- Greece Holidays
- Kalamaki
- Exotica Hotel and Spa by Zante Plaza
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Exotica Hotel and Spa by Zante Plaza
Greece, Europe
Kalamaki
This popular hotel provides the ideal base for exploring the area. A key collection service is available. If you are looking for a special interest holiday in a beach resort, or enjoy an adventurous mountain trekking holiday, a cultural holiday, a family holiday, relaxing break or a romantic getaway, Exotica Hotel & Spa by Zante Plaza is your place to stay.
The hotel is special because of its idyllic setting in the beach resort of Kalamaki, an endless golden sandy beach, which is famous for where the Carretta sea turtle visits during the summer months and nests her eggs. Another plus for staying at the Exotica Hotel & Spa by Zante Plaza is that the village town centre is just a few seconds walk away.
The centre of attraction is our large swimming pool, surrounded by sunbeds on the one side, while the other side embraces the Poolside Snack-bar, open all day serving delicious food and d
Facilities
- Tennis
- Billiards
- Volleyball
- Massage*
- Steam bath*
- TV lounge
- Sun loungers
- Poolside snack bar
- Dining area
- Luggage room
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent953 reviews
Excellent
59%
Very Good
22%
Average
10%
Poor
5%
Terrible
4%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Wouldn’t Recommend
I don’t usually leave negative reviews but I want to stress that this should not be a 4-star hotel. I’ll start with some positives! The cleaner did a fantastic job of keeping our room tidy and providing clean towels each day. She was very polite and always said good morning to us and wished us safe travels as we were leaving. The air-con was free! The staff in the restaurant were friendly and plates and glasses were always taken away promptly. The hotel location is fantastic, it’s right in the middle of the resort so the main strip is only a 2 minute walk and the beach is a 10 minute walk. There are ample sunbeds available around the pool so there was never any rush to grab one early.
Now the negatives… Upon arrival, we were given very little information or direction on the hotel facilities. We weren’t told where the restaurant or pool was, or opening times. We will simply given a room key and wristband and sent on our way. We were given a room in the first block, where the shower and the toilet is basically in the bedroom with only a shower curtain and glass barn doors to hide the toilet, giving very little privacy. Thankfully I was on holiday with my fiance so it wasn’t too much of an issue for us, but this would have been extremely awkward and uncomfortable if sharing with friends. The shower was terrible, it was a rainfall shower and the pressure was very poor, I ended up using the handheld shower making it very difficult not to flood the room with just a shower curtain to catch the water. The pool is only open 10am-6pm. This wasn’t a huge issue for us but I thought the chain around the pool was quite dramatic and unnecessary. I found the bar lady at the pool bar very abrupt and rude. I even saw her rolling her eyes at other guests a couple of times, she clearly doesn’t enjoy her job to say the least! We enjoyed the food at breakfast and around the snack bar but the food at lunch and dinner wasn’t great. The meat dishes especially were fairly inedible and choices repetitive. We found ourselves having evening meals out at local restaurants in the last 4 days of our holiday as we really weren’t enjoying our nights at the hotel. Drinks are typical of an inclusive, cocktails from a machine and watered down beer. The pool area had a big issue with wasps, the bar was swarming with them. We stopped making use of the all inclusive as having any kind of drink by your sunbed just encouraged wasps around you. This is somewhat out of the hotel’s control but it would have been nice to see some kind of traps to help stop them. We asked for a late checkout due to us having a night return flight and found that the reception staff made this extremely difficult. We asked on day 7, 8 and 9 of our holiday and each time was told to come back tomorrow to ask again. In the end, we were told to come back at breakfast on the day of our checkout to see if they could find us a different room for late checkout. This left us with a lot of uncertainty about how we could spend our last few hours before flying home. Cost for late checkout was €40. If I was to describe my experience at the hotel, I would say it was fine. Just not what I would expect of a 4-star hotel or for the price we paid for it! We will be returning to Kalamaki in 2028 as we loved the resort, sadly this hotel was the only thing I wish I could have changed.
Review by rachel_harcourt Stourbridge, United Kingdom
More like a 3 star hotel
I always want to be honest in my reviews and on this occasion I honestly do not feel I can recommend this hotel to others. Starting with the positives, the room was clean and the cleaner we had always said good morning and was really lovely and friendly. The receptionist was also super helpful and polite to us. Both members of staff were an asset to the hotel. On the negative side of things, I can’t understand how this is a 4 star hotel and in my opinion its 3 star. The drinks were awful, the gas on the fizzy drinks constantly went and drinks were flat, my partner said the beer was awful also (better in a plastic disposable cup if you can get one) so maybe the cups change the taste. All the spirits were not as they should be. We ended up buying drinks for the fridge which defeats the object of all inclusive. Accessibility was hard. We were top floor of the building (4 lots of steps) and no ramps or lifts. Therefore on arrival and departure we had to get all cases, buggies and toddlers up and down ourselves. Food was varied but not many options and definitely not suitable if you are a fussy eater and not many options for children unless they want chips daily. We were really disappointed that the entertainment didn't ever start till gone 9pm. We have a 2.5 year old and this just wasn't suitable and one of the days when we did venture to take a look the room had a disco ball and music and not a single person there. The only night that seemed busier was the greek night. Location wise you are 3 minutes from the strip with excellent bars and proper entertainment which we loved and the beach was a 10 minute walk in the opposite location. I hate to be negative but on this occasion neither myself or partner felt this hotel was worth what we paid.
