Grecotel Kos Imperial

We booked a week at the end of October ( towards the end of the Kos season). The hotel was still busy with people but there was more than enough space around the pool & on the beach and no need to get up early to place towels out (while we were here anyway). We stayed half board & also ate in 3 of the a la carte restaurants & once in Kos town. All the food and drink at the hotel was good & they had a very efficient seating system in the buffet restaurant, The grounds were well maintained & spotless as were the pool and beach areas. We had a luxury family suite for ourselves & 2 daughters. This was again clean & well resourced & comfortable. All the staff we had contact with were friendly and welcoming and the resort was very relaxing. Everything was exactly as outlined on the Grecotel app & website :)

Having used Grecotel on 10 previous occasions, we were just slightly worried as to what might greet us having read some of the very negative views before we arrived. We need not have worried! From the moment we arrived until we departed 2 weeks later, we couldn't have asked for more. In fact, we were left wondering whether the people that had posted the very negative views actually stayed in the same hotel that we were staying in. Before I go any further, let me make an observation. People who book a hotel with a 5 star rating in Greece are simply not going to get the kind of 5 star service that you get in the UK. If you expect that, you will always be disappointed. So, branded drinks you get in the UK are unlikely to be available, but by and large, that is the norm. So, was I surprised that I couldn't get a decent single malt whisky? No, because I've come not to expect it. Hotels are continually refurbishing on a rotational basis, so the chances are that occasionally, you might not always get a bang-up-to-date room, but hey, how long do you spend in your room anyway! If you want a 5 star hotel in Greece, try the Corfu Imperial or one of the Ikos hotels - but don't complain if you end up paying nearly double what it will cost you at the Kos Imperial. Were we disappointed. Absolutely not!! What makes this hotel are the beautiful surroundings and the amazing staff. Every year, I promise myself that I will not single out staff by name as I feel that I will undoubtedly miss someone out. However, I've broken my promise again. Every morning at breakfast, we were met by the lovely Maria Liberi who just made us feel so welcome. Rozela tempted us every night with some amazing chocolates, then joined Maria and the others serving evening cocktails in the 1930s bar - the place to be after dinner. But I'm missing so many out, and that doesn't feel right somehow. I cannot honestly remember them all, but without doubt, every single member of staff contributes in some way towards making the holiday memorable - the ladies at reception/front desk, the gardeners who work tirelessly to keep the grounds manicured, the restaurant staff who always serve you with a smile and good conversation, the buffet staff who continually make sure that all the dishes are kept fresh and topped up - these people are the 'unsung heroes' that make this hotel what it is, but then, the Greek people are some of the nicest, friendliest, family oriented, people you could ever wish to meet. All the restaurants are spot on, the food is excellent, and there are sufficient wines available, including international wines if you prefer. There is one other thing we must mention. We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary whilst we were out in Kos and had notified the hotel before our arrival. Wow! Did they look after us! Beautiful decorations on our bed made from petals from the garden flowers, amazing sculptures with towels made into swans, an anniversary cake and card after dinner on the actual evening - it was perfect. Our special thanks go to our cleaning lady, Miranda, who went out of her way to make us feel so special. In summary, we had a truly memorable holiday. Would we go back? Without doubt! if you're thinking of going, just remember not to expect perfection. It isn't realistic. What you will get is a team of people who will bend over backwards to make your stay a memorable one. Thank you, thank you, to the management and staff of this lovely hotel.

A nice and clean family hotel, we enjoyed our stay during October 2024. Good breakfast, tennis courts nearby, and well-maintained property. We would like to give a special mention to Penny in reception, who was very kind and helpful on many fronts.