My girlfriend and I, 20 and 22, stayed at the Porto Bello Beach from 16th to 26th September. The transfer from the airport is around 20 minutes, including drop offs to other hotels. Being this close to the airport, you do see lots of planes flying into the island but it didn’t bother us at all. The hotel was perfect for us and everything we needed. I’m going to start by mentioning Sizwe, part of the animation team. He is a brilliant asset to the hotel, and a very genuine, interesting man. He runs the daily activities so I first got speaking to him through darts and water polo games, but once we got to know each other he would come to find us in the mornings and just chat to both of us. He works very hard to keep everyone happy and takes a genuine interest in your lives, not just because it is his job. On the flip side, if you’re not interested in the activities, as I saw some people weren’t, he didn’t pester you to take part. The hotel is very clean and well set out. We had a sea view room, and the view was spectacular. In my opinion it is better to have a room nearer the beach than the water park. The room itself was definitely large enough, with a good size bathroom and shower. Slight negative is the storage, as there aren’t any drawers/cupboards – just open slots for clothes. And, to use the safe there’s a daily charge. The restaurant was also well laid out, there are plenty of seating options, inside and out, so was never any issue finding an ideal table. There was plenty of food choices and a few nights a week there are also themed food options. Everything was clean and freshly cooked food was always available. The staff work very hard and are very friendly. The hotel didn’t feel busy, although I believe it was full when we were there. Most people spent their time at the beach, but there was never an issue finding a space. Most activities were around the pool but they did do beach volleyball. There is an area on the beach to hire canoes, pedalo’s, and jet skis. The canoes and pedalo’s can be used for free, up to 30 minutes each day. This was a lot of fun to do and something we should’ve done more than we did. At the pool, music is played from the pool bar, but this wasn’t overly loud to disrupt you. There are around 5 cats living at the hotel, these don’t get in the way and you only notice them if you give them a drink or some food, which they are very grateful for. The only thing stopping me from giving this hotel a 5 star review is down to the pool. The water is saltwater, and not the warmest. This was a bit of a shock when I first jumped in! You do get used to it but when drying off you become salty. There are showers around the pool to prevent this though. That point leads onto the waterpark: The waterpark isn’t saltwater, and it makes you realise how much nicer regular pool water feels. The waterpark can be used by people staying in the hotel for free. It is a great size and offers all you need – there are 6 slides and a lazy river. I wouldn’t say you could visit there all day, but it is good for an afternoon and only a few minutes to walk from the reception of the hotel. We got the bus to into Kardamena twice, once in the day and then again one evening to watch the Rugby World Cup. The hotel puts bus times on the notice board in reception and they run at the same time every day. The bus picks up just outside the hotel, and it’s around 3 euros each for the 10 minute ride to Kardamena. Lots of people chose to walk which I think is around 45 minutes. The other option for evening entertainment comes from the hotel. There are shows by the animation team every evening which are light-hearted fun, and then a few times a week there are live singers and bingo in the lobby bar. This is a great area to sit and have a drink and a game of cards. Overall, I’d recommend the hotel to any age or group, it offers things to do and quieter areas if that’s what you want. The location is perfect, staff work very hard and rooms are perfect. We will be back in the future! …
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.