Gaia Royal Hotel

So after booking a week here last minute, then reading reviews on TA, was a little wary, re mosquito bites and location. On arrival, midnight, and checking in, man with buggy drove us, in the dark some way to our room, which was up 3 flights of stairs, and to be fair help us up with our cases. The room was spacious and ok for two females on a girly holiday, albeit we had a large but very hard double bed. In the light of day, we made our way to restaurant for breakfast. Wow, what a selection, not just breakfast but every meal. Have no complaints for the food, as choice albeit repetitive was very good. All inclusive drinks a completely different matter. How can Vodka and tonic not be included??? Never in all my years of travelling all inc has vodka (local variety’s) not been inc. very strange. As for the mosquito bites, OMG, so many people had been bitten, but we had read reviews and went VERY prepared, and as soon as got on coach transfer we wore mosquito band repellent bands. Plug in repellant in our room as well as repellent air freshener. We both wore a new mosquito band daily and wore Jungle roll on repellent at night(main time for the blighters to take a bite) plus Avon dry oil spray, day and night, and both came home, bite free, thankfully, so please take precautions. We spent a day on the beach, 5 euros for 2 sun beds and a parasol, a bargain I think, and the beach was clean and tidy, and the see was warm and gorgeous. Location was def remote, but happy just to chill and relax, but if you want to investigate, maybe not a hotel for you. All in all, a good relaxed week away.

It was really nice vacation. But there are some disadvantages: very poor wi-fi signal, around local zoo is pretty big smell of animals. If you have a room next to main road, there is a big traffic of buses in the night. It very depends on choice of the room very much. If you have a bad room, dont hestite to change it asap. Otherwise really tasty food and very good choice, out room was like new and clean, good equipted. Really nice sea with sandy beach and several nice swimming pools.

My wife and I have just returned from 11 nights at this hotel. First the positives: The hotel is impeccably clean. The hotel staff from the gardeners through the maids, bar staff, dining room waiters and managers to the reception staff could not have been more accommodating. Now the negatives: This hotel is so remote from anything you feel like a prisoner. True there is a daily bus service into Kos town, it leaves at 0930 and returns at 1300hrs. True there is a regular public bus service into Kos, but the bust stop is about half a mile from the hotel, not suitable for my disabled wife. Taxi into Kos 27 euros each way, taxi into Mastihari 10euros each way. The all-inclusive does not include tonic water (1 euro) a splash yet lemonade and coke are included. At the hotels private beach (attached to the hotel) you pay for everything, parasols sun beds food and drink (where did the all-inclusive go?. Once a week the animation team hold a beach party, again you pay for everything. The food is plentiful but rather repetative. Hope you do not mind sharing your meals with cats (which are actively encouraged by dining room staff) and other guests dogs. The town of Mastihari is described as a quaint Greek fishing village. I expected to see fishing boats or at the least a Greek fisherman repairing his nets, no such luck. The village looks like it has suffered a air raid, potholes everywhere drain covers missing in the pavement. I would avoid this hotel like the plague unless you like being ripped off. Kevin McClounan