They say they offer “four seasons hospitality”. I have never stayed at any super-luxury accommodation but had a great time in Athena Pallas Village during 2015 Easter. In fact, it was the most convenient place to have a vacation in April and feel like in summer. I do really agree that this resort combines luxury and comfort with breathtaking landscapes.
Location
Athena Pallas Village is part of Acrotel Group hotel chain. It is located in the west coast of of Sithonia – the second finger of the Halkidiki peninsula, Greece. The lodge is 120 km from Thessaloniki. The village offers views of Mount Meliton which is known for its lush vegetation especially in spring and the crystal clear turquoise waters of Aegean See. There are two towns close to Athena Pallas Village – Nikiti (10 km) and Neos Marmaras(11 km). The Porto Carras resort with its international-standard 18-hole golf course is 20 kilometres from the hotel.
This Sithonia hotel faces the peninsula of Kassandra. The sacred Mount Athos is also in close vicinity. The Athena Pallas Village is situated in Elia beach. It features narrow but long sandy beach, clear waters and beautiful Mediterranean nature. The village is extended at more than 30 000 square meters. The hotel complex is close to the other Acrotel`s properties – Elea Village, Lily Ann Beach and Athena Villas. The village is the most luxurious of them.
Tourist can also visit Sithonia`s south beaches – Porto Koufo (20 km), Kalamitsi (30 km), Sikia (35 km) and Sarti (40 km).
Athena Pallas Village Accommodations
There are six types of studious and rooms located in 6 buildings. We stayed at a standard double room with a view to the garden. There was double bed and a folding sofa. Among the amenities were a sat tv; an air conditioning, a mini bar, safe, coffee maker, a hair dryer, slippers and bathrobes. The hotel features a VIP zone with luxury rooms, maisonettes, a swimming pool and a restaurant. Generally you are not allowed to use the VIP facilities but we stayed unmolested at the pool for a couple of hours.
The second time, in April 2016 we were accommodated in a Harmony studio. It was overlooking the swimming pool and the Aegean Sea. That was a very pleasant surprise considering the fact that we paid for a normal studio. The accommodation in the Harmony building includes a spacious bathroom with shower, a bedroom with one king size bed or two double beds, a small living room and a nice balcony. Rooms feature a ship-inspired design – with glasses on the walls that remind of marine hatches.
We could use the safety box free. When we came, we found a small bottle of red wine and a plate with fresh fruit. The only downside of the Harmony building especially in cold days is that there is no walkway to the spa center and the indoor pool. This accommodation is a 3-minute walk from the main building.
There are 2 more outdoor swimming pools and an indoor heated pool in the spa center. It was a little bit weird that children were allowed to swim in the indoor swimming pool only once a day from 11 am to 12 pm. Maybe the hotel managers wanted to prevent the place from overcrowding since the pool was is considerably small. As a result, children were swimming in extremely cold waters of the outdoor baths.
The spa center offers steam bath, sauna, Jacuzzi, solarium and massage. You have to pay 10-15 euros per person to use these facilities.
In April the beach bar was not opened yet. During the high season chairs on the beach are paid even for hotel guests.
During the spring it was a good idea to work out in the hotel`s fitness center. The two-level zone was equipped with rowing machines, stationary bikes, steppers as well as weights.
Athena Pallas Village also features tennis and mini golf courses.
Dinning
There are three restaurants and six bars in the complex. The breakfast is served in the restaurant “Doxato”. Here you can taste the iconic Greek coffee made by yourself in special equipment – a copper pot and a tray filled with sand. Your day starts with fruits, eggs, local pastry and dairy products. In the traditional Greek tavern you can try selected local dishes or specialties of the Mediterranean cuisine.
The a la carte restaurant “Dionysos” offers mainly European specialties. For Easter they served the traditional sweet bread and painted eggs.
As we visit Greece every summer, we recommend trying the authentic cuisine in some of the restaurants in Neos Marmaras. Our favorite place to eat is Ta Kymata Seafood Restaurant. It has a beachfront location. There you can eat grilled octopus, grilled or fried squid, sardine fish and local vegetables.
We also suggest buying foods, drinks and gifts from Nikiti or Neos Marmaras since the mini-market in the hotel was very unpleasant place with poor service.
Entertainment
I started this review with the statement that Athena Pallas village is an ideal choice for a vacation in spring. Families with children can enjoy the mini golf and the folk art museum during the day. At the evening kids can play in the game area or in the zone with bowling lanes, billiards tables, and the movie theater.
In April 2016 the 2 lane bowling was out of order. There was a technical problem in the cinema theatre. Fortunately, there were themed music nights at the bar. We attended the Greek night and the Latin party.
The village offers wireless internet access in public areas and some of the buildings.
If you want to explore the Sithonia peninsula, you can book a boat trip from Neos Marmaras. For more adventurous holiday makers there is a go kart center in the town.
Beach
The bay around the region of Elias and Athena Palace village is very beautiful but the beach belonging to the resort is disappointing. It is narrow with ugly concrete blocks on the pebble grounds and protruding metal spikes. Most of the hotel guests prefer going to the neighboring beaches in Vourvorou, Kalamitsi and Toroni. Most of the days we did the same but we discovered a nice sandy shore on the northernmost end of the bay. While enjoying the peace and quiet, we saw dolphins flipping in the air.
There is a secluded sandy beach just 1-2 km from Athena Pallace village. It is part of the Mitari camping and we are not sure if it is accessible for non-residents of the camp.
Do we come back again in Athena Pallas villages? Yes but it depends on the room rates. This place can be expensive during the summer. In the high season there are charming remote beaches in the southern and eastern coast of Sithonia where we prefer spending our vacation.
