Holidays in Greece is becoming more and more popular for Eastern European tourists. Homer’s homeland attracts, as a rule, educated people with interest and respect related to ancient culture. They cannot but be attracted by the prospect of relaxation on the most famous sea in the world - the Mediterranean. Traditionally, the most popular (according to the price / quality criterion) tourists enjoy an economical vacation of a decent standard. In this article we will provide an overview of one of the hotels that provide exactly this level of resort services.
Greek hotel - portal to Hellas
The first-line hotel Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * is great for a measured and relaxing beach holiday. Iliochari and its small area, according to many tourists, are very well-groomed and in the best way contribute to relaxation. The nearby beach and pool of the hotel complex are in line with international canons. The nature of the sea coast is breathtakingly beautiful, where sea air is enriched with volatile volatile products. Guests at the hotel restaurant are fed tasty and varied. Judging by the reviews, tourists here are relaxing and recovering.
The transport infrastructure in the vicinity of the hotel complex is quite developed and favors the travel of visitors to the historical sights of Greece.
Hotel location
Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * (Peloponnese) is located in the southern part of the country, 15 kilometers from the town of Loutraki and 20 kilometers from Corinth. It is built near the world famous wonderful pebble beach. Its guests go to the sea very close, only 80 meters, practically, leaving the hotel, it is enough to cross the road.
The location of the hotel complex favors excursions. Yes, and how: just to the heart of Ancient Greece. Guests of the hotel by regular bus in just an hour drive to Athens, where you can see the famous Acropolis (upper city). It is also close to historical attractions - the ruins of the city of Mycenae, to the incredibly textured (the narrowest in the world) Corinth Canal.
Due to the constant cruising of the Mediterranean Sea by numerous scheduled sea ferries, Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * Ayo Theodori (the most picturesque islands) and the fertile island of Crete (with a marina in the port of Miles) are accessible for guests. By the way, the last route traditionally enjoys special attention of guests of Greece in general and hotel guests, in particular. The exoticism of the Minoan culture, which has a seven-thousand-year history, naturally attracts guests of the Club Hotel Iliochari. Crete naturally attracts tourist flows, as the ancestral home of Hellenic culture, which gave rise to the world-famous legend of the Minotaur.
Hotel. Infrastructure
However, let us return to the main subject of our article. The snow-white three-story horseshoe-shaped buildings of the hotel complex have a very original look, thanks to harmoniously repeating arcades and terraces. In the courtyard, sheltered from the wind by the walls of the three residential buildings of the hotel, there is a swimming pool, as well as a relaxation area. For guests' stay in the hotel complex there are several snow-white compact single-storey cottages covered with textured red tiles.
Club Hotel Iliochari is surrounded by a chic garden with textured palm trees and magnificent lush flowering plants, including tree trees such as bougainvillea. The garden is expertly structured by landscape designers. Between artistically decorated flowerbeds and lawns there are well-groomed terraces, on which vacationers like to walk.
Rooms
Club Hotel Iliochari has 150 guestrooms. Residential premises for guests of the hotel complex are quite different. Some belonging to the economy class contain a minimum set of amenities and are maintained in operational condition by cosmetic repairs (painting and whitewashing of walls).
Others, which can be classified as "classic" and "luxury", are decorated with a genuine designer taste:
- soft "English" color scheme, using a spectacular combination of pastel warm with snow-white flowers;
- blackout curtains on the windows;
- elegant armchairs, sideboards, coffee tables;
- bedspreads on armchairs, beds, chairs.
Thus, the club hotel offers its customers as many as seven types of rooms:
- studio (economy option) - 18 m 2 ;
- room with a double bed (economy option) - 25 m 2 ;
- Junior - suite: there is a living area - 37 m 2 ;
- Standard - Suite: there are two rooms, one of which is a transformer - a bedroom and a full living room;
- Maisonettes - Suite: located on two levels, on the lower - a living room, on the upper - a bedroom;
- Royal - suite: the design is refined, the improved drawing room - salon and a bedroom with a double bed;
- Executive - suite: the design is refined, the improved drawing room - salon and a bedroom with two single beds.
Accordingly, the cost per night in hotel rooms of different price categories differs significantly - 3 516 rubles against 15 982 rubles. However, all client rooms have common features. So, in all of them there is a balcony, a bathroom. The rooms are equipped with TV, air conditioning. The suites are equipped with a kitchen corner with a microwave, electric kettle, dining table, sideboard.
The rooms of the hotel complex are cleaned daily; three times a week they change linen and towels.
About regular tourists
Judging by the reviews of hotel guests, there are among them regulars who visit the Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * for several seasons in a row. Reviews testify that these, in their absolute majority, are people who adore the very spirit of ancient Hellas.
In addition, according to regulars, the Mediterranean Sea in the hotel bay is especially transparent due to the unique filtering properties of the local rocky soil.
Beach vacation
Right from the windows of Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * a wonderful landscape opens. On the one hand - the unique distance of the Mediterranean vineyard (as Homer wrote), on the other - the lush color of the well-groomed garden.
The magnificent comfortable pebble beach, awarded the Blue Flag, starts 80 meters from the hotel complex. It is adequately provided with sun loungers and umbrellas. However, pine plantations are so close to water that their dense crowns successfully replace umbrellas. Therefore, most bathers are located in the shade cast by the slender forest giants, saving on rental equipment.
The chic promenade along which it is so pleasant to walk, laid along a pebble strip, is dotted with cafes and restaurants. This beach resort is deservedly awarded with very positive and flattering comments from hotel guests.
