What People are saying

Not a 5 star

jazshahon 30/08/2017 23:23

Arrived today and disappointed with the standard of the service and hotel.
All inclusive...we arrived at the hotel at 2pm and they had nothing good for us except cold salad buns. Dinner is served at 7pm and we had to wait until then. We are vegetarian, don't eat eggs nor fish and I had to fight with the hotel manager to get some simple rolls made without mayonnaise. In the rooms cheap tackie toiletries really was upsetting.
They don't provide face towels and half used bottles of toiletries were left there from the previous people.

To make things even worse I had to fight with the restaurant head chef and manager so that they would cater for our needs. Exhausted after the first day, just trying to get simple things done.

5 star no way... More like 3.5 star with such awful service.

A Great Holiday for All Ages!

RosiePandaBearon 30/08/2017 21:48

Please, the people that complain about an unvaried selection of food are the adults picking out twenty slices of pizza and a plate of chips and beans.
The crew that complain about the entertainment; head down to the amphitheater and appreciate the time and effort put in by the animation team, else play games or listen to the saxophonists etc. at the bars.
The families that moan about kids just hanging round, it's called 13 swimming pools: or the kids club. Inquire about the kids club, because if you are complaining you obviously haven't. There is a gelateria, serving ice creams, milkshakes and fizzy pop; or just plastic cups to takeout iced water, or fruit juice.
The gang that groan endlessly about no food, THE GUYS REPLACE IT EVERY FIVE MINUTES. No burned scraps of cheesecake, half-filled cups of jelly or a few grapes left on the cheese board.
And, yep, the clique that argues about worrying about general holidays. We received no mosquito bites, no waiting, no rudeness, no nothing that isn't worthy of gushing about.
My only tip is perhaps get the offered buses down to either Kardemina or Kos Town, as we loved getting out and seeing the island for itself.
Else, an amazing experience, staff are friendly and lovely to talk and chat to, obviously a great selection of pools to dip into - haha - and aside from the guys plonking towels down on the beds and leaving them for three hours - a fantastic holiday.
All I can say is, 'Thank you, Atlantica!'

superb family holiday

yecats123on 30/08/2017 12:04

A great experience from start to finish, rooms clean and tidy with sheets and towels changed daily if required.
Visited during the 6 weeks school holidays so wasn't sure what to expect in terms of crowding etc, but was pleasantly surprised that could always get a sun bed round the pool whatever time of day we wandered down. There are 13 pools in all , some noisy and some quiet depending on your preference.
The food was excellent and there was something for everyone's tastes, even the most fussy eaters.
The only criticism was the amount of steps to our room (67)and having had a recent back operation I did struggle. We did ask to be moved to another room but they could not accommodate us so I had to struggle on for the week.
Besides the steps issue all in all a fabulous holiday had by all

A Very Good Resort with a couple of creases to iron out...

