simply so we could relax without the daily battle for a sunbed. For a hotel of this size and standard, this situation is unacceptable. Another disappointment was the inconsistency of service around the pool and beach areas. We were never offered drinks service despite seeing other guests being served regularly, leaving us wondering why some guests appeared to receive preferential treatment. Staff attitudes were also very inconsistent. While some were excellent, others were rude, dismissive and seemed irritated when asked simple questions or requests. This is not the level of customer service expected from a five-star resort. Entertainment was another major let-down. During our week-long stay, we only saw singers performing in the evenings. There was very little variety and seating was extremely limited, meaning unless you arrived very early, you often couldn't get a seat to watch. The resort felt surprisingly lacking in atmosphere and activities, especially during the evenings. The hotel's plastic-free approach is understandable, but the execution is poor. There are no bottled waters available, meaning guests constantly have to walk back to bars to refill water bottles, which is particularly inconvenient when travelling with children. If bottled water is being removed, there should be multiple water refill stations located around the resort. There was also a noticeable lack of bins around the sunbed areas, resulting in rubbish being blown into the pools whenever it became windy. We also used the spa during our stay. Arranging the booking was frustrating as emails went unanswered and we had to chase for a response. Once we eventually secured our appointments, the experience itself was very good and both of us thoroughly enjoyed our 90-minute massages. However, another serious issue occurred immediately afterwards. We were invited to sit down and relax and were told there was water and some nuts available. I helped myself to some of the water, unaware that it was infused with fruit. Unfortunately, one of the fruits used was something I am highly allergic to. There was no warning, labelling or indication of what had been added to the water. I suffered an allergic reaction almost immediately. Thankfully, we had medication back in our room which helped manage the reaction, but the situation could easily have been much more serious. In a hotel that caters to international guests and promotes high standards of hospitality, basic allergy awareness and clear labelling of food and drinks should be a minimum requirement. The most frustrating part of our holiday, however, came on our final day. When we upgraded our room during the stay, we specifically asked whether we would be able to keep the room for a late checkout. We were told this would not be a problem and were even given the price, which was €100. We agreed immediately and were happy to pay. As we were travelling with friends and had two rooms, we explained that we would only need to keep one room until departure. On the day before leaving, nobody contacted us. However, when we went to reception on our final day to arrange payment, we were suddenly told we would not be keeping either of our upgraded rooms and would instead be moved into a basic room at the back of the hotel for the afternoon, supposedly free of charge. When we challenged this decision, reception claimed they had called us the previous evening, which simply never happened. Rather than acknowledging the confusion or taking responsibility for the misinformation we had been given, staff attempted to suggest that we had misunderstood the original conversation. This explanation made no sense. If we had supposedly misunderstood, why had we been quoted a price of €100 for a late checkout in the first place? It was very clear to us that the hotel had decided they could resell our upgraded room and therefore changed the arrangement at the last minute. As a result, we lost a large portion of our final day packing, moving rooms and dealing with reception. What should have been a relaxing end to our holiday became stressful, frustrating and upsetting. The complete lack of accountability or empathy from reception staff left a particularly sour taste and ultimately overshadowed many of the positive aspects of our stay. Mitsis Alila has the potential to be an excellent resort thanks to its food offerings and some genuinely hardworking staff members. However, poor customer service, inadequate facilities for the number of guests, lack of entertainment, poor communication, allergy-related safety concerns and the handling of our late checkout experience mean we would not return and cannot justify the premium price this hotel charges."

"Wow, wow, wow! An absolutely exceptional hotel in every way. From the moment we arrived, the service was on another level—genuine, warm, professional, and always with a smile. We felt like the most important guests in the world. The resort is stunning: beautiful pools, heated pools, amazing restaurants, food trucks, and a perfect private beach. Everything is spotless and perfectly maintained. This place is pure luxury combined with real heart and care. There’s a special magic in the atmosphere that makes the whole stay unforgettable. A special thank you and deep appreciation to Mika, Anastasia, Niko, Rania, and Hygina, who made our experience even more perfect with their kindness and outstanding service. We left completely blown away and can’t wait to come back. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

"Our stay at Mitsis Selection Alila was exceptional. Having stayed at several other Mitsis hotels, this was by far our favourite. The food is always incredible, but the staff at Mitsis Alila are what truly made our stay special. The reception team were attentive and helpful, and the staff in all of the restaurants provided excellent service. The beach staff worked incredibly hard in the heat and were always smiling, particularly the pizza chef! Amalia in the creperie stood out to us. She was absolutely wonderful so kind, friendly, and attentive. Amalia truly made our stay special, and we are very grateful to her. Thank you so much for a fantastic holiday. We would definitely be returning."