Myself and my partner booked this hotel for a 2 week break mid September at very short notice, the price was one of the governing reasons we chose Maria Anna (and of course the other trusted reviews already on here). I had already visited Kefalonia when I was much younger, already having fallen for this very beautiful sun kissed Greek Island.

I must admit, that I write reviews on hotels on my travels regularly, yet on this occasion, I have never been so eager to do so, or so lost for words. The hotel staff (Gregori, Jenny and there son Peter) are what make this place fantastic! Having read the reviews its easy to understand why these people are so well mentioned, and there approach to running the Maria Anna is so welcoming and warm, they are not pushy, false or over the top, simply just wonderful people.

The hotel is basic, as is often the case with many similar Greek hotels and accommodation, it is perfectly situated in the shadow of Mount Ainos in Lourdas, about 25 minuted drive from the main capital of Argostoli. There are 3 main beaches near by, which takes around 15-20 minutes walk to reach, it is very steep and not for the faint hearted but in contrast, the views are simply stunning from the hotel, and from the beach, the backdrop on mount Ainos is equally as impressive. The rooms are very clean, cleaned daily and linen changed once a week, air con is also available for 25 euro per week. Breakfasts in the hotel are served between 8am and 10am, with a choice of cereal, toast and jams, omelette, boiled eggs, muesli and Greek yoghurt. The hotel pool is great, offering a fantastic panoramic view of the coastline and distant Zakynthos. There is a pool par which is open all day till late, they also offer pool snacks cooked personally by Gregory; the prices at the bar are very reasonable.

Jenny and Gregori offer two nights in which gives people the opportunity to meet and socialise. Firstly a welcome evening is offered and I could not have been more surprised byt the trouble they go to. Greek salads and traditional Greek dishes are provided for all hotel guests leaving you full and content, we were even more surprised to realise that this was completely free! On Thursdays a BBQ night is also offered for 12 euro, again this is fantastic offering a variety of meat or fish dishes (the whole sea bass is certainly recommended) with greek salads, tzatziki and so on!

The village of Lourdas is very charming, quiet and relaxed offering a sprinkling of local, traditional tavernas, the Olive Lounge and Spyros were our particular favourites. There are also 3 local supermarkets offering fresh fruit and veg, and other things you might need.

Trips are organised by the rep within the hotel, but we hired a car to see the island in its full at our own pace. We hired a car from CBR in lourdas for 170 euros for 3days (+ 1 free day) this included no excess and all costs were covered. There are that many great sights to see in Kefalonia, my advice would be to follow your scences rather than the map, you cant get too lost as there arent many roads, and this way, you will come across some great villages and beaches. Asos, Myrtos beach, Anti samos beach (setting for captain corelli's mandolin), Melisani lake, drogarati caves, Fiskardo, Sami, Skala beach, Lassi beach, Agia Efimia are all hotspots and worthy places to visit. The island is 40 miles East to West and 50 miles North to South, small but very windy and undulating roads. Driving here is very easy and relaxed, the population is only around 250 000 so the roads are quiet and the predominant car is that of a hire car.

At the moment as I write this many of you may know the current issues surrounding Greece and the unease due to the financial climate, however we personally still found it somewhat cheaper that the UK, obviously the exchange rate is where you may notice a vast difference in lining your pockets.

All in all, a fantastic holiday made perfect by the wonderful owners of this wonderful hotel!

We have just returned from a great week at the Maria Anna hotel. the hotel has basic rooms and very basic bathrooms but they are very clean.The owners Greg and Jenny are very hospitable and go out of their way to ensure you have a good stay. The bar is very reasonable and the menu for lunch is also well priced. The pool is cleaned daily. The views are amazing. you can see the sea and a good view of the island of Zante.The resort of Lourdas is in general very quiet, there are 3 supermarkets and about 10 restaurants within walking distance.If you want to go to the beach be prepared for a good 20 minute walk down a steep mountain. When you reach it though it is well worth it, beautiful peaceful beaches, just be aware that there nudists there! On the whole if you are looking for a quiet relaxing break it will deliver.

This will be our second year staying at the Maria Anna and it was like going to stay with friends rather than a hotel.. Jenny, Gregori and Peter (the hotel owners and their son) are wonderful people. Their aim is to make your stay perfect. They will doing anything for you. You start the day with a good choice of breakfast, we loved their omeletes, which was always accompanied with toast, jam, tea or coffee and a good morning! The Maria Anna has such a friendly atmosphere and we met some lovely people; Heather and Kevin, as well as Jaqui and Gerry and their children. You find that once you have stayed at the Maria Anna you will want to go back, as did Ann and David who we met last year and surprise they were holidaying again at the Maria Anna the same time as us this year :-)

Last year we hired a car and did the sights, but this year we decided to a totally relaxing holiday on the beach. Our local beach is beautiful, and we really enjoyed our daily swimms. I must say the walk down to the beach is not for the weak hearted, as the decent is steep, however, there are some very strategically placed benches on the return journey with a spring to cool yourself with at the top!

We enoyed eating at Spiros, which is a family run taverna, sometimes you had to wait a while for your food, but we always enjoyed it when it arrived. A little tip, don't wait for the bill, just pay at the counter. We also ate at the Andromeda, which has lovely views of Zante, although slightly more expensive definitely worth a visit.

Although we are not swimming pool people, the Maria Anna had a lovely pool, which was in constant use and you are able to purchase good quality food and drink for very reasonable prices.

We have loved our holidays at the Maria Anna - a big thank you to my sister Debs for recommending it to us. We are already looking forward to going back next year and hopefully we will be able to meet up again with the friends we have made this year!!

Lorraine and Peter Byrne
Epsom, Surrey

We have just returned from two wonderful weeks at the Maria Anna Hotel and feel that this hotel is most certainly worth a mention. We have never been so well looked after by a hotel and we can honestly say Jenny, Grigoris and son Peter showed Greek hospitality at the very best. Nothing is too much trouble and despite running a small hotel with minimal staff they always greeted you with a smile and found time to chat to their guests. It is so obvious to see that this family's ultimate aim is to make sure their guests have a great holiday, hence the reason why so many people return year after year. We also met some lovely people during our stay, hello to Peter & Lorraine and Jerry, Jackie, Lloyd and Amy.
There are some great tavernas within walking distance of the hotel but our favourite was the Andromeda which is located just off the main street. We would recommend a visit to this restaurant as not only the food is exceptional but the surroundings and views are superb.
Everyone has their own expectations of what tmakes a perfect holiday and this hotel and resort definitely 'ticked all our boxes'. If you want a totally relaxing, chilled out holiday then this is the place to be.