Pierre&Cédric

We rented a car from Sixt. The drive from Athenes airport to Zoé is easy and scenic. You just need to have the exact coordinates with you as the hotel is quite difficult to find.

MacMyDay

We used Google Maps last week just by typing in "Amanzoe" and it took us there without any issues.

Pierre&Cédric

We stayed at Amanzoé early September 2012 a few days after the opening.
No sign, no coordinates on the internet, we asked our way to a nice lady in a bakery but she was not speaking any French or English.
Fortunately enough a teenager passed by with his girlfriend on a small motorbike. The lady whistled to him and they had a kind of argument in Greek (probably something like: bring these tourists to the new hotel / no I'm going to the beach with my girlfriend and I don't care about these stupid lost French people / do it or I will tell your mother). And after 15 minutes on small roads in the middle of nowhere we finally found the main gate.

pauljeff

Thanks guys- I think we'll do that. Any tips on where to fill up with petrol on the way back to the airport?

MacMyDay

We never bothered and just pay Avis to fill it up at the end. It's not the cheapest method, but it's definitely the quickest and easiest. I believe it costs ~€50 for them to top it up again, regardless of how full it is.

Pierre&Cédric, you are a brave man, driving to an Aman near opening day!

LuxuryRogue

Because of the crisis, there are no more gas stations in Greece.

Thanks to Doronin's contacts in Russia, Aman are able to offer a special service for their clients in rental cars:



^^^

pauljeff

Fair - I clearly need to get some perspective about relative costs

Did having a car during your stay enhance your stay (i.e. we're staying for 7 nights and tend not to be that into 'going to see the local culture' sort of trips - is there anything offsite that you think you'd be more likely to do if you had your own wheels...?)

MacMyDay

You're asking the wrong person, as I take the exact same view as you. 4 times we've been there and not once have we left the resort.

Aman has its own excursions, but as everyone here knows, they do add a margin higher than the GDP of Greece onto each one. I'd still probably use Aman though, as at least everything is taken care of for you and you have your own guide.

For us, we've done the helicopter, done the Aman car transfer and really feel that best value for money is actually just driving yourself. I believe it's €450 each way for the car (I cannot remember if that's then + tax + service charge), so if you're driving yourself, you will save at least €500. There's no need to feel guilty that you then don't use it at all during your stay.

Pierre&Cédric

+1
We used our Sixt car twice: from the airport to Zoé and one week later from Zoé to the airport. We filled the tank ourselves a few kilometres before arriving at the airport.

Ericka

Hi all,

We are thinking about Amanzoe for a family trip in late May, 2015. It seems to have a child friendly reputation. We have a few questions.

- Confirm this is a good time to go weatherwise (costs go up June 1).
- Are there lots of Greek food options at Zoe?
- How much is the helicopter transfer from Athens?
- Is Grand Bretagne the best place to stay in Athens?
- Any concerns with Athens regarding ongoing financial crisis? What about hotel locations there and proximity to common demonstration locations?

Many thanks!

Ericka

MacMyDay

We were discussing this very question earlier, assuming you're not a time traveler and you mean 2016: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25292372-post369.html

Yep, I was there over European school half-term this year and would go back at this time.

I have a copy of the menu somewhere I could dig out and send you. The food is predominantly Greek, but they do have a variety of Asian food available too. There are 3 restaurants, so you have a good selection available.

Between €1500 and €2500. I say between as Aman will recommend their own helicopter, which will cost the high-end, whereas we've used other companies and found them a lot cheaper.

Fraid I cannot answer your other 2 points.

CanvasTravelCo

MacMyDay covered most of these, but I can help with the other two questions -

Grand Bretagne is the best hotel in Athens city-proper. Great rooftop dining/bar area with stunning nighttime view of the ruins lit up against the night sky. Next door to King George, which is an ok alternative.

As of this day/week, concerns for visitors are lower regarding their financial crisis; never guarantees for safety, but I have 10 clients traveling to/through Athens in the next 2 weeks and have told them all the same - the proverbial bandaid has been torn off, we should have seen the apex of this current crisis, and demonstrations (if any) are not a concern. Again, matters could change, and they have a long road ahead, just make sure you have solid TRIP INSURANCE in case the environment heats up again next year.

Ericka

Thanks for these thoughts, guys.
Does anyone know if the general email address is [email protected]? I can't find it on the new website design.

Musken

We stayed four nights at Amanzoe this summer and really enjoyed it. The pavilions are the best we have had at any Aman. Beautiful and really, really spacious both inside and outside. Almost a pity to leave them, but main areas are great as well. We were there at full occupancy, but the resort still offered privacy and very good and personal service. Of course it would have been even better if the beach club was a bit closer (10 minutes away by car), but the location and view from where the resort is located up hill makes up for it. Three restaurants: beach club for lunch (Greek food plus pizza and sandwiches etc.), main restaurant for all meals (mediterranean) and restaurants by pool for lunch (Greek and other) and dinner (Asian) plus theme dinners a couple of times every week (beach BBQ at the beach (obviously) and Greek meze evening in the pool restaurant plus room service. Mini bar complimentary and well stocked (non alcoholic) and very good breakfast included in the rates. Did two spa treatments which I enjoyed, massage and facial. Husband and son played tennis. No excursions this time. More details if you wonder about something special.

Musken

Very child friendly by the way (kids pool, menus etc.), even kids activities every day arranged. Our son too old now to join he thinks, so cannot comment more on that. We arrived and departed by Aman car which was a longish (2,5 hours) and expensive (euro 440 per way) but very comfortable option. Stayed in Athens after the visit (no problems at all) and at Spetses (great island, really recommended -Hotel Poseidonion) before. Grand Bretagne is very nice, stayed there last time. Poppy at Amazoe worked there before, so I am sure she can help. Current GM at Zoe is Sven van den Broeck who worked at Yara previously.