Hotel Tara Beach

I have just come back from a weeks stay at Tara Beach in Skala Kefalonia. I went with my partner both in our 20s. We booked with Tui and had bed and breakfast included. We arrived in the afternoon, Yannis the owner was very friendly (remembers everyones names literally!) did everything he could to make you feel welcome. I asked for a hairdryer as ours in the bathroom was not great. Yannis delivered and provided me with a spare one for the week was great. Tip: Even though the bathroom comes with a Hairdryer I would still bring your own. We had a double room in the main building which suited us fine. I would say that the rooms are very basic but it is cheap and it's what you pay for. One tip that they could make the bathroom lighting a bit brighter. The hotel itself is right on the beach front, and literally within a couple of minutes walk your in the main street with all the bars and restaurants. Weather was great for our week we were there, aways sun beds free by the pool which is lovely. Also the snack bar is very good for food if you fancy a quick bite at lunch and very reasonably priced too! Restaurants to recommend: Mikilatos Family, The Old Village, Flamingo, Siroco Bars: Vetos and Captins Bar also Pikionia is very nice and relaxing just next too Tara Beach. Would I recommend this place? YES!! Would I come back YES!! We met so many lovely people which made our holiday even better, can't wait to book again in the future. Thanks again to Yannis , Christina and all the staff at the bar/pool area and restaurant you were all lovely. Rosie & Jack xx

Just come back from the Tara beach, Our room was one of the larger ones but we had to walk up 48 steps to get to it. The bed was comfortable and the room was a typical basic greek room, the shower room was in dire need of some updating, the hair dryer was absolutely useless and I have short fine hair so you really need to take a hairdryer with you, Air con is 90 euros for 2 weeks and the safe was 20 euros a week - the rooms were swept out each day and the bed made and bins emptied, the bathroom was not cleaned all the time we were there, the towels were changed every 3 days and the sheets changed each week, there is a large fridge in the room but no kettle but we took a kettle with us, everybody is friendly and the hotel is opposite the beach, beach beds very low and uncomfortable so we went to the Makas Hotel and sat on there beach beds because that have 4 inch matrasses on them for the same price of 7 euros for 2 beds and umbrella- no brainer really! Now really do have to say something about the appalling breakfasts- in all the time we have stayed in Greece or the Greek islands, we have never had such a poor breakfast, sorry but it shouldn't even be called a continental breakfast, there was a choice of brown or white sliced bread, processed cheese and luncheon meat squares cut in half - 3 cerials some greek yoguart and some jam Marmalade and honey and orange segments there was also orange squash and coffee from a machine or hot water but no tea bags we had to take our own tea bags down to breakfast, well we had this same breakfast for 5 days and then started going out after that . The rooms do not have a private balcony

I have been fortunate to stay in Skala many times over many years. Since 1992 the Tara Beach has been a firm fixture. This is the first time i have stayed there, and whilst it has a typically greek feel to it, staff are excellent and the bar area is very well managed with excellent staff, the hotel needs to make some changes to maintain the charm and avoid becoming a dinosaur amongst the bigger hotels. The rooms are basic. With very comfortable beds. However, our bedlinen was changed, with linen that didn't fit the bed halfway through the fortnight. Bathrooms are very dated, and need upgrading. However, they are small, so will need some effort rather than just a quick retile. Breakfast - i was aware that guests have said that the breakfasts are basic, but it really was that bad. for two days they ran out of honey! Many guests were bringing their own supplementary items down to breakfast - fruit, nuts, spreads etc. Mainly because the quality was quite poor aside from the basic nature. The Yoghurt was rather runny, jams and cereals were cheap, and the spam and cheese were processed. All they need to do is use the local bakery for bread and possibly pastries, better quality yoghurt, with nuts and fruit, and this itself will raise their game. No major cost, but a much better experience. The pool loungers were very worn out, and rather uncomfortable. Several were broken. I get the feeling that this, as a family hotel, is not being allowed to change by the father, who was ever present, but also rather unfriendly. This hotel needs to upgrade the breakfast, upgrade the sun loungers, and probably start replacing the bathrooms. if they don't they really aren't listening to their guests, and risk losing returning custom. Despite the bar staff being exceptional, and Yiannis being very welcoming, we won't be returning, simply because we can get a better quality breakfast and a more comfortable sun lounger for similar price.