This summer, for the ninth time, I spent two wonderful weeks at the magnificent Elysium Resort & Spa, a place that seems almost tailor-made for me.
Even the first glimpse of the hotel from the road gives you a sense of the beauty and elegance that await you. That impression only grows stronger as you enter the magnificent lobby of the main building, with its breathtaking views of the resort, the sea, and the endless blue horizon stretching out before you.
The room I always stay in is exceptionally spacious and has been completely renovated, with beautiful new furnishings and a sophisticated, contemporary design. Like all the rooms at the hotel, it has a balcony overlooking the sea, but what makes this particular room especially wonderful is an entire wall of glass, allowing you to enjoy the sea view from virtually every corner.
Housekeeping is excellent. The room is kept impeccably clean, and the housekeeping staff are exceptionally attentive and accommodating. They also come by during the day to offer fresh towels or replenish toiletries and other amenities.
Breakfast and dinner are served buffet-style, although at dinner there are also two additional dishes available to order, beautifully presented and served individually. The food is exceptionally varied, delicious, and of consistently high quality. The selection includes shellfish, various kinds of fish, squid, chicken, turkey, pork, beef, veal, and occasionally even rabbit, as well as, of course, lamb.
The beach deserves a special mention, as it is one of the highlights of this exceptional resort. Beautifully maintained, with fine sand and everything thoughtfully arranged, it is a truly delightful place to spend the day.
For many years, the wonderful Elton has been taking care of the beach, making sure that everything is spotless, that all the sun loungers are perfectly arranged, and that guests have everything they need. But what makes Elton truly remarkable is the extraordinary care and compassion he shows towards guests with mobility difficulties. Using a specially designed beach wheelchair, he gently takes them down to the sea and gradually into the water, helping them reach a point where they can move about independently. He does all this with such patience, tenderness, and genuine dedication that these guests, too, can fully enjoy the pleasures of a seaside holiday. Elton is one of the people who make this beach truly special! He is wonderfully assisted by the ever-smiling and hardworking Geoffrey.
Yet, beyond the flawless service, beautiful surroundings, and exceptional facilities, the most important reason I keep returning to Elysium is the extraordinary warmth and kindness of its staff. They make me feel not simply like a guest, but like someone returning to a place where he truly belongs. Over the years, Elysium has become my second home by the sea, my own little seaside retreat.
At Reception, there is the exceptionally kind Sevasti Alexandra Petković, who has helped me on numerous occasions and has always been wonderfully attentive and thoughtful. Equally delightful is her colleague in Guest Relations, Nadia Bundina. Both Sevasti and Nadia show genuine concern for their guests, regularly checking that everything is going well and that nothing is missing from their stay.
In the Main Restaurant, we were looked after by the wonderfully professional, warm, and witty Konstantinos, who knows his job inside out and combines impeccable service with a delightful sense of humour. Manolis was equally kind and attentive, always making sure that we were served promptly and with a smile. He genuinely made our stay even more enjoyable, as did his helpful colleague Jenery.
Every morning, the ever-smiling Katholiki prepared her delicious omelettes. She has been welcoming us with such warmth and affection for years, always asking how we are and whether everything is going well. There is something particularly lovely about being greeted each morning by someone who remembers you and is genuinely pleased to see you. And, of course, there was the hardworking and cheerful Dimitris, who brought me my morning coffee prepared exactly the way I like it.
On two occasions, we had breakfast at the beautiful rooftop Sense Restaurant, whose terrace offers spectacular views, while the entire restaurant exudes an atmosphere of tranquillity and understated elegance. Guests are treated with particular care and attention, and the service is wonderfully personalised. We were fortunate enough to be looked after by Tsampikos, a gentleman of impeccable manners and consummate professionalism, who combines his exceptional service with a warm, friendly smile. He made our visits to this beautiful restaurant even more enjoyable.
Every day, I had lunch at the Almyra Beach Bar, where, for the past eight years, I have been welcomed by the ever-smiling and exceptionally professional Georgia. She has a remarkable eye for detail, never overlooks anything, and takes wonderful care of all her guests. After so many years, being served by Georgia feels more like being looked after by a sister or a dear, long-standing friend. Her colleague and assistant, the lovely Konstantinos, is equally kind, attentive, and thoroughly professional, always willing to help and make guests feel welcome.
I must also mention the delightful Michalis, whose kindness, wonderful sense of humour, and skill made my daily limoncello spritz a little pleasure I always looked forward to!
As I always say, I wholeheartedly recommend Elysium Resort & Spa for its truly first-class service, beautiful surroundings, impeccable cleanliness, and exceptional attention to detail. But above all, I recommend it for its outstanding staff: highly professional, genuinely kind, and unfailingly courteous people who go out of their way to ensure that every guest can completely unwind, leave all their worries behind, and simply surrender to the pleasures of a perfect holiday.