Matina Aparthotel, Pefkos, Rhodes (Pefkos)

Member Name: Kirsten Hey

Product:	Pefkos
Date:	21/09/07 (2053 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: excellent apartments

Disadvantages: very English resort

I went to Pefkos with a friend, for two weeks in September 2007. We stayed at the Matina.

The Matina is, quite frankly, the best apartment complex I have ever come across in Greece. We were in a studio, which had 3 single beds. The beds were not particularly comfortable, they were very hard, but we got by.

There was a large wardrobe with plenty of coat-hangers, adequate drawer space for two women, a fridge with icebox, cooker with a couple of rings, plenty of crockery and cutlery and even things like a chopping board and a colander. There was a hairdryer, tv and phone in the bedroom part as well. The bathroom had a large sink with plug and counter space, toilet, and a bath with overbath shower and shower curtain. None of your usual wetfloor shower with no curtain. The only things missing were hooks on the bathroom door for hanging up towels/bathrobes etc, and shutters. The large patio doors (we were on the ground floor) had no shutters so at night it was windows open (security risk) or windows shut (too hot).

The maid came in every day except Sundays, the towels and linen were changed twice a week and she left our sheets and nightwear shaped into - well, shapes- bows, ships etc, which was a lovely touch. The apartment was spotless. There were ants, but that's just par for the course in Greece and the maid left ant spray. One day we saw a cockroach, but only one and it was dealt with promptly. One day the toilet flush broke, we reported it on our way to the beach in the morning and it was fixed when we got back in the evening.

We didn't bother with aircon - I find the noise harder to sleep through than the heat, but we did use the safety deposit boxes. They're located in reception and I can't remember how much it cost - but it wasn't excessive. There are also computers in reception with internet access, 1 euro for 15 minutes.

The pool was large and seemed clean and the poolside area seemed clean and in good repair, but we didn't use it at all - we went to the beach instead. The beach is about a 30 second walk from the Matina - couldn't be handier. Loungers and parasols are available at the beach for 8 euros per day. The beach was clean and sandy with a little shingle and the sea was ideal for swimmers and paddlers but not so good for tiny children - the shore shelves quite steeply at first so small children would need to be supervised quite closely.

The resort itself, I wasn't too impressed with. I don't eat meat or fish and every other time I've been to Greece, I've had no problem at all finding meals, but in Pefkos I lived on tomato pasta. The restaurants really didn't provide for vegetarians at all - no spanakopita, very little briam... There was lots of meat and fish, and my carnivorous friend was delighted with most of her meals, but I really struggled and was bored sick of tomato pasta by the end of the fortnight. I got the impression that it was a very English resort and in catering for "English tastes", the Greekness had been compromised. I daresay a meat eater wouldn't have noticed it though. Something else we both noticed was that the hummus, aubergine salad and taramasalata was the same in every restaurant - they obviously all buy it from the same wholesaler and it really wasn't very nice. The tsatziki seemed to be home made everywhere though and always delicious. We didn't eat in the same restaurant twice while we were there, there is plenty of choice for restaurants and plenty of bars as well. I highly recommend Lee's Beach down on the beachfront.

The Matina offers lots of entertainment - party nights, barbecue, karaoke etc. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than spend my holiday around the pool participating in group entertainment, but the people who did go were saying they enjoyed it.

There are several supermarkets and gift shops in Pefkos, but for more shopping, a trip to Lindos or Rhodes Town would be better. We got taxis into Lindos twice (6 euros each way) and did an organised trip into Rhodes Town one night. I think that was 19 euros each. Rhodes old town is quite confusing and we got very lost on our way back to the bus, so keep your wits about you. The other thing we did was the all day boat trip for about 39 euros each, I think. We were collected by coach and taken to St Paul's Bay where we got on the boat, which took us round to Agathi Bay for swimming and sunbathing. Then we went off to another beach for a barbecue and swimming (my friend says the meat was delicious; I had salad and bread) and then another stop on the way back for swimming off the boat, getting back to St Paul's Bay about 6pm. That was a really good day, very enjoyable trip, but I can imagine it could have been quite different if the sea had been choppy.

There were plenty of other trips available too, but I can't remember what they were. Tours of the island, the watersports park, the valley of butterflies (actually giant moths) and other stuff too.

I enjoyed the two weeks very much. It was very, very relaxing but there are activities available if that's what you're looking for. Just don't expect an authentic Greek experience - it is a very English resort.

Summary: Good place for a relaxing holiday as long as you eat meat