Product Reviews : Travel - Short Haul : Mark Warner Lakitira Hotel and Village, Kos, Greece

Having never even done a package holiday before, was somewhat trepitadious going to the other extreme and doing an all inclusive but really wanted some sun and an opportunity to use childcare as I was going with my daughter on my own. But Mark Warner does what it says on the tin and we're weren't disappointed; in fact I only booked for a week and by the end wished I'd booked for 2. The childcare was fine, staff very good and my daughter enjoyed it but then she loves nursery at home so I knew she'd be OK. A couple of times I used the evening drop off creche which worked well. Good to have a choice of restaurants; the whole buffet experience in the main restaurant can get a bit old after a few meals. Lakitira great for tennis enthusiasts like me and when you get into it was also good for lone parents. I stayed in hotel which was fine but rather tired, although I think there has since been a revamp. The only real complaint I had was that my daughter had a 24 hour stomach bug in the middle of the week - that in itself can't be helped but the nursery told me only when she had already come down with it that the bug had been going round nursery (they would have put a notice up at my nursery in the UK). I thought that parents should have been armed with that knowledge so they could make the decision whether to put children into nursery and assessing the risk of getting an illness which could take up precious holiday day(s). We went in October which was very good value and ideal weather.

Lakitira is a lovely location and the hotel facilities are good. The childcare was fantastic. There is a night creche from 7.30 until 11.30 which is absolutely fantastic and allows you to relax and enjoy the evenings.

The resort is very much focused on tennis and much to my surprise I found myself playing in mixed doubles matches in spite of being a complete beginner. The staff are friendly and inclusive in their approach to people of all abilities. Our room had just been refurbished and it was immaculate and decorated to a high standard. The bathroom looked fantastic and had a very powerful shower both over the bath and in the separate shower cubicle. Our only grumble with the accommodation was that the water just didn't drain away if you used the shower cubicle which also housed the toilet, which meant cold wet feet standing in about half an inch of water if you needed to use the toilet. We asked to change room but nothing even though the hotel was only at 50% occupation.

The adult buffet food was of a high standard with lovely fresh salads and an interesting and wide choice of main courses. Breakfast was wonderful. Unfortunately the children's food left a lot to be desired. This was my first Mark Warner holiday. I was surprised to find out that children's lunch was not included. The main restaurant charges 8 euros for a child lunch buffet and the italian restaurant charges 5 euros for the dreaded 4 choices of fish fingers and chips, burger and chips, pizza and chips. I felt it was too expensive for a 3 year old who eats next to nothing.

Children's high tea is included in the holiday price and I found some of the things served to be pretty awful to eat. Additionally, the Italian Restaurant is a pretty unpleasant setting for high tea because is is a very noisy, echo ridden location which magnifies noise and I think that small children find the experience all a bit too much. Some mothers who had babies told me that the baby food was awful.

Generally things were rather expensive in the hotel. A bog standard cornetto ice-cream from the kiosk by the swimming pool was 3 euros and an apple juice from the bar was also charged at 3 euros. With the current rate of exchange being £1 to 1.2 euros, it meant that an ice-cream cost more than £2.50. The high prices seem to deter the guests and I wonder if Mark Warner are pitching their prices too high. The spa was also very, very expensive.

Finally, the flight was pretty awful. I booked for 3 people and on check in I was told that we would all have to sit separately (my daughter is 3 and got very distressed when we were seated apart). Mark Warner use XL Airways who have a very limited menu of hot food, they ran out of most things very quickly on the way out and on the way home had nothing hot at all. We were 4 kilos overweight on the way home and they made us pay 9 euros per kilo. So go careful with your packing!

In spite of these complaints, I still highly rate the holiday and the childcare is genuinely first class.

Reviewers were generally delighted: "a fantastic break with excellent childcare". Not many nannies wanted to babysit but baby listening was always available. Recently refurbished, the accommodation is "better than most Club holidays" and there are two nice beaches, great pools, fab tennis coaching and good watersports. Food is "better than expected" but the evening entertainment is "a bit lame". Having to collect the children at lunchtime means "you can't leave the club to explore" and "you can feel a bit stir crazy after a while, the nearest town is a taxi ride away". Overall though: "a great family holiday - we'll be back!"

Mumsnet top tip:"If you go for two weeks there's no childcare on changeover day and it was difficult to entertain our toddler all day in 30 degree heat, so we'd go again but not at the height of summer".

We got back a few weeks ago and were generally very pleased with childcare and resort. The family beach is lovely and the accommodation was great. The food was good but breakfast better in the portugal resort. Extras like lunch, ice-creams and drinks really did all mount up though - very expensive and no alternative. The flight was pretty much on time but not told no food would be included and on the lunchtime flight home they ran out,resulting in upset and hungry child. Its nearly a 4 hour flight so I think paying for drinks and food was bad anyway. Very pretty resort. Nice views.