Cnic Paleo Art Nouveau Hotel

We just finished a 2 week stay. I had such a good feeling, having read the reviews, seen the photos. We are not fussy or high-maintenence. We always look for positives. Therefore I hope readers will consider this a constructive, balanced review. We always do all inclusive with the same budget every year, so anything we felt lacking is a fair comparison against other establishments for which we have paid the same or a similar price.

Location, overall - fabulous. Corfu town 45 min bus ride away. Plenty of places to hire quads, scooters, buggys, book boat trips etc. just a short walk away. Shops and beaches are walkable if you are able bodied and have no mobility issues. Important to note that the hotel and area overall is not accessible. Lots of steep hills and steps, which may be problematic to some, especially on the return trip back uphill.

Hotel, overall - best views ever. We had room 406, full sea view, incredible. Views from the reception, lobby, main restaurant equally stunning, as were those from the rooftop pool and restaurant. Perfect photo opportunity everywhere you look. Communal areas were clean, bright and well maintained. The gold colour scheme supports the palace element of the name, very aesthetically pleasing. The lift - worth pointing out - is tiny. I thought it must be the service lift when we first arrived with cases. It can house 1 medium sized adult and suitcase at one time (or 2 medium sized adults!). There is a a shop on site selling basics / essentials, very handy.

Room, overall - room itself was ample, bed was lovely and comfortable. My husband is picky in this regard (due to back pain) and even he has happy. Nice wall-mounted smart TV, area with large mirror and plug socket for us ladies. Bathroom, very small, I felt claustrophobic. Shower pressure adequate but temperature was inconsistent. The extractor didn't work. I had read prior "rooms a bit tired and in need of modernisation but clean" which would be acceptable to me. Our room, I would disagree though. It needed maintenence and the areas that needed it most (shower for example, see photos) made the place look unclean.

Staff, overall - polite, friendly, helpful, those in dining areas worked constantly to clear away and re-lay tables and wipe them down for re-use. They were equally quick to clear empty glasses in communal / pool areas. Those of (I believe) Philippino descent were the the most wonderful people.

Drinks, overall - self-service at the lobby bar, terrace, rooftop bar / poolside areas and main restaurant. You will only receive table service if you have lunch at Poseidon or dinner at La Luna. Mentioning this simply because as frequent all-inclusive users, this is the first time we have not had table service for drinks in all areas of a hotel. Please note that no bottled water is included with your stay, again a first for us. The labelled "red wine" on tap is actually Rosé, there's no red available in the restaurant or pool bars, only the main lobby bar. Highly irregular (and inconvenient for red wine drinkers!). The drinks selections aren't the same at both pool bars either. You can't get a Rosé at Poseidon, for example. There are only a handful of cocktails included with the package, extremely limited selection of drinks we felt. Local beers and spirits is fine, but only 5 cocktails was disappointing.

Food, overall - acceptable. We are not fussy so can always find something, but choices are limited across all eateries (salad is plentiful and varied in main restaurant). Getting something still warm in the main restaurant could be a challenge. I see this as par for the course with a buffet, especially when you eat later. If you want a guaranteed hot meal morning or evening though - either eat out locally, or try their La Luna restaurant. Limited menu but enjoyable meal.

Restaurants, overall - recommend more than one toaster to service a whole restaurant for breakfast, and perhaps a third coffee machine to avoid the frustrating queues. We never struggled for a table though, there was always plenty of seating. We like to dine outside, so were disappointed not having the option at the main restaurant. Frustrating common occurrence - running out of wine glasses. Surprising, because we never saw the restaurant even half full. When a handful of glasses at a time were replaced, they'd just been washed so were hot or at least, very warm, not ideal for a cold wine. Happened with mugs running out at breakfast too, though less frequently.

Housekeeping - staff were nice and polite, towels changed every day, though there was no system for this. Usually, leave on floor or in bath means replace. One day I did that, the damp bath sheets were hung back up. One day all towels were removed and none left in their place. Replenishment of stock (tea, coffee, creamer, toilet rolls) was very hit and miss, more miss. Usually, what you have used gets replaced daily. This isn't the case here, and there seems to be no pattern to it. The floor was mopped hastily, and I am not sure it was daily. I was very grateful of the complimentary slippers. The balcony area was not swept or mopped once, so it wasn't pleasant to go out there, with the sand and deposits that gathered after the bad weather. It was dirty.

Pools, overall - loved the rooftop pool. Clean, quiet, spacious area. Because there are no parasols - it's less busy. The number of sunbeds in total across the 2 pools seemed seemed low for the number of guests. I am not sure what availability would be like in busier times. The lower pool (which is rather small) we didn't use. Looked like a towels out at 8am situation to stand a chance! We never struggled for a bed on the rooftop, were thrilled to be in the full sun, perfect for us. The beds are comfy, some wheels would be handy to help move them, as they are bulky. Pool itself nice, not enormous but fine. The WC poolside, I found it odd that there's no dryer or paper towels. How does one dry their hands?

Entertainment - very mediocre. The film night was great, it was torrential rain outside so perfect indoor solution. Teddy from South Africa was great, funny and entertaining for the bingo and music/film quizzes. He had a really lively audience and engaged them well. But other nights (greek singer, saxophonist, greek dancers) I am afraid were disappointing.

I can't say anything spoiled our stay here, there were just some disappointing elements. From a views and location standpoint, I would absolutely recommend it. I wouldn't tell anyone to avoid this hotel, as it does have many positives, as listed. I just think it is fair to manage expectations of potential guests.

We had a lovely holiday here. The hotel has a relaxed atmosphere and the location is excellent for visiting the beaches around Paleokastritsa. We also enjoyed having a drink by the pool in the evening. The staff were welcoming and made us feel comfortable from the beginning.