PrincessCornwallon 30/08/2017 11:06

Hi, my wife and 2 children and I have just returned from a very enjoyable 2 week stay at the Royal Porto Bello Kos. Like you, we are checking Trip Advisor every day to see what guests are saying, which can lead to some unconfirmed worries about a break you have invested a lot of time deciding on and not to mention the huge financial implications of taking a family abroad on a 5* break. So I thought I would help with any unconfirmed thoughts you may be having as there are so many mixed reviews about the resort, so I will try to be as objective as I can as we have 10 years of these style breaks under our belts now, I have written an extensive review so please bare with it I think its a fair reflection.
PLANES
It is in the direct flight path of the airport but the planes do not fly through night and to be fair was more interesting than annoying, we did not mind the sights of planes and guessing whether the pilot had engaged landing gear yet or not at the point of passing us? Believe me it varies....Alot!
DINING:
Food is excellent where ever you eat with the exception of the Asian (our experience only), I have to say the main buffet restaurant is a real treat, probably the best quality buffet we have experienced. The Italian is also excellent with a fresh pasta selection with numerous sauces cooked to order, reservations require 24hr advanced booking. The Greek restaurant on the beach is good for a change of scenery but very similar to main buffet and is only open for lunch and requires a 24hr advanced booking. We did not try the Mediterranean on the beach so can not comment, again only open at lunch time with an advanced 24hr booking. The Asian restaurant (the ONLY table service restaurant), fell short of the expectation, don't sit at the back of the restaurant as the air conditioners are by the door so it gets very warm and muggy, the menu is SET so if you don't like what is on it then time to hit the buffet. On our visit this was the poorest service we received with our waiter having a particular hygiene problem on our visit. The chairs are also wicker and very hard (ladies don't where a short skirt or shorts or you will have a lovely pattern on the back of your legs when you leave for the cocktail bar! Worth mentioning, this is the only resort I have been to where I did not have to be at reception at 6:30am just to try to get in to one of the advanced booking restaurants, infact we would rock up between 9am and 10am after breakfast and make a booking with no real issues, you can even phone from your room to make the booking.....That is rare! Breakfast were a real treat and again a rare finding that these went on until almost 11am, which is great as Greece is 2hrs ahead, so you do get a lie in. Particuallry liked the hand sanitiser as you entered the buffet but why is there not one at every restaurant? Dinner has 2 sittings the first at 7pm oil 7:40pm, they then close the doors and you will have to queue and wait for 8pm, this second sitting at 8pm then generates a queue for outside tables. My advice arrive at 7:30pm no queues and straight outside, pretty much the same table every night. Builds for Porto Bello, more table service restaurants please and loose the no choice set menu Asian restaurant, additional hand sanitisers so you are consistent with your hygiene message and cushions on all chairs in Asian dining please. Why have the 7:40pm lock down?
DRESS CODE
Very confusing and had me worried at our TUI welcome meeting, the hotel does ask that men do not wear Flip Flops in the evening (that is all I brought + 1 pair trainers for gym). I have to say the majority of the men wore trousers and shoes/trainers/loafers but some still wore Flip Flops (nice ones though!). I went out and bought some shoes and wore smart shorts every night. Usual shorts and vests welcome at breakfast and lunch and in the Mediterranen and Greek restaurants. Italian is strict with the code and although I got in with my smart Flip Flops was eyed up and down by the matridee (good to see he stood by the standards set), he did thank me when I returned on another evening wearing shoes also. Builds for Porto Bello, make sure your booking agents really understand the dress code policy and reiterate when booking is made and in holiday itinerary.
BARS
Gelato self serve Ice Cream Bar is quite central and they do amazing milkshakes, there are self serve ice creams and soft drinks but if you want an alcoholic drink or milkshake be prepared to queue for up to 10-15mins when busy. The 2 staff members in there are working really hard but the milkshakes are to popular and take time to make. Pool bar is near reception so is a a fair stroll if you are located at the other end of the resort, here there are self serve rolls and some cake and an extensive range of cocktails with a great view, watch out though as there is a lot of wasp activity at this bar with no visible deterrent. This is a nice spot for a pre dinner cocktail. Beach Bar, right on beach again same offering as pool bar but you can get a toasted sandwich here. Again you can queue for a while at this bar. Reception bar, I would sit down in either the comfy sofas or out on the balcony and let one of the waiters or waitresses come and take your order as the bar can get very busy if you hit it and the wrong point. Builds for Porto Bello a fresh milkshake machine, allow a beer tap for self service as the station is manned any way to prevent minors from sampling, insect deterrent at pool bar. We have experienced drinks karts around the pool areas in previous resorts, a great idea and makes the guest feel a bit more looked after.
SERVICE
Amazing, truly outstanding with a few exceptions but generally the staff where on the same page. Special credit to Nina an evening cocktail waitress who was just brilliant, Kim the Greeter in the buffet and Pool Bar support, Katrina in the beach bar and the Reception Manager, I am sorry but I have forgotten her name. Builds for Porto Bello just ask the barmen in the reception bar to smile and bit a little more and be more engaging please, understand their busy but a smile goes along way.
ROOMS
