Hotel in zona Paralia Psili Ammos, Thasos

Four of us stayed for seven nights in mid-June 2024. Two adults and two sixteen-year-old lads. We arrived at the Hotel Bonanza at around 12.30 am. The man on reception was very friendly and put us at ease. We were given a packed lunch each and told we were staying at Canarife Palace a bit further down the road. The packed lunch consisted of a slice of ham and cheese between two slices of dried bread, an apple, a bottle of water, and a packet of biscuits. The biscuits were nice! The Hotel Bonanza reception area was very clean and modern. This filled us with hope. We arrived at Canarife and were met with another friendly member of staff. Again, the reception area was spacious, clean and modern. Our room was on the second floor with a balcony view looking over the pool areas. The room made me feel a bit like a time traveler, going from modern, white surroundings into a room that gave off a look and aroma of the 1970s. We had a large bed, solid and comfy so no complaints there. We had read many reviews about bed bugs before coming so we stripped the covers back to inspect. Thankfully no sign of any. The room was spacious with a nice bathroom with shower/bath. The shower gave off enough power and heat. The small fridge was not working with a smell of what I can only describe as the smell of death that had been trapped in a Tupperware tub! Never to be opened again for the rest of the stay! We did have a few bed bugs throughout the week, but nothing to get hysterical about, and an understanding we are in a hot country so bugs are always going to be inevitable. I did not see one cockroach or any other unwelcome visitor throughout the week. The food became a bit repetitive after the first two days. Again, this is likely to be us being a bit fussy, well one of the lads was certainly that! There is not much order when it comes to the layout, but I didn’t find it too stressful. I think we accepted that early on not all nations share the British etiquette when it comes to lining up or waiting turns. The entertainment was a mixture of female Vic Reeves style club singer on a Sunday night to a party for the kids with some heavy dance music with a bit of effing and jeffing. The daytime entertainment isn’t exactly enthralling, and to be honest, it seems to be targeted at other Nationalities rather than the Brits. Having said that, I felt all the staff were really friendly and helpful throughout. The surrounding area is pretty good with plenty of shops, bars, and places to eat on the road outside the hotel. The main town and beach are a bit of a trek, but well worth doing, especially going downhill. I would advise an iron lung on standby for the walk back up. Overall, I would rate the Blue Sea Resort (Canarife Palace) 7/10.

The hotel in Kavala may not be classified as a 5-star establishment, but it met my expectations for the city. The room was spacious and impeccably clean, although it had a slightly musty odor. The bathroom was also generously sized and well-maintained. Breakfast offered a decent variety, although certain items like strawberries were not promptly restocked when they ran out. The mornings tended to be busy, and parking could be challenging when the hotel was full, possibly due to sharing spaces with local residents. Despite these minor inconveniences, I believe it's the best choice among Kavala's accommodations. The staff were friendly, although not overly attentive, and the room rates didn't quite match the service level. It was also peculiar that while they provided tea, coffee, and cream in the rooms, guests had to pay for drinking water to prepare them.

The hotel has a good location near the port of the city of Kavala. The standard rooms are narrow, the bathrooms are also and the terrace is with a view of the neighboring building. Every day they stock soaps and shower gels. Snacks are quite poor as an assortment, there is a queue at the cafe machine and quite a large number of unprepared tables, it is almost impossible to find a clean table to sit down and eat.