The Majestic Hotel (Fira, Greece)

The cheerful, dedicated staff are exceptional and will go out of their way to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one. You'll find the personnel attentive, polite and helpful and services like housekeeping of a high standard.

The extra touches contribute to a great experience. You'll be welcomed with a bottle of wine and a voucher for a facial on arrival. Other thoughtful gestures include the provision of cold flannels in the pool area and complimentary fruit when ordering drinks.

The main swimming pool is surrounded by a large area with plenty of loungers, so it never feels crowded and you'll always be able to find somewhere to sit. The poolside bar, restaurant and services such as massage mean the whole party can spend all day by the pool if desired.

The hotel is fine but you won't think it is worthy of its five star rating. Rooms smell musty and have noisy air conditioning while bathrooms would benefit from complete renovation. The breakfast buffet lacks variety and you don't get items like eggs cooked to order, which you might expect. The restaurants are average and there is no evening entertainment.

If you decide to pay extra for accommodation with a volcano view, you'll be disappointed. Although the view is nice, you'll also be right next to a busy road.

The town centre is a 15-minute walk from the hotel, making it a little inconvenient for exploring the local area. The public transport links are located in Fira, so unless you're planning on hiring a car, the location may not be central enough to be practical.