Philoxenia Hotel

We travelled as a couple, staying in Block G. The hotel is clean, our room was cleaned everyday and the communal areas were tidied every evening/morning too.

We checked in late due to our flight time and when we got to our room sandwiches and fruit had been put in our fridge which was a nice, thoughtful touch. People complaining about the tourist tax needing to be paid straight away need to check their booking documents as Jet2 advised us several times (from searching for holiday through to confirmations) that it would need to be paid upon arrival. If your holiday company aren't warning you about this let them know.

Food was good, plenty of choices and as we were half board, we only paid for drinks. Service around the pool during the day was excellent with the ability to order drinks to your table or sunbeds. The staff were friendly and helpful, although there were some new staff that needed a little help from others, but everyone has to learn.

We ordered food several times at lunchtime from the Pool Bar. It was excellent, delicious, freshly made salads, burgers and fries. I would recommend eating there if you are half board.

The hotel is close to the beach and there were plenty of places to use sunbeds there. A handful of bars and restaurants but all in all Psakoudia is a relatively quiet town.

The only negative we found, and it has been mentioned in other reviews, is the road noise. Our block was right next to the road and it is busy, the main route along the coast. Even with the windows and doors closed, the traffic can still be heard.

Overall a great stay

We are staying at Philoxenia as a family of three – myself, my husband and our 11-year-old son – and so far we have been very pleased with our experience.

Check-in was quick and straightforward. We had booked through TUI and were simply asked to email the hotel our reservation confirmation during check-in. We also did not have cash with us for the tourist tax and, when we explained this, they were happy to accept payment by card.

Regarding parking, we personally have not found this to be a problem. There is parking available on site and, when needed, we have also been able to find parking nearby without difficulty.

The hotel itself is a large and attractive complex with different types of rooms, so I think people’s experiences may vary depending on the room category and location. Our room is spacious, clean with aircon and all three of us have been sleeping very well. The room is cleaned daily, including fresh towels and emptying the bins. We also received complimentary wine and fruit, which was a lovely touch.

One feature we particularly like is the pool arrangement. Depending on your room, you may have access to a smaller pool reserved for the rooms overlooking that pool, while there is also a larger main pool available within the complex.

Around the main pool there is a pleasant bar and restaurant area, with music during the day. There are activities such as aqua gym and different entertainment in the evenings.

The location is excellent. The beach is only a few steps down from the complex, and once you reach the beachfront there are plenty of restaurants and places to sit and enjoy the area.

We booked half board and have found the food more than sufficient, with a good variety rather than exactly the same choices every day. There have been Greek and Italian-style dishes as well as salads, cheeses, stews, fish, soups, vegetables, fruit and desserts such as baklava and halva. There is plenty to choose from. Drinks are not included with half board and need to be purchased separately.

There are different dining areas and views around the complex – garden, pool and mountain surroundings – which make it a very pleasant place to sit for meals.

Of course, everyone has different expectations and experiences, but based on our own stay, we have found Philoxenia clean, comfortable and well located, with friendly service and good facilities. For us, it has been a very enjoyable family holiday and we are pleased with our choice.