Santorinéiko

Where to start… my honest and comprehensive review of Hotel Makarios where I stayed for a week a few weeks ago. The Good: The rooms are clean, well-equipped, and tidily maintained. The housekeeping team really does an excellent job – everything felt fresh, and the beds were especially comfortable. The location is fairly quiet, though it is directly under the flight path with planes landing nearby. Iys around 10 minutes from the airport in a taxi that will set you back between €30 and €40. That said, it's only about 10–15 minutes on foot away from the lively Kamari beachfront, which is convenient. The Not-So-Good: Unfortunately, there were several areas that needed improvement. The pools were okay – the water appeared green and murky, and the surrounding tiles looked neglected and in need of a deep clean. The poolside toilets, although plentiful, are located underground behind a damaged door. The lighting is so poor that you can barely see anything inside, and there are no signs for gender designation or locks on the stalls, which is a concern. Breakfast was underwhelming. It’s quite limited – occasionally, some bacon and beans, overcooked scrambled eggs, a few pastries, and some scattered continental items. The dining room itself is stiflingly hot, which may be intentional to avoid overcrowding, as none of the windows are opened. The staff do work incredibly hard under these conditions, but it doesn’t make for a pleasant experience. Breakfast is only available from 8–10

The property is beautiful but the terracotta/ orange sand that blew in from the desert was all over the floor in our room. Our luggage being wheeled in, also carried the orange sand into our room, so our socks and feet turned orange. When I went to use a very white towel, there was a dark “something” folded into it. I thought it was a bug. Thankfully when my husband checked, it turned out to be granola that wasn’t cleaned in their wash.

Excellent hotel with really friendly staff and great facilities. The rooms with a hot tub are very comfortable although storage space is quite limited. The breakfast is good with lots of choice and all good quality. Will definitely stay here again