Kamari Beach, Kamari, Greece
Five-minute walk to beach and 10 to main tourist area
Simple, clean rooms offering mini-fridges, free safes, and flat-screen TVs
Appealing bathrooms have rainfall showerheads and vessel sinks
Large pool with hot tub and bar offering drinks and snacks
Wading pool and playground for kids
All-inclusive restaurant serves three buffet-style meals
Game room with ping-pong, a TV lounge, and massage chairs
On-site tennis court
Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel
Meals lack variety and may become repetitive after a few days
Pool area can be crowded at peak times
Doorless shower stalls may spray into the bathroom
No fitness room, spa, or beach access
The all-inclusive, mid-range Hotel Makarios offers guest a friendly, homey environment set away from the bustle of popular tourist spots. It is a few minutes’ walk to a quiet section of Kamari’s black beach, though the area around the property is a bit run-down. The hotel itself is well-kept and has lovely grounds with a large pool and adjacent bar, whirlpool, and wading pool for kids, plus a playground and tennis court. The 46 simple rooms include mini-fridges, free safes, and free Wi-Fi, as well as furnished balconies. Those who need fitness facilities and a presence on the beach should check out Kamari Beach Hotel; it isn’t all-inclusive, but it has a free breakfast and a lower price point for many rooms.
Scene
Friendly, homey hotel with pleasant grounds and quiet atmosphere
This all-inclusive hotel offers a friendly environment attracting couples seeking a relaxing vacation. It is set away from popular tourist spots in a neglected area, so it tends to be quiet, but the hotel itself is well-maintained and appealing. Interior spaces are homey but dated. In the lobby, there are a lot of wood with simple padded furniture and a wood-paneled front desk and bar. The walls have large bulletin boards with tourist info and a few small paintings of ocean views. In the restaurant, decorative plates and photographs of food are the main decor. The grounds are prettier with well-kept trees, flower boxes, and views of the ocean creating a peaceful atmosphere. Some guests find that noise from the busy road and planes landing at the nearby airport disturbs the peace, but others are not bothered.
Location
Isolated spot a few minutes' walk from the beach
Hotel Makarios is in the town of Kamari, near the eastern coast of Santorini. There is a restaurant across the street from the hotel, but not much else nearby. A quiet, isolated section of beach can be reached with a short, five-minute walk from the hotel. However, it is a 10-minute walk through unappealing back streets to more popular stretches of the beach where lounge chairs, bars and restaurants, and a pedestrian shopping area can be found. From the hotel, it is a 12-minute walk, or a four-minute drive, to a nice open-air movie theater. The ruins at Ancient Thera are a 14-minute drive away, for those up for a mountainside walk with incredible views. Fira, the capital city of Santorini, is a 15-minute drive from the hotel and is well worth a trip for the fantastic sunset views of the caldera.
The hotel has free parking, and a bus stops right outside the entrance with service to the airport and Fira. Santorini Airport is a seven-minute drive from the hotel, and the port is a 20-minute drive away.
Rooms
Simple rooms with mini-fridges, free safes, and appealing bathrooms.
Standard rooms are simply designed with a mostly neutral color scheme and a few pops of color in lime-green pillows and matching bed runner. There’s a small Greek-island painting above the bed, but no other decor to speak of. Family rooms that sleep four are available, with the option of all single beds or a double and a bunk bed. All rooms have a desk, hairdryer, wall-mounted flat-screen TV, free safe, mini-fridge, and a wardrobe. Every room also has a balcony with a small table and chairs. Bathrooms are fresh and appealing with sea-green tile in the shower stall, rainfall showerheads, and vessel sinks with modern hardware. The glass-walled shower is doorless and can cause a wet floor. Free hand soap is provided.
Features
Main pool with kids’ area and whirlpool, all-inclusive buffet restaurant, and a tennis court
The pool is the central hangout spot for the hotel. With a bar on one end, outdoor restaurant seating on the other, a whirlpool, and the kids’ wading pool, there’s a lot of activity packed into one space. Loungers are crowded tightly around the pools, so those with a need for personal space might not enjoy it, but guests are usually able to find a seat when they want one. The all-inclusive restaurant serves three buffet-style meals a day, which guests find satisfactory, but limited in choice and repetitive after a few days. The pool bar has drinks and snacks during the day.
The game room is a multipurpose space with table tennis, books, computers with internet access, a TV lounge area with seating, and massage chairs. There’s also a tennis court for active adults, and a tired playground in the full sun for kids. Wi-Fi is free and available throughout. There are no fitness room, spa, or beach access.