Hydra Beach Resort

I don’t usually give reviews unless I’ve had a fantastic or horrible experience. In this case, I just wanted to warn that this is by no means a 5-star hotel. There’s only one buffet restaurant with practically the same food every day and one à la carte restaurant with the same menu daily. The rooms were super outdated, and overall there seemed to be a lack of staffing across the hotel. The property itself is outdated, with no real facilities. Snacks for the all-inclusive at the pool bar were minimal—just a wrapped sandwich. At the beach bar, they added ice cream. I had a cockroach in my room. The blow dryer literally fell apart in my hand while holding my child coming out of the shower and could have caused electrocution. The electric key failed to work, and then you have to wait forever for someone to come give you a new one. Staff was really nice, though—the mini club girls were excellent and loved our kids. The restaurant staff made us special food for our toddler, so there were some positives. However, on the last day, a pipe burst, spewing yellow, smelly water across the entire hotel, making it impossible to get to the reception/buffet without walking in it, and no attempt was made by the hotel to help guests. In the end, for the price we paid, it was not worth it. There’s no real reason for me to want to come back. If you’re planning to book this, set realistic expectations and don’t get overcharged for a hotel that is rumored to be a 5-star but is really still living in the 80s.

I don't know how it was before, but in August 2025 the hotel is very far from 5 stars. The sun loungers on the beach are broken, the sun umbrellas are torn. The food is almost the same every day, the main course is only pork, there is no normal fish, no seafood either (that's what 5* Greece is). The floors in the rooms are not washed, if you walk around without slippers, it's the same as walking on the ground. The rooms themselves are old, there is no kettle in the room, the air conditioning almost doesn't work at night. Soap and shampoo were not renewed, I had to ask for them separately. Hair conditioner, they generally forbade refilling. The only entertainment in the evening was Lotto (10 euro for 6 tickets) and with a prize of soap and champagne :)). There is no entertainment for children. Morning exercises in the pool, the same parody of exercises. Cold drinks (lemonades, cola, etc.) are impossible to drink unless from a bottle, but from a machine, one continuous chlorine. Queues at the restaurant. Pros: coffee beans everywhere, ice cream (average quality) for lunch, dinner, and on the beach, bottled wine (white, pink, red), champagne was served once. There were delicious desserts, nut paste. Fresh fruit, uncut. Ice freely available. Sea water in the pool.

We are staying at the hotel at the moment. We understand that it’s going through a transition period from previous management to new. Pros:The rooms are clean renovated and spacious. The buffet food very good. Large variety and tasty. Kids mini club good. Generally kids had fun at the pool. Cons: the common areas and gardens need maintenance. The kids entertainment needs an upgrade, 20 mins kids disco and that’s it. And actually today due to “tech issues” was not working. The pool and beach bar should open earlier, otherwise if you want a coffee in the morning you need to go to the main building at the buffet. More snacks variety. No hair conditioner.. was advised that this was due to factory production issues. Which I find quite ridiculous considering the price we pay. Generally it’s not a 5 star, close to 4 star.

The hotel itself is located in a beautiful spot, and the property looks stunning at first sight. However, our overall experience was far from what you would expect from a 5-star resort, especially one still being advertised online as if it were part of the Barceló group. The service was simply not up to standard. Customer care was poor, and most of the staff seemed unmotivated and unwilling to help. The only truly friendly and positive experience came from the bartenders, who were kind and attentive. The biggest disappointment, however, was the food. The quality was absolutely not on the level of a 5-star hotel. The restaurant was very poorly organized, with extremely long lines just to get basic food. As a family with a small child, this was especially frustrating. We literally had to take turns: my wife would go first to get her meal and bring it back to the table, and by the time I managed to get mine, she and my son had already finished eating. This kind of dining experience is simply unacceptable for a hotel that positions itself as luxury. It feels misleading that the property is still being promoted as part of Barceló, when in reality both the food and service fall very short of that standard. The surroundings are indeed beautiful, but unfortunately, beauty alone does not make up for the lack of quality and service. On top of that, the price is set at the level of a true 5-star resort, but the overall experience is nowhere near what you pay for.

It's far away from civilization. A lot of driving from the main road. The food was excellent. The room were clean and cozy. The staff was polite. If your accommodation is near the beach front than you are lucky other wise there is a lot of walking. The guys with the vehicles were not helpful