Aminess Vival Velaris Resort

We arrived via a package holiday and can’t fault the staff — they quickly found us a room after a transfer mix-up (this review is about the hotel, not our tour operator). The grounds are lovely with rosemary, fig, olive, and cypress trees, plus tennis courts, football court, and a dive centre. Sadly, rooms and public areas are tired and basic, feeling stuck in the 90s. The pool is tiny with few loungers or parasols. The beach is crowded, shallow, and open to locals, so it feels far from exclusive despite premium prices. Every inch is taken, there are no loungers reserved for hotel guests, and the sharp stones mean you need mats. No pool or beach towels are provided. Bars and food are very expensive compared to the nearby town (€6.50–€9.70 for 125ml of wine here vs €4.50 for 200ml locally). The beautiful rooftop terrace with stunning sea and mountain views sits unused with no furniture, while the beach bar closes at 7pm. Dinner is loud, crowded, and carb-heavy with overcooked meat, breakfast similar — juice is squash, croissants vanish early, decaf coffee costs extra. Many guests work on laptops, adding to the business-hotel feel. Overall, the location and staff are the highlight, but the hotel is dated, overpriced, and lacks comfort. I’d sleep here if included in a package, but eat and drink elsewhere

The beach is beautiful and the free breakfast is good. HOWEVER, they didn’t have any beach towels for TWO DAYS at this beach resort. The AC was broken in my sisters room, the water in the shower wouldn’t go down, the AC was leaking, there are literally 5 beach chairs at the whole resort AND housekeeping left a dirty toothbrush in our bathroom that was not ours. This place seriously needs an upgrade. They are not maintaining the property at all other than the gardens which are nice. This is not a 4 star resort by any means.

We booked a premium room with a sea view and a balcony, but we were given a room on the ground floor. After complaining, to a very rude staff we received another room the next day, but it still wasn’t the one we booked, which was more expensive. The new room had an unpleasant smell, and after showering, the bathroom would flood. The reception is in one building while the restaurant is in another. The pool is very small and located too far from the main building. You have to pay separately for drinks and parking. There are maybe 20 sun loungers available, which are scattered across the beach and accessible to everyone, so it's always hard to find a lounger. We also found a mouse right outside our door, among other issues.