Marathon Hotel

"Central location, close to a few bars and shops. Not a big resort but easy to get a bus to other places. Photos do not show layout of rooms/apartments accurately. Some sites show tea/coffee facilities in rooms but none provided. Our two bedroom apartment was modern but seemed like the referb was still in progress, some finishing off needed. The accommodation was basically two rooms, one with balcony and one next to it which was inside and didn't have a window also had to go through this to get to bathroom and front door. No privacy! Storage very limited, only one wardrobe in smaller bedroom, other room only had a draw either side of bed and a larger one under dressing table. Had to leave a lot of clothes in my packing cubes and suitcases. Was a struggle for 3 people, definitely not suitable for 2 couples or family with kids - smaller middle room too near front door. Hot water very hit and miss, was told it was due to the bad weather but other rooms had no problems. Beds were comfortable with nice bedding and extra pillow's provided when requested. Free air-conditioning and safe were a bonus. We were in room 606, had two twisty flights of stairs to reach our apartment with no lighting, had to use phone torches to see our way when dark. Was even more horrendous when wet. Not enough sunbeds, even in October, unless you had a room by the pool and put towels on the beds! Same round pool bar. Reception had comfy settees but no bar or tea/ coffee available. Bad when it rained as had to paddle to pool bar for drinks. Went out to bar nearby a couple of evenings for change of scene and comfy seats. Restaurant was nice, food a bit repetitive, not much choice for kids but could always find something nice to eat. Pizza and giros available when restaurant closed which was good."

"Disappointing Stay – Great Location and Food, But Definitely Not a 4-Star Hotel I’ll start with the positives. The Marathon Hotel is in a great central location for exploring the island. There is a public transport bus stop less than a one-minute walk away, which can take you all the way down the east coast. Additionally, the hotel food was great with something for everyone, and the staff were all very friendly. Unfortunately, there are quite a few negatives. Let's start with the official hotel rating. This is at best a 3-star hotel, definitely not a 4-star. Because it is falsely classed as a 4-star, it leads to a rip-off tourist tax where you are charged an extra 10 Euros a night instead of the 5 Euros you would pay for a 3-star property. Our arrival was late after a long day of travelling. We were told that the manager had given us a "room upgrade" and that we needed to see him in the morning. When we got to the room, it was clean and looked like it would be nice when actually finished, but it was clearly a newly refurbished room in progress. There was a hole in the ceiling with wires hanging out, no tea or coffee making facilities, and only a bottle of water in the fridge with no cups to drink out of. There were also no extra pillows, so I had to fold the single pillow several times just to get a bit of comfort. In the morning, we spoke to the manager who tried to charge me another 100 Euros for the upgrade. I said no, so we were moved to a different room that was much smaller and a lot noisier. Worst of all, we received several flea bites from the beds in this second room, requiring a trip to the local pharmacy. Do not go to this hotel if you expect nice drinks from the bar. There is only one bar, and everything tastes like it has been watered down by 90%. I know it sounds like I am being a moaning minnie, but it was just so disappointing. The island itself is a really beautiful place to visit. I will definitely go back to the area, but I will never stay at this hotel again."

"The hotel was nice, the room was clean, and the staff deserves special mention: very friendly & accommodating. The entertainment program with Max is varied and there is something for everyone from 8 to 80. The buffet meets international standards; for typical Greek dishes, there are enough local ones nearby."