However, stony soil awaits bathers by the will of nature, running through which you can injure your leg. Tourists should get beach slippers to protect themselves. They should also be especially careful when entering the water (because it is transparent): on the shallows you can step on a sea urchin, and this is quite painful.
Nutrition
A typical situation for Mediterranean European resorts: food is limited to two types: breakfast or breakfast + dinner. However, gourmets have the opportunity to dine by appointment right at the Club Hotel Iliochari. Guest reviews indicate the presence of two restaurants: a grill - a restaurant and a cafe "Paradise Garden" (both located in the garden recreation area).
Standard food (breakfast + dinner) is as follows:
- breakfast is quite light: scrambled eggs, ham, a few slices of cheese, delicious yogurt, wonderful honey and jam, a small croissant, cookies, fruits;
- dinner (it is quite late, from 20 00 to 21 00 ) is more dense. There is a main dish (for your choice: a Mediterranean fish or meat), side dishes (alternating with potatoes, pasta, rice, beans, stewed vegetables), two or three types of salads, as well as the same ingredients that we listed when talking about breakfast.
In general, as can be seen from the reviews, guests of the Club Hotel Iliochari are so passionate about beach vacations that gastronomy is considered as something concomitant. However, no one remains hungry.
However, judging by the reviews of tourists, the hotel’s menu includes a significant part of the famous Greek dishes:
- pita (greek lamb kebab),
- kefta (minced meatball, from chicken mixed with bacon and seasoned with spices);
- ashi (especially baked potatoes with minced meat);
- Moussaka (eggplant casserole with meat, flavored with bechamel sauce);
- rice soup with lemon and spinach.
Leisure
Naturally, in terms of mass, in the first place we should talk about bathing tourists in the water area of the beach. Frankly speaking, many of them just come here to swim, dive from morning till night, etc. The sea beckons, it is rich in colorful fish. They are not at all afraid of people. Some of them do not hurt at all, but they funnyly bite the bathing people who invaded their kingdom. It is impossible to be in Greece and remain indifferent to the Mediterranean Sea.
It will also be appropriate to warn a special category of Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * hotel guests - car tourists: beware of renting a car (especially for trips around the city). The thing is that the rules of the road and the Greek temperament are incompatible things. The local streets are quite narrow, and local drivers drive in such a way that using the same transport infrastructure of Homer’s homeland, frankly speaking, is simply humanly scary.
If on country roads you can still drive here, then in the city it is better to just use the services of Greek transport.
Excursions
The three-star Club Hotel Iliochari 3 * (Peloponnese, Loutraki) is a good platform for excursions in Greece. Judging by the reviews of its guests, the most popular are Russian-speaking excursions to Delphi (Greek religious center), Corinth (an ancient polis founded 6 thousand years BC), Meteora (a beautiful rocky monastery complex), Mycenae (a center of original ancient culture), Epidaurus (the ruins of an ancient theater and temple).
Of course (and almost all tourists agree with this), one should begin excursion acquaintances with the beauties of Greece from the Athenian Acropolis. It is here that the well-preserved historical ruins of the most iconic constructions of Hellas are located: the Acropolis consists of the ruins of the sanctuary of the hunting goddess Artemis; the temple dedicated to the wife of Zeus Athena, living quarters for weavers (arrefort), the temple of Erechtheion, the statue of Athena, the royal passage, the main temple of Athens Parthenon and about a dozen other buildings.
About diving
The Mediterranean Sea is an attractive place for practicing water sports and diving. On its coast, an infrastructure of various private schools and courses teaching the skills of diving, surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, parasailing is developed. A few words about classes in one of these sports.
Among the guests who check in at the inexpensive Hotel Club Hotel Iliochari 3 *, there are traditionally divers. After all, just 15 kilometers away is the town of Loutraki with wonderful diving centers. All dives (as evidenced by advertising) take place at a depth of about 30 meters. Newcomers are not taught here, those who want to get acquainted with the underwater world should have a certain experience of multi-level diving. However, judging by the reviews, divers get true satisfaction from exploring the deep Mediterranean. The instructors on the boat take the underwater swimmers to places where they are expected to meet with red corals between the rocks, mussels, oysters, lobsters, tuna, mackerel, sea bass, eels, sea turtles.
Diving in Loutraki is developed: tried and tested diving routes are tied to a specific time (almost like bus), they are serviced by experienced trainers, they are provided with speed boats, equipment.
Shopping
Club Hotel Iliochari is located on a fairly quiet, remote and, therefore, especially beautiful coastline. It is unlikely that ardent shopaholics will choose him, because they are attracted to the trade infrastructure, and they settle not far from shopping centers, supermarkets, markets. For Iliochari guests, the purchase of souvenirs and the purchase of local food are related to a trip to the nearby town of Loutraki.
One of the best places to buy food and drinks is the Spak supermarket. It has a very wide range, and the prices are also quite reasonable. For fashionistas who prefer the expensive, casual style, veiledly elegant behind seemingly negligence, we can recommend the Spoiled store.
Tourists like the original accessories for clothes, made in the ancient Greek spirit. They are in a very impressive assortment presented at the Glamor store. Dipilos is the best place to buy small and original souvenirs.
Conclusion
Hotel Club Hotel Iliochari can be described as inexpensive, family-run. Rest in it heals. Near it lies one of the best beaches in Greece, marked with the Blue Flag. This hotel complex is designed for relaxation of various upon request of customers. Here, in the room fund, both economy class and luxury are presented. The hotel staff is friendly and helpful. Domestic tourists communicate with him mainly in English.