We booked a Royal Suite, and like so many guests sent numerous emails requesting swim up rooms. We got a ground floor but was not a swim up, we did go to reception and asked to be moved if possible and were lucky enough to be. We had to live out of our suitcases for 1.5 days but it was worth it. A lot of guests want the swim up rooms and they generally go to returning guests first, which makes sense 'Loyalty should be rewarded.' We were lucky I guess but the manner the request was dealt with was exceptionally good by the Reception Manager. I would say though the room we moved to wasn't as well appointed as the Suite we moved from, our original room had x2 newly fitted bathrooms with walk in showers, the swim up room had 1 bathroom and a shower over the bath. The trade off was we got to be in front of a pool and have a huge space where a bathroom may have been planned to be? The rooms were very large, clean and felt new (the bathroom could of done with an update but still spacious with lots of mirrors for getting ready in the evening). TV's....WOW a huge flat screen TV in both rooms with a gold trim mounted in a stylish unit. We did not go on hols to watch TV but a bit of TV in bed is a real treat, plus helps us out with kids when getting ready for dinner etc. However there were only 2 English speaking channels BBC World News and CNN News, the rest were in German and Greek so pretty much a wasted expense on us Brits and disappointing, as all the signs are in English but the entertainment in German. I also bring a HDMI lead so we can plug in a device for the kids to watch a movie or connect Nintendo too, however these plush JVC TV's did not have any accessible ports to facilitate, a real shame. I have read some reviews saying the beds were to firm, this is a personal choice for every individual, we found the beds of an extremely good quality with a soft mattress topper and very supportive not to mention massive. Sheets are changed as often as you request by leaving the change my sheets card on the bed. Builds for Porto Bello, upgrade your satellite package for more UK channels, provide an HDMI lead facility for the TV's, you could also hire the adapters out so iPhones etc can be plugged in as an additional revenue stream. Be clear on what your room have with travel agent, ie. no swim up pool but x2 bathrooms etc.
SUN BEDS/TOWELS
Controversial, the hotel does have a policy and signs saying an attendant will walk the pool area twice a day to remove any reserved beds, unfortunately these are just signs and if this policy is not clearly highlighted from day 1 and enforced it will be abused. The added complication is that you have to hire your towels at $10 Euros each and get this back when you check out, so this policy becomes very emotional if someone removes $40 Euros when you go to lunch. There are 2 styles of sun beds, one is modern and in keeping with hotel and the other is a little ore tired and frequently damaged (I presume these were brought in based on feedback about lack of beds for this season). Our experience, we got beds every day and did not go looking until about 9:30am, I would say by 10am they are pretty much all gone. Some people drag them on to their patio area, some get up at the crack of dawn, we found Sunday/Monday/Tuesdays were the busiest days for beds. Towels were little worn and some had holes, 1 day we got fluffy blue ones but that was a one off. No problems getting sunbeams on beach. Builds for Porto Bello either enforce your policy with visible pool attendants (emotional one I grant you), do not put $10 Euro towel hire in place then you can remove towels without effectively robbing people. Or buy more beds of the same standard. Replace your towels.
ENTERTAINMENT
We did not visit any of the shows unfortunately, but can only go with what we were told but other guests and that was not to bother but I must stress that is second hand info we did not experience it ourselves. There is entertainment in the reception area every evening, generally a singer which was nice to listen to on occasion.
WATERSPORTS
Free pedlows and kayaks for 30mins a session, friendly staff. Other rides were quite expensive though, the inflatable sofa which we go on every year in whatever resort we visit was $20 Euros per person, so $80 for 5mins or so. It is great fun but so much cheaper on other beaches. We went to Paradise beach and got the same ride for $40. Builds for Porto Bello are the team charging 5* prices for captive audience?
BEACH
Is clean and safe to access, boarded pathways there so you don't burn feet on sand. Water is clear with lots of fish swimming around, TIP: Take some bread down and stand in the water with it, the fish literally come up and eat out of your hands, kids will love it.
POOLS
There are loads all with different depths, if travelling with young children find the one that is best for them as they vary from 1.15meters to 2.4m. They are a little cooler than I would expect considering how hot it was?
WATERPARK
Well managed and supervised, will cost you $40 Euros for a day pass, try it first before you buy 3 or 4 day pass, we went once for 3 hrs then the kids were done and happy with beach and pool area in resort.
SPA
I had a 15% discounted massage which was excellent and lasted 55mins for $60 Euros.
HOTEL SHOP
Good service and good variety if you have forgotten a item of toiletries, lots of kids toys for the pools. A inflatable lounger costs $12 if you went to town you could get it for $7 but would also have to pay $3.60 for bus fare.
GYM
Probably the biggest opportunity for the hotel, the equipment that was there is dirty, dangerous and lacking in variety. OK if you want a tredmill or a bit of cardio but no real weights or machines or even floor mats that where not stained black. Builds for Porto Bello get a gym and make a feature of it, you disappointed to many people with this poor offering.
KOS
Beautiful island, I recommend hiring a car going out for a couple of days. It tales 45mins end to end, easy to navigate and the roads although not UK standard are easy enough to negotiate and not really that busy. We hired a Jimny Jeep in the rep area for $142 for 2 days, popped the roof down and went exploring. KOS Town took 30mins and was great to walk around, Paradise beach is worth a visit has a great cafe on beach and an inflatable water park in the sea for $4 for an hour. This is were you will also get cheaper watersports! Plaka was a nice experience also 15 mins from hotel a wooded area with dozens of peacocks, cats, kittens and turtles a real treat for the kids. You can get a bus from right outside the hotel for $1.80 per person and be in local town in 10 mins, which is nice for a change of scenery, gift shopping and eating out.
SUMMARY
Although I have graded Porto Bello a 4 we had great time and once you are there and start to get in to the rhythm of your break you will have a great time. If you go looking for faults you will find them as with any where....just don't go looking enjoy what there is and may be some of this feedback will reach some of the Porto Bello team to celebrate and work on ironing out a few creases.

Relaxation

itsjustme60on 30/08/2017 07:57

We have just returned from our 2 week holiday at the PortoBella Royal and what a lovely relaxing holiday we had. The picture in the Thomson brochure is very accurate - what a beautiful place this is. We class ourselves as a well established package holiday family and we could not fault this hotel.
The food - Is very traditional Greek but for the 2 weeks the only struggle we had was not eating too much!.
The pools - Are amazing and kept very clean. the pools vary in depth so you can pick the pool to suit you.
Sunbeds- No issue here! 160 parasols on the beach, 13 pools with parasols and beds for everyone
The rooms - Ours was large, clean and comfortable
The staff - I must say the restaurant staff were amazing. The bar staff very efficient and we never had a long wait,
Plane noise - Yes the arriving planes do fly over the hotel but it did not bother us one bit and never disturbed our sleep.
Evening entertainment - Main hotel was OK but no variety. The kids was very Italian based so we did not use (was not an issue to us).

Overall if you are looking for a lovely relaxing holiday even in school term then we fully recommend this hotel