Arathena Rocks

The location is nice and the cleaning of the room is great, but that’s about the positive. Basically everything’s about the hotel is a 2 or 3 star. Its worn down with rocks laying around, not cleaned around the pool, grass growing where ever, pool is cracked, and same on the balcony walls. It feels like the manager and staff doesn’t care about the hotel anymore. Breakfast with the same sweet cookies every morning…on request to get scrambled eggs instead of fried eggs…a big NO! Bad service! Tried the tuna- and prosciutto salad for lunch, but not good at all. Dinner feels like a try to make up for the bad breakfast and lunch, where you can order between two different meals. It was ok, but the chef loves to make fried potatoes to every meal no matter what it was. So there need to be a variety but didn’t exist. We cannot recommend this hotel as it is not a 4 star…it’s a really good 2 star and a ok 3 star. If you are looking for a good 4 star hotel then don’t book this hotel.

Not a 4 star hotel. Definitely 3 star. I stayed in a 3 star hotel in Greece in May 26, and it was far superior to this hotel. It needs a lot of tlc as it's very tired in places, which let it down. Planters which are either empty, or containing dead flowers, or cigarette ends, not nice at all. Not sure if they have maintenance people, if they do, they need to pull their fingers out and get the place smartened up. The breakfast staff in the dining room are quite miserable and sometimes rude, not friendly or helpful at all. The website said there was a shuttle bus to town, when I enquired about it, I was told that servic hadn't run for at least the last 7 years. The friendliest person was the Australian receptionist. Not a hotel i would go back to.

We have just spent a week at the Arathena Rocks and what a very nice hotel this is set right on the waters edge with great views over the sea, we did have a sea view room this was extra but well worth it. The room was large with fully equipped bathroom aircon and wifi it also had a small fridge under the large wall cabinet. We was on a half board basis very good breakfast and 4 course evening meal. The staff through out where very professional always helpful and polite a very easy going hotel. The town of Naxos is about a 25 minute walk from the hotel some nearby restaurant's and boat hire within 10mins plenty of sunbeds on the beaches also quite a lot of sunbeds and parasols at the hotels pool would recommend this hotel and location if you are looking for a week in Sicily. Well done Arathena Rocks.

This hotel is traditional in its decor, service and evening meals. The staff are very helpful and we had good service at every opportunity. The evening meals were served to the table and pre ordered the night before. The options always had a fish dish and a meat offering, not always to our taste but good Sicilian food, again more traditional than touristy. The lunches were excellent, great pizza and huge salads ! The walk to Naxos was around 10 minutes along the coastline all flat and easy to navigate. We had a good time and enjoyed the small hotel vibe !

Fabulous location. Very relaxing getaway. Very good value for money. Breakfast totally serviceable. Would have liked water or tea, coffee in room. I take medication & this made it way more challenging than it needed to be.

I had the most delightful time at the Arathena Rocks hotel. My room was most comfortable with a balcony affording the most wonderful sea views. The staff were wonderful and helpful at all times, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’d like to thank them all.

The hotel has a lot of style. None of that gray/beige modern stuff. Small, cozy, packed with antique furniture, it has a somewhat charming quirky vibe. Staff are super friendly. Manuela at the reception is amazing, as are the good people in the bar and the restaurant. Much love to my man Piero, always ready to smile at you. But everyone is 100% sweet and profesional. The cleaning ladies are super nice and tactful too. Beer and cocktails are nice, plenty of room at the pool, lots of sunbeds and umbrellas. There's also a lawn area with garden chairs and tables where you can chill and have a drink.There is direct access to the sea, but note that there's no beach: you go down a path through lava rock, climb down a ladder and go in. There is no aqua aerobic, water polo or loud music at the pool. Place is quiet, relaxed and tranquill. There isn't a schedule for anything other than meals. Speaking of which. Food is great. Breakfasts are fine: there's cheeses, hams, eggs, bacon, fruit, youghurt etc. Lunches you have to pay for, but well worth it: pasta con le sarde is my new goto dish. But the dinners... My god. It starts with soup and veg, then you get served the first dish which is a choice of two pasta dishes, then you get served the second dish, which is a choice of three dishes, then there's dessert, and coffee. The whole affair takes around 90 minutes. Nice choice of wines and cocktails and coffees as well. Typically you can choose between meat and fish options, but if you're vegetarian let them know and they'll sort you out. Unlimited amounts of bread, olive oil, aubergine and zucchini. The staff are invariably friendly, quick to help, always ready to explain the food or the wines. And, apart from breakfast and the soup/veg part, there is none of that self service thing you get in all inclusive resorts. You get table served, they pour drinks for you, open the wine in front if you, let you taste it first, they serve cocktails in glass not plastic, apart from those you take to the pool, heck, there's even plaque with your name on your table. Rooms are nice. Reasonably spacious. Bathrooms too. We had a balcony facing the sea and the view was amazing. Folks on the other side of the corridor faced Etna, so you can't really go wrong here. There's wifi and TV, and you can switch language to English, so there's that. Location is generally good. Giardini Naxos is close to Taormina and you can easily get to Catania or Syracuse or Messina. Mind that the hotel itself is about 15-20 minutes from the beach and nearest shops. There is a beach, but there's no place to put down your towel, so you really have to pay for sunbeds. At 30 euros for a pair it's better to stay at the hotel pool. To sum up: if you're looking for some old world vibe with a touch of luxury there's your place. The two weeks we spent there felt like the beginning of an episode of 'Poirot.' The sun, the sea, the pool, the cocktails, the tranquility of it all. Amazing place, heartily recommend. Nb. There is a resident cat. Quite sweet and friendly and cuddly. BUT the cat is a liar, a beggar and a cheat. It GETS fed by the kitchen staff. AND the limping is fake. I know, I caught it walking, running and jumping normally when no one was watching.