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kburke
kburke's stats
- Review count6
- Helpfulness votes6
- First reviewAugust 13, 2012
- Last reviewSeptember 14, 2015
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
kburke's Reviews
Our 15th Century winery and historical architecture, combined with modern décor and impeccable service, make this resort Santorini’s finest.
Anniversary Adventure
Overall rating
5
out of
5
kburke
PostedSeptember 14, 2015
We arrived in Santorini after a couple days in Athens and were struck by how beautiful the property was. It's very secluded and quiet at the Vedema which is important to know. It's not walking distance to most of the places we planned on visiting nor walking distance from the beach. Our room was beautiful and had a great view of the Vedema vineyard though the shower was definitely small in comparison to the size of the bathroom which makes it a challenge when you're tall and trying to take a shower. The Vedema is a great hotel to come back to after you've seen the day exploring the locale, going to Black Beach, Fira, taking a boat a or wine tasting excursion or after navigating the crowds and heat of chasing down a Santorini sunset in Oia. While we enjoyed heading to Black Beach for one of the days (the water was phenomenal!) the pool is definitely small at Vedema though provides you with a good spot to cool off quickly.
We loved the converted wine cellar wine tasting though it would be an even better place to have open as the bar. The downside would be its proximity from the beach, if you're looking for more nightlife, no shuttles beyond Black Beach and Fira and the poor wifi access (which was really only needed as we tried to plan the next leg of our Greece vacation). Some of the reviews state this is more of a level 5 hotel which I tend to agree with. We had hoped to stay at the Mystique in Oia and we did have dinner there after catching a sunset but after experiencing the crowds of Oia the Vedema offered some much needed seclusion. You can't go wrong with either hotel though the difference between both is thinking of the Mystique as being more of where the hustle and bustle is and the Vedema feeling like you're out in the country a bit.
Yes, I recommend this hotel.
Room Comfort
4
out of
5
Staff Responsiveness
5
out of
5
Quality of Sleep
5
out of
5
Facilities Met My Expectations
4
out of
5
SPG Recognition
5
out of
5
Food & Beverage
4
out of
5
I'd recommend this hotel to others for:Airport proximity, Exploration and adventure, Relaxation, Romantic getaways, Sitting poolside
Month of Arrival:September 2015
kburke
from:Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age:35 - 44
Frequency of Travel:High
Purpose of Travel:Romantic
Travel Agent:No
Meeting Planner:No
Member Level:Platinum
Share:
+5points
5of 5voted this as helpful.
Overlooking cerulean waters and featuring 142 private pools, our resort elegantly blends Greek culture with outstanding service and grace.
Great for special occasions, getaways
Overall rating
5
out of
5
kburke
PostedSeptember 14, 2015
This place is amazing in so many ways. We came here for our anniversary and had a room that was phenomenal and was fortunate to be upgraded to one with our own pool and additional floor and room. The food was great, the room was awesome, the pool and ocean access were perfect and the staff was great across the board. We wrapped up our trip for the most part here and while we would've liked to explore Crete more than we did, after having traveled for a week + before getting to the Blue Palace it was the perfect place to unwind, take in the local sites and food, and just fully relax.
Yes, I recommend this hotel.
Room Comfort
5
out of
5
Staff Responsiveness
5
out of
5
Quality of Sleep
5
out of
5
Facilities Met My Expectations
5
out of
5
SPG Recognition
5
out of
5
Food & Beverage
4
out of
5
I'd recommend this hotel to others for:Beaches, Exploration and adventure, Family fun, Historical landmarks and culture, Local food, Outdoor activities, Relaxation, Romantic getaways, Sitting poolside, Spa, Weddings
Month of Arrival:September 2015
kburke
from:Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age:35 - 44
Frequency of Travel:High
Purpose of Travel:Romantic
Travel Agent:No
Meeting Planner:No
Member Level:Platinum
Share:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Steps from iconic sites in the heart of Athens, King George boasts an over-80-year history and captivating design with rare boutique feel.
Anniversary Adventure
Overall rating
5
out of
5
kburke
PostedSeptember 14, 2015
We started off our Greece trip for our anniversary at the King George. The staff was extremely helpful and the concierge seemed to have answers and suggestions for everything including a great running path that led me through some of the best historic landmarks anywhere and a fantastic off-site dinner that helped us dive into the Greek culture immediately on night one. The room was fantastic though the only glitch was the small height of the shower head and the awkward need to step up and over into the tub which sat on a small platform to get to the shower.
Yes, I recommend this hotel.
