Mitsis Hotel Norida Beach Review

Overall Rating

WEATHER

MANY

Although this post on Hotel Norida Beach, Kardamena is long, I have tried to include everything I can think of to enable you to make more out your holiday. If any advise helps anybody, then it was worth the effort of writing this.

We have just returned from a 1 week stay at Norida Beach Hotel Kos. (20th Sept - 27th Sept 07)
This is not a 5 star hotel, we would rate this hotel 3 star.

FUME SMELL.
We stayed in on the ground floor rooms just past the adult bar. The smell of diesel / fuel fumes were horrendous! I am allergic to PPD (an additive in fuel) and after the 2nd day woke up with chest problems. The smell hit us as soon as we left our room, and drifted across that side of the hotel. This is totally unacceptable, no matter what the star rating of the hotel is.

ROOMS
Were clean, basic, although very disappointed that the shower was a hand held. Only had hot water on 1 evening. Beds, yes were concrete edged with wood loose slats laid across, check they are evenly laid before sleeping on them. We prefer a firm bed, so this didn't affect our sleep. Air con worked great. No tea or coffee making facilities (although this is all inclusive, please read below, as this did make a difference to our stay). TV didn't work neither did the radio. There is a charge for the safe.
Maids pleasant and worked hard.

BAR
The only decent drinks that really could be found were either at the adults bar or the beach bar. A rum and coke, tasted just like coke. The fruit juice they mixed with the spirits was watered cordial, thus making the drinks taste extremely weak. The adults bar does have some named brands but these have to be asked for, otherwise you will get local brand stuff.
Bar staff all pleasant.

RESTAURANT
No bacon, look like cubed hot spam, no mushrooms or cooked tomatoes for breakfast.. Food was OK although not always hot, which could have lead to problems with tummy upsets. Liver was on every day. Don't expect steak. Roast lamb in mint sauce very nice.Good fish choices.Pancakes were fab! Fried eggs for breakfast were often over cooked.

TAVERNA
excellent, get there before 2pm otherwise they start to clear away. The staff here were great.

CHINESE
Excellent, would recommend this to everybody! Situated at the side of Taverna, within the same block. I don't like Chinese much but really enjoyed my meal here. The staff again excellent.

RECEPTION STAFF
We found them friendly and helpful, we encountered 2 immediate problems when arriving, 1 being no plug and the patio table broken, this was corrected within 2 hrs. If you are pleasant to them you get it in return.

POOL
We did not go in. The most we ever saw was 3 people who dare brave the cold, we were told it was like jumping into a salt slush puppy. I did however do a toe dip and it was freezing.

ENTERTAINMENT
OK. Expect to be pressurized into giving them excellent star ratings in questionnaire at end of your holiday. The children's entertainment went on far too late and by the time the adults started, we were beginning to get tired, so therefore missed this some nights as it really started after 10.30 - 10.45. They do seem to work hard though.

BEACH
Stoney not sand, and the sea gets very deep very quickly, so would not advise for young children, as they will be out of their depth within a few steps.

LOCATION
The views from this hotel are wonderful, set at the bottom of mountains and with sea views, it really is lovely.
Town centre of Kardamena is 4.5 kilometres away, too far to walk too in heat.

OVERALL
Apart from the above one of the disappointments for us was the lack of decent food available between 2.30 - 6.00pm. The restaurant and Taverna close at 2.30 with the only food available then being from the beach bar, or small fridge near the inside bar, until dinner which opens at 6.00 .If we went out for the morning and came back after 2.30 all we could get was yuk hot dogs/ small dry rolls filled with meat cheese / tomatoes, dry cake and ice cream.
They did do packed lunches and the nicest thing about them was the box they were presented in, they contained, 2 apples, 2 boiled eggs, feta, 2 plain dry rolls, 2 dry cheese / meat rolls, and 2 bottles of water.
Apart from going into the main restaurant for your breakfast, you could not get a cup of tea or coffee from anywhere until 10AM. We like a cup of coffee / tea first thing. I didn't even think of taking a travel kettle with this being an all inclusive.
This hotel has the possibility of being a far better, it lets itself down.
Flies near the open bar, OK this one is a difficult one for the hotel to deal with, but these flies bite within milli seconds of landing on you, but doesn't leave the marks or itching a mosquito would leave.
Would not recommend this hotel to disabled.

ADVICE
Take a travel kettle and some teabags / coffee for first thing in the morning.

When having tea or coffee in restaurant, use the milk from the cereal counter, the milk in the jugs provided, was more like evaporated. Ideally take your own home teabag to restaurant as well.

Take your own hairdryer, the one in the rooms, didn't have enough power to blow the skin off a rice pudding.

Remove the brass tab which powers the electric off your room keys, leave this in the socket as it will keep your air con and electric on during the day.

Don't ask for juice in drinks, ask for it separate.

Go to the adults bar in the evening. Waitress served which is nice.

Book the Chinese.

Hire a bike / quad / car etc and see the rest of the island, Zia is breath taking!

There is no money exchange available at reception.

Make sure you don't go over your baggage allowance, the Kos airport are very strict and will charge 9 euros a kilo, anything over.
Couldn't find any scales to double check our cases at hotel.

Take your driving licence, hire some transport, the island is lovely, and worth a couple of days of your holiday to see it.

Cigarettes are around about the same price throughout the island. 200 superkings between 28.5 - 29 euros.

Take immodium. Whilst my husband and I didn't really have any problems, there were many that did. I think we were fortunate.

Take baby nappy bags for disposing of used loo roll.

There are showers in the toilets, between the restaurant and reception, use these if you can only get cold water in room like us, also ideal for last day stay rather than paying the 40 euro's for keeping your room on. The door is often closed, and unless you open them you would not know they are there. Womens is direct in front of entrance to toilets and mens to the left. Although they do not have separate door for privacy, it is worth it for a hot shower.

Some of the excursions were cancelled if not enough had booked or too windy for boat trips which is understandable, and people were not informed until time of departure, which lead to unhappy guests, whom had planned their day out. Try and get about yourself, where you only have yourself to rely on.

Hotel is along way from the town centre and walking there in the heat, I would not recommend.

Watersports, eg pedlo's although free required a 30 euro deposit, so if you would like to do this leave enough money for deposits.
The toilets on the beach are closed, you have to use the Taverna toilets.

TO FINISH
Would I recommend this holiday to my friends and family, personally ...no, unless they got this for £250 a week.. I certainly would not advise 2 weeks here, unless you hire a car bike or quad. Overall we did have a nice holiday despite the problems, the weather was great, the staff are lovely, its a shame the hotel lets them down too. The hotel is clean and tidy. Don't expect a 5 star but a 3. Get about and enjoy Kos it is a lovely island.