Poseidonion Grand Hotel

*A seasoned traveler's perspective on one of Greece's most historic luxury hotel* --- ## The Promise and the Property The Poseidonion Hotel on the Greek island of Spetses presents itself as a monument to hospitality excellence. Built in 1914 and recently restored to its former glory, this grand dame of Greek hospitality occupies prime real estate on Spetses' picturesque harbor, offering guests a front-row seat to one of the Mediterranean's most charming settings. The property itself is undeniably stunning. The Belle Époque architecture, meticulously restored interiors, and commanding presence along the waterfront create an atmosphere of timeless elegance that few hotels can match. The rooms, priced at premium five-star rates, reflect this architectural grandeur with their period details and harbor views. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the Poseidonion deserves every accolade it receives. ## The Service Paradox However, having experienced genuine five-star service at properties across the globe—from the seamless precision of the Peninsula Hotel Beverley Hills to the intuitive hospitality of Aman resorts to The Grande Bretagne in Athens and many others — the disconnect between the Poseidonion's physical magnificence and its service delivery becomes starkly apparent. The fundamental issue lies not with the individual staff members, but with a systemic approach to training and service standards that falls short of international five-star expectations. During our stay, a consistent pattern emerges: young, well-meaning staff who appear to lack the fundamental training necessary to deliver the level of service that guests rightfully expect when paying premium rates. ## Language as a Barrier to Excellence In today's luxury hospitality landscape, multilingual capability isn't just preferable—it's essential. The inability of many staff members to communicate effectively in English creates unnecessary friction in even the simplest interactions. When a guest requests extra towels or asks about restaurant reservations, the resulting confusion and misunderstandings diminish the luxury experience significantly. This language barrier becomes particularly problematic in dining situations, where nuanced requests about dietary preferences, wine pairings, or special occasions are met with blank stares or, worse, incorrect assumptions that can ruin carefully planned evenings. ## The Art of Anticipatory Service—Lost in Translation True five-star service is characterised by anticipation rather than reaction. Staff should glide through spaces with purpose, constantly observing and responding to guests' unspoken needs. At the Poseidonion, however, one often observes groups of staff engaged in animated conversations among themselves, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. The sight of personnel checking personal mobile phones while guests enter the lobby or wait for assistance would be unthinkable at Savoy Florence, The Four Seasons Paris or The Grand

A remarkable hotel in an incredible location. The restoration, design and decor are stunning, one of the best I have seen. The suites are very large and beautifully appointed. The food is fantastic. The General Manager and his team are wonderful - warm, thoughtful and welcoming. The views are wonderful, the location is convenient and the island is very walkable. We can't wait to return!

This is a special place. A grand old lady, suitably and tastefully bought up to date with much love and - I suspect - no little investment! It is deservedly the centrepiece of beautiful Spetses. Like all grand dames, she betrays here age now and then. The air conditioning can be less than frosty for example, but let’s just call that character. It doesn’t detract from the innate style and taste of this space. Filled with ever changing original art and grand spaces. Our favourite was the balcony for breakfast and later for cocktails before hitting the restaurants. The staff are uniformly helpful and professional. Most of all the inimitable Zoe who, from the concierge desk, directed us to all the best places and experiences on the island. She is already famous from these reviews and she certainly didn’t disappoint. Our great experience was due, to a large extent , her guidance. We had one of the cheaper rooms facing the pool which was entirely adequate. The pool side was lovely and quiet and a good spot to spend time with the various cats, if you enjoy that sort of thing. We were interested in visiting Spetses and enjoying the best the island had to offer. We chose this hotel for that reason. It was a great choice.

This would be my 4th time coming to this hotel as I love it and the service I usually receive. This time was not the same unfortunately. When we arrived, they had the wrong person working at the front desk - no smile, unwelcoming and patronizing. Not sure why she was there representing such a beautiful hotel! Our room was too small so offered us an upgrade for a fee and we accepted. Service issues from there - the safe and the phone didn’t work. They never ended up fixing the phone for us even though we asked everyday. I would have to go from the 5th floor everyday to ask questions or request items. When they cleaned the room, they would forget to refill our coffee and tea for some reason. The staff that was amazing was Zoe at concierge with her protege, the cleaning lady Marina, the spa staff and especially the valet gentlemen. The gym needs a definite upgrade as it has been the same for the last 10 years and some of the machines aren’t working! Sorry but I had to say good and bad because I used to love this hotel and wish to return!

The hotel is situated a few minutes walk from the ferry and on a beautiful square with full view of the sea. We had a luxury suite facing the sea which as mentioned could be a little noisy for a few hours into the early evening but it only added to the atmosphere of a very small island that is occupied by big families. Our room was large , well appointed with very nice amenities. The lounge was often busy but quiet during the day. The breakfast included was overseen by the beautiful smiling Serena who also doubles as a concierge and had our taste in restaurants well worked out. The breakfast was beautifully set out by efficient Vicky( I hope this is correct) who loved to help me make choices and whisked away anything that didn't look perfect. All the staff in the buffet area were excellent. We ate in this area one evening over looking the sea and it was very nice. There is a pool in the courtyard which looked very pleasant but as it was very hot we preferred the beaches. We didn't try the spa or bar area but guests that we spoke to highly recommended the spa. The concierge Zoe as mentioned in many reviews was very knowledgable and super efficient at booking our daily trips and helping us make decisions as to how we should spend our 4 days in Spetses. She booked our sunbeds at the Paradise Beach resort which I was hesitant to go to at first as I love quiet calm beach areas but it was perfect and we were lucky enough to have a wonderful young man look after us for the few days we spent on this beautiful, peaceful beach. We enjoyed a light lunch both on the beach and in the open air relaxed restaurant. It is a very well run, efficient and friendly beach club. We also visited the Agio Marina beach which was also very relaxing with beautiful water and great food. The hotel is very close to the little town which is best seen after dark as it was super hot during the day and there were many lovely shops hidden in little alleys. I loved Tsiziki which was one of my favourite for well priced gifts. The shops near the hotel are very over priced. We ate twice at Patralis(book sea view table in advance) and mostly at little Gyros places like Cockatoo. Serena and Zoe know the best places to eat. The tiny ice cream shop nearest the horse and carriage area makes excellent soft serve in cones which you can enjoy after dinner and watch people go by. As there are very few Taxis in Spetses , I would recommend booking transport in advance.

We got married at The Pine Estate, the villa in Agia Marina managed by Poseidonion Grand Hotel. However we worked very closely with the Poseidonion team as they took care of most aspects of our wedding and we stayed at the hotel a few months before the wedding. The whole team of the hotel made sure this special event is an unforgettable experience for us, our friends and families. We admired their professionalism, their passion for what they do but also their friendliness. Zoe, Ioanna, Evanthia, Ilias and Dimitris all made sure we had the best time and catered to our every need, always with a smile and a good sense of humour. The hotel itself is gorgeous. The rooms are very luxurious but cozy - ours had a magical sea view and a walk-in wardrobe. The food offering is fantastic, and probably one of the best meals we had in Greece by chef Ilias Kiazoli. Whether it's for a special event, or just a holiday, I cannot recommend this hotel enough. They will make you feel at home immediately and you will want to come back every year. We know we will!