Hotel Diana Palace

What a fantastic holiday. Firstly a personal comment. To receive the welcome we got when we arrived was very humbling for us and that was before we checked in. Thank You. Check in was quick and efficient and there was a welcome drink. The reception staff easily combine professionalism with a fun loving attitude. Thank You. The bar and restaurant staff are second to none. The effort they put in to make your holiday enjoyable is fantastic. Stathis is a legend, the way he runs the bar at the main pool is brilliant and he puts people so much at ease. We tended to use the smaller pool this year for no other reason than it was easier to get a sun lounger which got the sun all day. Big thanks to Leonardo who was working at the bar every day, brilliant, also thanks to Marcos in the reception bar in the evening, he's happy enough to serve you a large beer but he's in his element when he's mixing cocktails. Yamass. Orlando, who was one of the first guys we met on our first visit is still as good a laugh as he was when he was in the animation team. Nikos is one of the most decent guys we have ever had the pleasure of meeting, thanks Champ. Babis was another very friendly guy in the restaurant who made you feel very welcome. Somehow Armando always found time for a quick chat even though he was very busy. Thank you to the whole restaurant team. A big thanks to Angela, Nikos and all the reception team for making life so much easier if we needed you, and also to Helen our Jet2 rep who thankfully we didn't need but was very visible and approachable. The hotel is never more than 5 minutes walk from shops, bars and restaurants. We had a couple of lovely meals at Eratos. Legends is a fantastic place which has a tribute night on most nights, we only made the Freddie Mercury night and it was great, (watch The Voice in December). We made another attempt on their Sunday lunch, wow, I reckon the only way you'll finish it is to skip food Friday and Saturday but it's delicious. Waves is another great bar/diner that sits right on the edge of the sea with free sun loungers and Denny and his staff make you feel so welcome. Diana Palace is a wonderful hotel with fantastic staff and it's in a great resort. We look forward to our next visit and would highly recommend the hotel.

We had a last minute holiday at the Diana Palace hotel in Zante. We were lucky that the weather was hot while we were there because most places around the hotel were closed for the winter. The hotel was very clean and our room 420 was above average. The maid service was every day and they were very friendly. The entertainment was good most nights and there was always a game of cash bingo. The food was the usual all inclusive menu but there was always something we liked. There was also snacks in the afternoon. All in all we had a good holiday and the people are lovely.

I really don't like to give negative reviews but there were so many things which cast a shadow over our stay. I'll start on a positive note. The hotel is clean and well kept. The main pool area is lovely and the animation team are fab (particularly Maria). Stathis behind the bar was also brilliant, he remembered our drinks and even made my Husband a special cocktail on his birthday. The food was pretty good for all inclusive and the drinks were better than we expected. The beer being particularly nice. Now just to give a little background, after making the initial booking and receiving the confirmation email I realised that we had been allocated twin beds rather than a double bed. As it was our honeymoon, I emailed the hotel directly and requested that we have a double bed. I also mentioned that it was our honeymoon and queried the cost to upgrade. As it was an extra 60 euros per night, we were not able to afford this, so resigned to having a normal room. I checked the website and knew that the decor would be outdated, however we were not prepared for the minuscule room we were allocated. It was the smallest room we have ever stayed in, and we've stayed in some pretty compact rooms in London and Barcelona. The balcony was also facing a wall, and I got horrendously bitten by mosquitos (and had slight allergic reactions) which were nesting in the flower bush directly outside our window. We are not complainers, and I thought that they had given us this room as there were no others free. Anyway, upon discussion with some other guests on our last night, one couple had complained about their room and been reallocated to a massive modern suite (we saw this room ourselves). Another couple had been upgraded without even asking! They were not return guests, nor was it any special occasion for them. I feel that our room was the smallest on site and even all the other rooms along our corridor (not ensuite) were all much nicer and larger than ours (we could see in when the cleaners were making their rounds). As we were only staying 5 nights, we only had the cleaners come in twice (our choice). However, they did not change the bin which is really gross considering you put used toilet paper in there and sanitary products. The bathroom was dated, but clean. However the shower pressure kept changing and the bath was so small that even a child would not have been able to lie down in it. On the 3rd day, we considered changing our flights and extending our stay. So my Husband went to the reception and queried if this was possible. Again mentioning that it was our honeymoon (we were not expecting free accommodation and were happy to pay). The staff said they would check and get back to us, which they never did. Why they couldn't have just checked there and then on the computer I don't know. So it made us feel like they did not want us in their hotel. The one redeeming event was that the hotel delivered a bottle of sparkling wine on our last night and the guy who brought it to us apologised and said they had not known that it was our honeymoon (weird as they definitely did). However even this gesture was at the request of a couple of lovely ladies who asked us if we had received it the next morning. So I don't think the hotel would have done this without their input. I really don't know what warranted such luke warm and unreceptive treatment on our honeymoon, and I feel it was more down to management than the general staff. The only thing I can put it down to is prejudice as we are slightly alternative. We found the overall experience disappointing and remember our mini-moon to Whitby with more fondness. Unsurprisingly, we will not be coming back to this Hotel.