Philoxenia Hotel — Hotel in Polygyros Municipality

Philoxenia hotel was our choice for this year's family vacation in Greece. We booked a half board for 12 days (11 nights). Upon arrival, we were greeted by three Philoxenia staff and were informed that our booked room was upgraded, which was one of the best surprises for us. We got a first floor room at D building, overlooking at the new pool between buildings B-C-D. Room was as expected a bit small, but that was to be expected because the price we paid was in the first minute and it was really affordable.

The room was completely new, new furniture, fixings, beds, linings, refurbished tilings, bathroom, balcony, etc. What we did mind was that the air conditioning was at a such place that however you direct it - it will blow directly at the beds, either at the big bed, or at the bunk bed where children slept. It's not big of a deal, but it might make an issue if you're being constantly blown air at you while sleeping. Rooms had a lcd tv with usb port and hdmi input, great for playing media files from our hard drive. But the tv had a pin protection - to make your life easier, it's 0000 (four zeros) for usb and menu entrance. It had a small cattle and coffee / tea / sugar were realively frequently refilled. Room was cleaned EACH DAY, and towels changes if you want - EACH DAY, andlinings were changed every two days. So, all in all - cleanliness in rooms were at very high level. Internet in the rooms isn't free, it's 1e per day for hoew many devices you'd like and it's fast. I know people will say - who charges internet in the rooms, but I didn't mind as it was fast and always working. It's free at the pool and at the bar/restaurant but in the room - you'll need to pay for it. Rooms are one of my great impressions and out of 10 this one gets 8.5.

Hotel is a combination of 8 buildings, restaurants, reception, etc - and it doesn't offer too much place to go through it. If you wish to go for a walk, you can go to Psakudia and it's beach, by three ways. Hotel floor is throughly cleaned, and is always in almost pristine condition. However, hotel this year seems to fail on something they were highly regarded in previous years - children animation. There was no mini disco at all and children playground were... minimalistic to say at least. So, we had to spend evenings at the pool, Psakudia or went to Nikiti in three occassions. Hotel in general gets 8 out of 10.

Restaurant is probably one of the greatest surprises we had. As always, breakfast is repetitive and you can get a choice of eggs, bacon, sausages, porridge, some puffed pastries, and then yoghurts, salads, and even greek traditional sweets like halva. We only minded the repetetivnes near the end of the vacation. The dinner however is another world. I never had a meal which was so delicious, and so versatile each day. Meats - pork, chicken, turkey, lam, veal, fish, you name it. Every day two different pasta sauces, two soups, salads, fruit, icecream... Everything was absolutely delicious and I really and throughly enjoyed dinner at the restaurant. Staff at the restaurant are kind and they migh intrude a bit to take the plate from your table if you're not using it. The prices at the restaurant are however unsurprisingly high. It's not that they make you to drink their water (you can bring for you and your kids, they won't mind) - but if the prices were more affordable - I guess everyone would be ok with a price of a water bottle for 1e, instead of 3e - and hotel would eventually sell more bottles like that. You can buy a 9 litre pack in Psakudia for as low as 1.2e. Restaurant gets 10 out of 10, even due to the high prices. Believe me, meals are -...