Review by becca f Godstone, United Kingdom
Sadly won’t return to this hotel
I am so sad to be writing this review but feel I need to be honest.
We got married on the island 20 years ago and stayed at this hotel and returned for our anniversary with my daughter, her husband and baby granddaughter with us to celebrate.
When we stayed many years ago it was only bed and breakfast they offered and it should have stayed that way. The food on offer was very limited, of a poor standard and cold.
The room allocated to my daughter and son I. Law with a baby was unsafe and 5 times during our 10 day holiday the air con stopped working. The staff seemed annoyed when you had to request assistance with anything.
The pool area hasn’t been updated since 2006 and areas are looking really tired.
The drinks again were of poor choice and quality. The saving grace were the many restaurant we ate out in for breakfast lunch and dinner, where the service and food were amazing but that was a substantial additional cost on top of what we had already paid, which for some families would not be feasible.
Sadly based on this visit we would be unlikely to return to or recommend this hotel.
An Unforgettable Stay – Exceptional Hospitality, Great Food, and Soothing Vibes! 💛🌊🐢
For this beach holiday, my main goal was to enjoy every single minute of our one-week stay in Zakynthos, and I truly did! Here are the highlights and my honest experience staying at Exotica Hotel & Spa during the first week of September:
» HIGHLIGHTS«
Hotel Room 🏨 We were assigned a Superior room that was spacious, clean, and featured a lovely balcony with a view of the main swimming pool and the ocean horizon in the distance. It had a comfy bed and plenty of storage space for our clothes and belongings.
Staff 🛎️The staff are hands-down the absolute best part of this hotel. Everyone, regardless of their role, was exceptionally kind, helpful, and made us feel right at home. Shout-out to Mary’s energy, and to our housekeeper who was so sweet, keeping the room spotless daily and changing our towels and sheets whenever requested.
Dining Team 🍽️ The entire dining and kitchen team works so hard from early morning until late night, yet they remain continuously warm, professional, and attentive, clearing plates instantly. A very special thank you goes to Bruna 💎 she is a true gem! She was genuinely caring, always checking in on how we were doing, and balancing top-tier professionalism with real warmth. Wishing you love and light on your journey, Bruna!
Food 🍰 As a vegetarian, I had plenty of delicious options to choose from across breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The main meals were fantastic! The pool bar snacks are simpler, but great for a quick bite or grabbing a fun scoop of ice cream. The dining area is spacious with great indoor and outdoor seating options.
Atmosphere & Location 🌴 The grounds are lovely with palm trees, two swimming pools, two outdoor showers (great for rinsing sand off after the beach), and plenty of sunbeds. The theme nights were fun yet tasteful, and everything wrapped up quietly by 11:00 PM. The balcony doors blocked out exterior noise very well. The hotel is also just steps away from the main street filled with tavernas, car rental spots, and excursion agencies.
Beach 🌅 We spent plenty of time enjoying the warm, calm sea! The gradual entry into the water was incredibly soothing and relaxing. We brought our own blanket and umbrella to set up near the lifeguard tower, which saved us from paying the €20 daily fee for sunbeds.
Excursions 🚤 We rented a car and booked a boat trip to Turtle Island through our agency, both of which were fantastic choices.
» THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND «
Beach Walk 🚶🏻♀️ The beach is roughly 500 meters away (about a 10-minute walk) without much shade along the way. However, we turned it into a positive—it was a great way to walk off all the delicious food!
Bathroom Setup 🛁 As mentioned in other reviews, the shower area would benefit from extra hooks and shelving. Knowing this beforehand, we brought our own temporary over-the-glass hooks and a suction-cup organizer for our toiletries, which solved the issue easily. The overhead rainfall shower head wasn’t operational during our stay.
Minor Details 🧐 There was a faint drain smell on a few days. Also, keep in mind that the hotel uses solar water heating, so hot water isn't readily available very late at night or early in the morning.
Overall, it was a wonderful, soul-soothing stay, and the incredible team at Exotica made it truly memorable. Highly recommended!
Amazing holiday at the Exotica
We loved Kalamaki and especially the Exotica. The staff absolutely make this place they’re all so amazing- the restaurant staff work so hard and are never without a smile and everyone from the cleaners to reception staff go out of their way to help you but the star employee should be Panos the barman. He works at the pool bar all day and then at the restaurant bar all evening- he greeted us every day asking about our day and I loved his sense of humour. Our room and the hotel were spotless and the bed comfortable.I was a bit dubious about the shower arrangement but it worked really well and the shower was powerful. Adequate storage space and the tea and coffee were replenished daily. Breakfast was the best meal for us but the other food was good too and we could always find something to eat - we did eat out a couple of times by choice. The location is good literally a couple of minutes from the main strip but quiet as down a side street. It took us 10/15 minutes to get to the beach well worth a visit. All in all a really enjoyable holiday
Review by mandyrowson Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
