Avalon Hotel

Set in a four-story white building with a colonnaded facade of arched windows and balconies, this mid-range hotel offers a quiet atmosphere thanks to its adult-only policy. Interiors are fairly lackluster and bland, but clean and pleasant, with soft neutral color schemes and natural light streaming through large windows. The lobby is doused in sunlight and creamy hues, and offers seating clusters of armchairs and sofas. The hotel's dining spaces take on a more traditional look, with elegant white tablecloth-clad tables in the dining room. Handsome brown leather tufted couches are paired with antique wooden furnishings in the bar, set against gleaming cream tile floors and white walls for a clean and crisp effect. A large outdoor terrace offers alfresco dining with beautiful views over the surroundings; the hotel's hilltop location affords it particularly great views over the hilly coast, town, and sea. 

The hotel is perched on a hill on the outskirts of Zakynthos town, overlooking the town, surrounding hills, and sea. It's about a 20-minute walk into town, though the uphill trek back might not be suitable for all -- the hotel offers a free shuttle service to and from town. There's a small shop about a five-minute walk from the hotel, plus plenty of dining options, bars, and cafes in town. The port, with ferries to the mainland and Brindisi, Italy, is around a 10-minute drive away. Area attractions include the ruins of a Venetian Castle, the Byzantine Museum, and the red-roofed village of Bochali (all within a five-minute drive or 20-minute walk). Shipwreck Beach, a picturesque cove, is one of the most popular island attractions, situated on the other side of the island (about an hour's drive) and can only be accessed by boat. Nearby beaches include Tsilivi Beach (10-minute drive) and Limni Keriou (20-minute drive). Zakynthos Airport is about a 15-minute drive from the hotel. 

Rooms are clean and pleasantly appointed in creamy shades contrasted by wooden furniture. Cream-colored walls, tile floors, and bedspreads are paired with traditional wooden pieces that include nightstands and headboards. All rooms have private furnished balconies with glass sliding doors illuminating the spaces with natural light; some with lovely sea views. All rooms also offer seating as well as work desks. Other standard amenities include flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, mini-fridges, hairdryers, electronic safes, and free Wi-Fi, but there are no tea/coffee-making facilities. A welcome bottle of wine is a nice touch. Note that twin beds are often pushed together to make a double bed, which isn't very romantic. Bathrooms are a bit small and fairly standard. They come equipped with shower/tub combos. Individual toiletries are not offered, but there are wall-mounted soap dispensers. Suites with private pools are also available.

The highlight here is the hotel's outdoor pool, which is set on a large stone sundeck that offers wonderful views over the surrounding hills and sea. Loungers and orange umbrellas line its edge. Though there's no fitness center, there is a tennis court on-site, as well as mini-golf.

The hotel's restaurant serves buffet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners in a pleasant dining space or outdoor terrace with panoramic views. Half-board and all-inclusive plans are available. There's also a lovely bar for cocktails. Note that men are required to wear long pants at dinner. Other amenities include free Wi-Fi throughout the property, free shuttle service to/from town, and free airport and port transfers.