Review updated following reply - capitals are used to reply, not as a means of shouting! Lovely place, recently refurbished and very clean. Good location for exploring Sithonia while not too far from Thessaloniki and easy to get onto Kassandra from here too. Food was very nice, while limited in choice and rather repetitive over the 7 days we were there compared to other 4 star hotels we have stayed in the area, though the waiting staff were great. There’s a separate restaurant which serves a single set menu each night, though with there being absolutely no choice in this menu we didn’t try it. Entertainment is pretty good of an evening and varied throughout the week. Our experience was let down by the system for getting a drink ... I’ve never come across anything quite so convoluted and seemingly designed to reduce drinks service. You cannot go to the bar , as you will not be served. You are required to sit and wait until one of the specific waiting staff who are designated to take orders are free to come and take your order, at which point it is entered into a system and you’ll receive it in around 5–10 mins, making the whole process around 20 mins (or more if they’re busy). This system goes for daytime drinks around the pool or evening drinks in the bar ... it’s ludicrous and means that you spend a large part of your night trying to catch the attention of a busy staff member. To make an already terrible system worse, there are different staff responsible for different parts of the process so you’ll catch someone’s attention who invariably isn’t the “correct” person (as they just deliver the pre-ordered drinks, but can’t take orders) so they have to go and get the person who can input orders. I can only imagine this convoluted process is designed to ensure your supply is limited. It’s not just that it means you’re restricted to amount of drinks but that most of your night is spent distracted and trying to get a drink.... it’s honestly ridiculous. Also our room opened up onto the pool and we couldn’t order drinks from the table and chairs OUTSIDE OUR ROOM as we had to sit on the sunlounger less that 5 ft away - as there were no loungers free this meant we couldn’t get a drink unless we went and sat in the bar and been served there.. TO CONFIRM WE DID NOT WANT ROOM SERVICE, THE WAITRESS WAS STOOD NEXT TO US AND WOULD NOT SERVE US BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SAT ON A SUN LOUNGER WE WERE ON CHAIRS 5 FT AWAY FROM A SUN LOUNGER.. I know it sounds like I’m just moaning about not being able to booze it up but we’re not actually big drinkers and the process is the same for soft drinks / hot drinks .. it’s just that there are such arbitrary and nonsensical rules in place that it actually spoiled what was otherwise a lovely holiday. Staff were lovely though and none of our issue was with them, it was the bizarre system they had to contend with which affected our experience. THE STAFF WERE GREAT AND THE COMMENTS ARE NOT A REFLECTION ON THEM BUT RATHER THE SYSTEM WHICH IS IN PLACE. We have been to Haldiki previously and are currently booking for next year but unfortunately won’t be going back here because it’s a lovely place and great location. IF THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED, AS YOU SUGGEST "BECAUSE OUR MAIN PRIORITY IS THE GOOD SERVICE AND WE NEED EVERYTHING TO RUN SMOOTHLY"... THEN WHY NOT USE THE SAME SYSTEM AS EVERY OTHER HOTEL IN THE WORLD?? I'D SAY THAT SYSTEM WORKS FINE. We spoke to several other couples who had the same experience, so we were far from alone in finding this a...

I am writing this review literally just over a week after returning home. For anyone looking for a very special holiday away from everyday stress then the philoxenia hotel in pascoudia halkadiki is the holiday destination I would choose again and again. I am well traveled, and have stayed in so many hotels and the philoxenia hotel for me is a holiday I will never ever forget and I will return next year with my husband whom ide left home on this occasion as went with my friend for her special birthday. Everyone, the staff, the bar staff, the restaurant team, even the life guard George were just amazing and couldn't do enough for my friend and I. The food was just beautiful and the rooms were modern, clean and just heaven of an evening Sat on the terrace in such beautiful surroundings. The beach is a short walk through a wood and although psakoudia is only a small town, the people that live and work in the little shops and bars are what I believe to be a breath of fresh air and how I imagined Greece to be. Even the guests at the hotel were all lovely and my friend and I met some friends for life. The pascoudia hotel is only a small complex and not like your huge resorts it is a place to relax, to leave everything at home behind for a little while and just take a breath and enjoy. There is cats at the hotel and in the area as there is all over Greece and other islands. The five cats at the hotel one we names tippy were born at the hotel and animal lovers we never ever saw any member of staff misstreat any of the animals and they are part of the family there we came to know and love very much. The cats are fed by the hotel staff and cats being cats are friendly to all , but also leave you alone if you're not a cat person. They aren't skinny, flee ridden or anything of the sort they are friendly and because grown up at the hotel don't venture into the roof top restaurant as they get fed just below which we witnessed ourselves. For anyone thinking of going to stay here if you're not looking for a huge resorts and nightlife and want to experience a genuine family Greek hotel in an unspoilt, unbuilt up area of Greece then I hope like us you enjoy as much as we did. Another must when you visit is afytos by night trip . And the blue lagoon cruise and beach bbw at banana Island. Thank you so much to everyone at the philoxenia hotel we will be back very soon . ||Ps if you can't cope with any more stress and need to recharge and feel a huge weight lifted off you then without reasonable doubt this hotel is for you especially just coming out of season...