Hi, Its Dympna here at Friendship Travel. I know I have spoken to so many of you over the years, but to those who don’t know me, I’m one of the lovely ladies sitting at the end of the phone here at the Friendship Travel Office!
One of the perks of my job at Friendship is visiting new hotels for single travellers that Colum has sourced and, in the autumn of last year me, and several of my colleagues, travelled to Zante to check out the island and the two new hotels that we are featuring.
Our first visit was to the two-star Apollon Hotel, in Tsilivi – just north of Zante town – and my first impression was of how welcoming the owners were, so important for single holidaymakers. We were given the ‘grand tour’ of this centrally-located little hotel and enjoyed a drink in the bar and restaurant (I can recommend the cocktails!). For those of you who like to sunbathe the hotel has a pool with sun loungers or, if you prefer the beach like me, a gentle stroll leads to a huge stretch of sand.
The bedrooms are of a good size with double or twin beds and each has its own en suite shower room, plus a mini-fridge for keeping drinks cool. I slept like a log…
We had dinner at the hotel (lovely choice of Greek food, plus pizzas and pasta) and then headed off for a night on the town checking out the bars and tavernas!
After bidding our farewells to Dionysios and his family, we headed to the four-star Ionian Hill Hotel and its location – on a hillside at Porto Davia overlooking the Ionian Sea – is absolutely stunning, it really took my breath away and I reckon it’s the best view I have ever seen from a hotel!
This boutique hotel is really stylish and has 28 beautifully furnished bedrooms – each with either a terrace or a balcony – along with and a poolside restaurant and bar. However, most of our meals (which were absolutely delicious and Mediterranean-style) were taken in the open-air so we could enjoy the views, especially the sunsets in the evening. There is a swimming pool to ‘die for’, along with a fabulous restaurant and bar.
A stroll of around 15 minutes took us to Argassi where we spent a happy time checking out the shops, bars and restaurants! Although there is no beach here, there are swimming platforms giving access to the sea. For lovers of the beach, a cheap and easy bus ride will take you to a good selection including Laganus, nine kms of fabulous sand. A trip to Zante town is a ‘must’ too with lots of shops and tavernas and boat trips from the harbour.
Whichever hotel you choose for your singles holiday in Zante, you will not be disappointed. Both are relaxed and friendly and I was totally bowled over by the warm welcome we received at each.