Room Comfort
5
out of
5
Staff Responsiveness
5
out of
5
Quality of Sleep
5
out of
5
Facilities Met My Expectations
5
out of
5
SPG Recognition
5
out of
5
Food & Beverage
4
out of
5
I'd recommend this hotel to others for:Business travelers, Exploration and adventure, Historical landmarks and culture, Local attractions, Local food, Music and nightlife, restaurants, Romantic getaways, Shopping
Month of Arrival:August 2015
kburke
from:Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age:35 - 44
Frequency of Travel:High
Purpose of Travel:Romantic
Travel Agent:No
Meeting Planner:No
Member Level:Platinum
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Experience the endless wonder of mythical and modern Athens, while enjoying an unrivaled setting of legendary comfort and style.
Amazing hotel
Overall rating
5
out of
5
kburke
PostedSeptember 14, 2015
Headed to Greece for two amazing weeks and had a chance to stay at some of the best hotels I've ever stayed in or seen. The Grande Bretagne is gorgeous from the moment you arrive. It was beautiful, has a great restaurant with fantastic drinks and views of the Acropolis, and is filled with very helpful and courteous staff. While we only had a chance to stay here for the last night of our trip, it was a great place to end the adventure.
Yes, I recommend this hotel.
Room Comfort
5
out of
5
Staff Responsiveness
5
out of
5
Quality of Sleep
4
out of
5
Facilities Met My Expectations
5
out of
5
SPG Recognition
5
out of
5
Food & Beverage
5
out of
5
I'd recommend this hotel to others for:Business travelers, Exploration and adventure, Historical landmarks and culture, Local attractions, Local food, restaurants, Relaxation, Romantic getaways, Shopping
Month of Arrival:September 2015
kburke
from:Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age:35 - 44
Frequency of Travel:High
Purpose of Travel:Romantic
Travel Agent:No
Meeting Planner:No
Member Level:Platinum
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
The St. Regis Monarch Beach
An award-winning resort featuring championship golf, private beach access, and the Spa Gaucin situated at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Amazing experience...
Overall rating
4
out of
5
kburke
PostedJuly 28, 2014
This was our second time staying at a St. Regis and we of course enjoyed our time immensely. The rooms are of average size but the facility is fantastic from top to bottom, staff was helpful and courteous and the food and drinks were great as well.
Yes, I recommend this hotel.
Room Comfort
4
out of
5
Staff Responsiveness
5
out of
5
Quality of Sleep
5
out of
5
Facilities Met My Expectations
5
out of
5
Food & Beverage
4
out of
5
I'd recommend this hotel to others for:Romantic getaways, Sitting poolside, Relaxation, Beaches, Golf, Weddings, Business travelers
Month of Arrival:July 2014
kburke
from:Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age:35 - 44
Frequency of Travel:Moderate
Purpose of Travel:Romantic
Travel Agent:No
Meeting Planner:No
Member Level:Platinum
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
An alluring beach, sumptuous spa, glorious views, and an aquatic playground with five freeform pools and a thrilling waterslide.
Great for families...not for honeymoon.
Overall rating
3
out of
5
kburke
PostedAugust 13, 2012
We stayed at the resort for the last half of our honeymoon. The entrance and hotel facilities were great but the room we had definitely did not meet our expectations. We had a good view and enjoyed the Lanai outside of our room but the rooms was a little smaller than average, the shower was built for those on the shorter side (my head was easily above the shower head), the bathroom counter top was definitely built for kids, the carpet in our room was coming up or was poorly installed and there was a large leak next to the bed coming from the bathroom wall (we didn't call the front desk only because it didn't seem to be leaking further), and the overall placement of the closet caused the TV to be blocked from 1/3 of the room.
We also experienced a challenge with our air conditioning which wasn't working after the staff came and fixed the Lanai door which had come off its hinges. The AC sensor came off when they fixed it apparently and wasn't replaced which left us without AC for a couple hours that day when we were getting ready. With the heat outside we continued sweating like crazy and after an hour of waiting for someone to fix it and us calling a couple times and stopping staff in the hallway to try and get quick help they finally override the system to eliminate the need for the sensor.
That being said, the rest of the facilities were great (including the gym...the best one I've seen at Starwood hotels) though it may not have been the best place for a honeymoon. It's absolutely great for kids and families though they did have a good size adult pool and area which we enjoyed. The view is amazing and the beach and water was great as well. We just wish the room would have been a bit more up-to-date and on par with the other Westins we've stayed at and that it hadn't taken so long to fix the AC which literally took 1 minute to override the system when someone finally came.
Yes, I recommend this hotel.
Room Comfort
3
out of
5
Staff Responsiveness
3
out of
5
Cleanliness
3
out of
5
Facilities Met My Expectations
3
out of
5
SPG Recognition
3
out of
5
Above/Met ExpectationsLocation, Pool, Food and Beverage, Fitness Center
Below ExpectationsService, hotel room
Month of Arrival:August 2012
kburke
from:Los Angeles, CA, USA
Age:35 - 44
Frequency of Travel:Moderate
Purpose of Travel:Romantic
Travel Agent:No
Meeting Planner:No
Member Level:Gold
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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