Apollonion Asterias Resort & Spa

Having checked Trip Advisor relentlessly for weeks before we arrived, it was no surprise that this hotel was a superb choice. Although a little remote, the journey from the airport is an enjoyable one having to take the ferry boat from Argostoli to Lixouri followed by a 10 minute bus journey into the hotel. The hotel is Nestled beautifully just 5 minutes walk from XI beach, it offers a secluded setting with a few amenities near by such as a small super market perfect for water, drinks, snacks and souvenirs, inflatables etc. There are a few beach bars and restaurants as well as a quaint little traditional Taverna, Antonellos where the food is second to none, the service is great too and very reasonably priced, we ate there many times for lunch. XI beach have many Sunbeds ranging in rental prices, cheapest around 5€ a pair, the more luxurious ones with mattresses and curtains can be around €10 a set. When you check in at the hotel, you will pay a room tax which is now compulsory in Greece, we are a family of four staying for 2 weeks and paid €56 You will also be given tokens for pool towels which can be exchanged daily for fresh ones which is great. There is also a complimentary 15 minute massage for every guest at the spa. I took advantage of this, it was really lovely, it is a beautiful spa. The therapist will try the hard sell afterwards however and you will be advised about products and further treatments to have but it is very expensive even with the 30 % discount they offer if you book again there and then. Now the Hotel itself. Spotlessly clean absolutely everywhere. The housekeeping staff are lovely and polite and leave the rooms immaculate. The room we had was a family duplex in the Apollonion side of the hotel which was ideal, the children slept in the upstairs area which was great for them to have there own space. Very spacious. Beautiful bathroom and plenty of storage and more important great WIFI coverage throughout lol. The new restaurant is lovely, the Matrade and the Manager are at the door to welcome you each breakfast and dinner time and will show you to the best table in the location you choose, always a smile and happy to see you. The previous reviews about the slow waiting staff can now be ignored, all of them very young but are and have got the hang of it and work very very hard, extremely polite and drinks are delivered quickly to the table. The food is plentiful, with a vast choice but also excellent quality and enough for everybody, always being restocked. We ate very very well during our stay. The pools are again exceptionally clean, never an issue to find a Sunbed whether it’s 10am or 3pm. The Animation Team run various water activities throughout the morning and afternoon, in both pools. There is a little kids club in the basement of the hotel with a small “little tykes” type playground and an activities room but my kids were a little too old for that, perfect for 2-5 I imagine. The bars at both pools have a small selection of food, mainly sandwiches, wraps, ice creams etc , The hotel taverna is really nice and not that expensive to eat lunch there. The music bar is nice, this is really the only place to go after dinner for a drink within the hotel, there is not really much in the way of entertainment. If you want a drink with entertainment and a change of scenery the head up towards the beach where there are plenty of bars, also another hotel which is very lively allow guests from other hotels too. There is a small outdoor cinema which is a nice touch, they show a different movie each night at 9:30. We hired a car for 3 days from Mercury car hire, just next door to the hotel. If travelling with TUI, they will promote Pefonis car hire which I think are equally good. We travelled around the island and visited Fiskardo, which is a must but the furthest drive of around 1 hour 30 minutes, it’s a good idea to get there before lunch time as it gets busy, spend a couple of hours and then drop into other various places on the way home, there are some beautiful beaches and coves which are stunning. We tried to get to Myrtos but it was extremely busy and a very long and winding road to get to it. Most of the road are winding on cliff edges, although a little daunting the roads are reasonable quiet and the only other cars you tend to see are other tourists in hire cars. We visited Lixouri, Argostoli and Lassi a couple of times in the evenings, there are some lovely bars, restaurants and shops to look around. Lassi seems to be the busiest resort in terms of bars, restaurants and shops, there is a main strip about a mile long. The beach there is also very busy if you like Watersports, loud music and vibrant atmosphere, if not, XI is the best one to stay at, it has dark sand unlike anywhere else in the island. The majority of beaches are pebbles and rocky so it’s a good idea to invest in beach shoes if planning to visit these. On the whole this is the most quiet serene, laid back place I have ever stayed, that goes for the hotel and The island as a whole, it seems relatively untouched commercially. If you are looking for a relaxing holiday to switch off then this is most definitely the place.

Our sixth visit was certainly not a disappointment. We eagerly awaited our visit this year with the extensive modifications to the hotel complex. The entire experience was superb, the food, the entire staff, even the porters are top notch. The new pool area, cocktail bar, dining area and New Italian Restaurant..The Trattoria are all superb. Pool and all walkways are cleaned daily, and we have never been able to fault the service around the hotel. The new buildings work well and the sensitive planting of shrubs and trees have been done thoughtfully and they tie into the original hotel perfectly. The morning breakfast and Evening meals are amazing with so much choice and the standard is very high. Compliments to The head Chef Vlassis and his team of chefs for providing such wonderful menus. Christos, the manager works very hard to see that all guests are pleased with all things, and his father works very hard too. Dimitris and his bar staff are superb, and the new poolside bar is perfectly located.Kefalonia is a special place for us , because of our fantastic connection to local people in and around Lixouri. The Kefalonions are pleasant, and easy to get on with and it adds to the entire experience. We will be back to The Apollonion and some of the negative comments really need to be ignored.

The hotel fulfilled our expectations!! Outer spaces (gardens)were taken care off every day.Rooms were spacious, comfortable and clean.The breakfast included delicious and fresh products.Staff was so friendly!We had an amazing stay, our holidays were great and Apollonion Asterias Resort & Spa was responsible for that!! I definitely recommend it, if your though is to spend great holidays on such a beautiful island. I cannot even imagine of a reason not to like this place and I wonder why some people post bad comments...