Zakantha Beach Hotel

"Tread with serious caution. We arrived at the hotel after being informed that there would be a €50 Tourist Tax. As we only use travelex for security reasons, we carried the exact amount to the hotel in cash. On arrival we were told by the young lady at reception that the tourist tax for seven days was actually €70. We explained that we would have to find a cash machine for the money. She replied that she would need our passport for "security verification". She then took my wifes passport and said that "the verification would be complete by the time we returned with the money". Being exhausted from a long flight and very hungry, we naively agreed, thinking we would be back shortly with the money and have our passport returned. We then went looking for a cash machine. Unfortunately many were not working, but we eventually found one at the side of a bank across the town that was. We returned to the hotel to find that the young lady receptionist was no longer there. Instead there was an elderly man, who i later found out was the hotel owner. I took my wife up to the hotel room and quickly returned to reception, to pay the €70 and hopefully retrieve my wifes passport. This was not to be the case. The owner quickly claimed that my passport was in the managers safe and i could not have it until morning. Luckily, i am a Cypriot and i could understand what he was saying, although his English seemed good, when he wanted it to be. I explained that my wife had an urgent major operation a few months ago and i needed her passport, as should she become unwell, we may need an earlier flight home. The owner became agitated very quickly and began shouting at the top of his voice and throwing his arms around, again pointing to an office and stating that my wifes passport was in the managers safe and i could not have it, even though i offered him the €70. I explained that withholding my wifes passport was illegal and that i was calling the police. At this point he shouted that he would wake the manager. I watched him as he walked around the hotel and promptly returned, asking me why i was still at reception. I told him that i would not be going anywhere until i get my wifes passport. He was stood behind reception now and swiftly turned around, while grabbing two passports and throwing them on the desk in front of me- "here have these"!, he shouted. I picked up the passports and telling him to calm down, i asked why are you giving me other guests passports? At this point he snatched the passports back from me and shouted, "what room number are you?" I replied room 321. At this point he turned around, reaching into the pigeon holes behind him and retrieved my wifes passport, handing it to me. I asked him, why did you lie to me. Why did you lie and say my wifes passport is in the managers safe, when it was behind you, all along. Why did you shout, scream and curse at a guest, when you had the passport, all along? He slumped into a chair and began apologising It was the following day when i realised that i was not alone. I took photos of the pigeon holes which had passports in many. I also noticed that the reception area was left unattended for many parts of the day. Anyone can enter the hotel and help themselves to the guests passports. I began asking other guests if they too had been blackmailed by the owner to leave their passports with him. It was shocking how many had. It is both illegal and immoral for any hotel to keep your passport- especially in a public and insecure area that is left unmanned for many periods throughout the day. We notified Jet 2 about the situation and they were on the case immediately, but on leaving the hotel on our last day, there was no one at reception and the pigeon holes were filled with passports and free for anyone to help themselves. There is no safe, the hotel uses blackmail to receive their tourist tax and meanwhile your security is in jeopardy. One last point too. Breakfast is the exact same every day and served practically cold. The Safe in the room is at cost and don't expect air conditioning unless you pay for it- it is not cheap. The Tourist tax of €70 is extortionate compared to other hotels in the area. Overall, we wont be going to this hotel again."

"Hotel was in good location, very close to shops, bars, and restaurants. The hotel very disappointing, extremely basic room, breakfast was horrible, the cooked breakfast served cold. Room were kept clean, Tourist charge on hotel extra was expensive, Would not be stay at hotel again"

"Firstly we were made aware straightaway that me and my partner had to pay 100 euros for room tax at the end of our stay when we were told by the travel agent that it was 25 each and took my partners passport until it was paid also was told the aircon was 7 euros a day so we had to have the window open most of our stay but ended up getting bitten like mad so we paid aircon for last 2 days also we were told on arrival that u would have too pay 6 euros for own private beach sun loungers there was no kettle in the room only coffee at breakfast breakfast was basic but ok to fill you up for dinner out at the restaurants as no food in the evening at the hotel and there was one morning my partner asked the receptionist what time the bus was she was very rude and bit his head off she’s known as the blonde one! Very rude didn’t seem like she wanted to be there and on another occasion he asked the lady with black frizzy hair that works at the snack bar/ hotel was also very rude in answering the question the guy who served breakfast and worked at the snack bar was lovely and polite and the maintenance man and all cleaners were fantastic there is no way this hotel is a four star to many basic things missing which u would expect also the atmosphere was awful you could cut the tension with a knife the hotel was clean and tidy can’t fault that but 100 percent not a four star we would both rate it a 2!! We will be coming back to Greece in September but will not return to this hotel…."