Hi there!!

anyone been and returned as yet???

Cheers

Any further feedback about this hotel??

Cheers

We are back.
As you are aware we were transferred to the Atlantica Princess by First Choice, and checked in there. As suspected the place is full of children, not what we wanted at all. After half a day at the pool, the wife said this is doing my head in so we went for a walk to the Ixian Grand which is not that far away. When we got there, it was exactly as the web site advertised, with peace and quiet around the pool. We returned to the Atlantica and saw the First Choice rep who by chance was a senior rep on the island as the normal rep had returned to UK for a few days. We told her how dissapointed we were with the change, but she said all holiday companies had been bumped out due to a major admin problem at the Grand. She also told us FC had withdrawn from that hotel for next year because of the problems.
Anyway she said see me in the morning and I will see what I can do for you. Next morning she told us to go to the Grand, and the Manager there would issue us waith all inclusive cards (not the dreaded wrist bands) to use all the outside AI facilities at the hotel - we were in! We still had to return for main meals and to sleep but it worked OK
Now the Ixian Grand has had a refurbishment of the pool area, and it is fantastic, but as yet the rooms have not been touched, and the staff were unable to say when they were going to be done. The ouside snack bar you just help yourself to beer, soft drinks tea coffee etc, as well as snacks, and a light lunch. There is enough room to drive a bus round the pools without hitting a sun bed, but you need to be down very early to get a good spot. There are the usual daytime games going on, but quite low key, so if you do not want to be disturbed they are no problem. If they are playing water polo in one pool, then the other pool is available to swim in ( and unlike the Atlantica is not full of screaming kids and inflatibles).
The food in the main restaurant looked identical to that in the Atlantica which was very good. I did not feel the staff were as friendly as those at the Atlantica who were first rate
If you booked the Ixian for the same reason that we did i.e. a relaxing child free holiday, and are still staying there, I would not change it.
Having been moved, had I had my time again, I would have gone for a last minute deal at a hotel of MY choice, and asked FC for a full refund, rather than accept the change.

One last thing though, if we had still got our boys, and had selected the Atlantica Princess we would have had a good holiday as they would have been at home. Basically a good hotel, but not what we wanted. Also beware the mosquitoes.

Hope this helps - have a good holiday

Thanks for this review, Im going 1 week today, so hopefully it will be ok, did you find if all the rooms had not been refurbed or just the standard ones??

I have booked for the family 2 + 2 room which is bigger than the standard room... (it claims)

So im looking forward now and will make the most of it!!

On my return i will provide a full report with pic's etc..

Thanks for the reply.

Rick!

I don't think any of the rooms have been refurbished, just the new apartments with their own pools, and the builders were still working on them last week. They do look nice though.

New pictures of hotel and rooms can be found on trip advisor. There are also new reviews on the same site.

just read the new reviews... its looking better...

Hi I have just got back from the Ixian Grand and had a great time. Can't comment on Olympic Rep as we didn't attend our welcome meeting but we did get provided with a taxi to and from the airport which was brilliant.

The hotel was just as Miroku described. Quiet around the pool area with games etc if you wanted to join in.
Were very pleased with the hotel and the room allocated to us. We had emailed the hotel before we left and requested a quiet room due to having a small baby and they obliged. I think the room was one of the renovated ones as it had a newly fitted bathroom and the floor was newly tiled. Check -in was quick, which, at 2am was very welcome. The staff were very helpful and friendly and the Customer Services reps were particularly helpful with regards to getting baby food etc heated. The room was cleaned daily and was in good decorative order.

The food was good, lots of variety and well cooked but like all all-inclusive deals gets a bit repetitive after 2 weeks. The waiters, waitresses and manager in the restaurant were really great although the manager stuck to the 'long trousers in the evening' rule rigidly. My husband was sent to change on the first night and I saw him turn others away too. Drinks were self-service at the snack bar and in the restaurant and the bar staff at the other bars were fine too. The pool areas were lovely, really clean and well maintained and pleasant.

There is a good mixture of nationalities staying there, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, Norwegian, German, Italian and French so if you like to stay in a predominantly British hotel this may not be the place for you, although everyone speaks good English (guests and staff) and the entertainment is in English). All in all, we had an excellent holiday and I would recommend the Ixian Grand to anyone. We are planning on going back next year. Cannot speak highly enough of this hotel.

If you want to ask any questions, don't hesitate to do so. Hope you all have a great time.

Glad you had a good time. It is nice to know that I managed to assess the place well.
Our rep said that for next year there will be no free child places, or reductions for children at the Ixian Grand, so they are trying to turn it into an adult only hotel.

Hi Superduper, glad you had a good time - we're booked to go in a few weeks (can't wait) so it's nice to get a recent review. Can you tell me, though, if the hotel has a laundry service? -helps keep the packing down
Thanks

Hi

Unfortunately there isn't a laundry service - I asked at reception. However, I'm sure that in the Olympic brouchure it stated that there was one but I suppose that is Olympic's mistake. Apparently there is a laundry in Ixia but I didn't bother trying to find it and just rinsed a few things out in the bathroom with washing powder that I had brought with me. (I knew I'd be needing it with a 10 month old!)

I can understand why the Ixian Grand would try to discourage children as the fact that most of the children were babies/toddlers was perfect for us. It meant that we could take our baby into the pool without worrying about being bombarded with inflatables and screaming and splashing kids. And it also meant that while she slept we could get some peace. Perfect!!

Thanks. You make it all sound great

here at the ixian grand/........ so far so good... will post on my return!!

Speak Soon!!
\

Hi Rick
Arrive at the Ixian Grand on Weds afternoon - have sent you a personal message

im back now.. good time... i will post a full review with photos very soon!!

hi to all who i met there!!

If any one who knows me from here can drop me a personel message..

Rick!

Hi Rick
Glad you had a good holiday. We are due to go in 2 weeks and too have booked a superior Family room with 2 bedrooms. Can you please let me know what they were like.
Cheers

Hi

I am about to visit on Thursday and have read about the wearing of long trousers for men at evening meal. Can someone please let me know if this is so or are you OK with 3/4 length trousers?

Thanks

Wishy

Don't even try 3/4 length. It's not worth the agro argueing with the head waiter in front of everyone else.

I bought my wife a ring for our Ruby anniversary from the Jewellers in the Grand and when we had it re-valued back here, it was £100 we had saved. He's well worth a visit, and you get a free drink (I know it's all in the price, but he's good company.)

Footnote: The drink you get from him are all off the top shelf!