Acrotel Elea Beach

You come here for a beach hotel with enough going on to keep a mixed group happy, without turning every evening into a compulsory programme. The accommodation is arranged in a bungalow-style complex among greenery, with Elia Beach directly outside and a swimming pool for the days when you prefer not to deal with sand in your kit bag.

English, German, French and Greek are spoken by the hotel team, so you will be understood in English from the moment you arrive. The setting works for couples who want the sea close by, families with children, and divers who would rather spend their non-diving hours eating, swimming or doing very little at all.

The property has 326 rooms and was renovated in 2023. That gives you a sizeable resort, but the practical rhythm remains straightforward: breakfast, beach, pool, dinner, and perhaps a drink before the day starts again.

You are in Elia, Greece, directly on the coast and beside Elia Beach. The beach is sandy, around 200 metres long, and comes with sun loungers, parasols, showers and a beach bar. From your room, the sea is not a distant day trip; it is part of the hotel's daily geography.

Little Lagomandra Beach is about 1 mile away, while Lagomandra Beach is roughly 1.3 miles away. Spathies Beach is around 1.9 miles from the property. A car makes these beaches and the surrounding coast easier to explore, and free on-site parking is available if you bring one.

Nikiti and Neos Marmaras are both around 6 miles away, with a hotel shuttle service available for reaching them. Thessaloniki Airport is about 59 miles away by road, so this is a destination where arranging the arrival transfer is sensible rather than leaving the final leg to chance.

The rooms are bright and simply furnished, with air conditioning, a balcony, a fridge, satellite television and a private bathroom with shower. Most rooms have sea views, so the sensible choice depends less on collecting the grandest label and more on how you intend to use the space: a double room suits a couple travelling light, while a Superior Room adds a sofa bed for a third guest.

For four people, the Family Room is the practical option. It gives you more room to spread out and includes a bathroom, which matters when everyone returns from the beach or a full day outdoors at roughly the same time. Family rooms are available, and children of any age are welcome; a cot can be requested for a baby, while extra beds are not available.

Every room has a balcony or outdoor space, and soundproofing is listed among the room features. The fridge is useful for keeping water cool, the air conditioning takes the edge off a hot Greek night, and the private shower is exactly where you will want it after salt, sunscreen and a day outside. Daily housekeeping, WiFi throughout the hotel and room service round out the less glamorous but genuinely useful parts of the stay.

Breakfast starts the day as a buffet, with service from 7am. The Elea Restaurant then covers breakfast, lunch and dinner on its terrace, serving Mediterranean food and working with fresh, local ingredients. The dress code is casual, which is welcome news when your smartest garment has spent the afternoon drying on a balcony.

For lunch or dinner, Almyra Restaurant moves the meal onto the beach and focuses on seafood with sea views. Both restaurants offer a relaxed setting, and vegetarian and gluten-free options are available. The hotel's dining arrangement is half board, so you have a built-in meal plan without being tied to every meal at the property.

There are two bars. The Pool Bar handles cocktails and snacks beside the main pool, with a swim-up bar for those who consider leaving the water an unnecessary administrative task. The Main Bar sits in the lobby and also serves cocktails, while room service operates around the clock.

The main pool is outdoors and includes a swim-up bar, while a separate outdoor pool is set aside for children. Pool and beach towels are available, and the direct beach access gives you an easy alternative when you want the sea rather than another length of pool.

Elea Spa offers massage, facials, a sauna and a jacuzzi. There is also a gym and yoga sessions, so you can choose between doing something constructive with your muscles and letting the spa deal with them instead. The grounds include a garden, terrace and sun terrace for the important business of sitting down and recovering properly.

When you want to leave the property, cycling and bicycle hire are available, along with hiking, horse riding and cultural excursions. On the water, the hotel offers snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, boat excursions and equipment hire. Evenings can include live music, while the kids' club welcomes children aged 4 to 12 and sits alongside children's activities, babysitting and outdoor play equipment.

Arrival is handled from 3pm to midnight, and check-out runs from 7am to 11am. Luggage storage is available, which is useful if your travel times do not line up neatly with the room. A concierge, car hire service, on-site medical facilities and a minimarket cover the practical jobs that otherwise tend to eat into beach time.

An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel. The hotel also operates a shuttle to Nikiti and Neos Marmaras. If you are driving, free parking is available on site, and WiFi is free throughout the property. Laundry and pressing services are available when the contents of your suitcase start to look as though they have been on holiday longer than you have.

Pets are allowed, with the hotel's pet rules applying to the restaurant and pool areas. Cash and major cards, including Visa, Mastercard and American Express, are accepted. For families, cots can be requested for babies, and the children's facilities are built into the resort rather than added as an afterthought.