Review of Neilson Portomyrina Palace, Lemnos Greece
The Resort
The Portomyrina Palace Beachclub is situated on the west coast of the small, unspoilt Greek island of Lemnos in the north east Aegean Sea, to the north of Lesvos. It is a large, modern resort boasting 150 bedrooms in open grounds positioned around a wide horse shoe bay. Preserved within the grounds are the archaeological ruins of the 'Temple of Artemis'. Discovered during the construction of the hotel and dating back to the Hellenistic era (around 300 BC to 30 BC), these act as a unique and interesting feature of the Beachclub.
The resort offers a full suite of activities spanning windsurfing, sailing, water-ski and wakeboarding, tennis, mountain biking, fitness, swimming, water polo, scuba diving, sea kayaking, volleyball, stand-up paddle boarding, pool and table tennis. There is also a Temple Spa with plunge pool, relaxation area and wide range of treatments to help you relax and unwind.
Guests are first greeted at the airy, marble-laden top reception which forms the centre of the hotel, leading onto the restaurant and bar with hotel rooms above and games area (pool/table tennis), gym and spa below. From here the resort is gently sloping down to the bay with a series of paths meandering down to the pool and beach, through beautiful gardens which are well kept by local Greek staff. This is done with prairie style grasses and flowers and large palm trees which give the place a true Mediterranean feel as well as acting as a good indicator of the strength of the wind when looking down towards the bay.
Elsewhere on resort, always well signposted, there are three modern astro turf tennis courts, kids club centre, the Black Rock diving centre and bike hut. Closer to the shore there is a 50 metre pool surrounded by sun loungers, substantial pool bar area, open but shaded fitness platform by the shore and long soft sandy beach supporting the beach activity area including windsurfing, sailing and kayaking. The info centre by the pool is open from early until 10:30pm every day and acts as the main reception during the week and the on-site shop next door to the info centre is the perfect place to stock up on any forgotten holiday essentials. Overall, the resort carries its 5 star rating very well and despite the large number of bedrooms guests never feel too "on top of each other" due to the vast nature of the resort.
Travel to and from Portomyrina Palace
Portomyrina Palace is served by BA flights from London and regional airports direct to Lemnos. The flight time is 3 hours and 40 minutes with an in-flight meal included. From Lemnos airport it is a short 30 minute coach transfer from airport to resort. During the coach transfer to resort you'll be required to complete a short tourist visitor card with basic information that is mandatory in Greece, so have a pen handy. Lemnos airport is small and basic but there is free wifi and a small cafe to refuel. Our top tip for the return journey is to secure yourself chairs as soon as you go into the airport if you need them.
When you Arrive
Guests are greeted with juice drinks and water upon arrival at the Portomyrina Palace resort. The check in process is completed during the transfer with essential information and room key cards handed out on the coach. This makes for a smooth and straightforward process upon arrival - just a case of grabbing your bag off the coach and finding your room.Although a total of 4 coaches arrives in quick succession when we got to the resort, it was all very well managed and everything ran smoothly. For piece of mind we recommend you put all your valuables in the room safe upon arrival. The safe keys are available to collect from the info centre.
Things are kicked off shortly after arrival at the welcome briefing at 6:30pm on Saturday in the Pool Bar. Our top tip for the welcome briefing is to stand at the back whilst the briefing takes place as this is closest to where the sign-up tables for activities will be situated. Prioritise your activities and go to the sign-up table for your preferred activity first - more on this under the Activities section below. If you're a solo traveller, sociable couple or group, head down to "mix and mingle" at 6:30pm on Sunday (first full day after arrival) for a free cocktail and to get to know a few fellow guests. If you miss mix and mingle we've always found fellow guests to be very friendly and there is plenty of opportunity to get to know others during the activities or simply around the pool.
Rooms
Guests choose to either stay in the hotel or a series of 'garden rooms' spread across the remaining grounds of the hotel. All have been recently refurbished in a simple but modern Greek style with light colours and a fresh feel. Garden rooms are closer to most of the activities, particularly those operating from the beach front, so may be preferable for keen activity goers. Hotel rooms are closer to the restaurant, spa, games area (pool and table tennis) and tennis courts. There is also the option of inter-connecting rooms for families. All rooms feature everything you'd expect such as hairdryer, room safe, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, TV, towels, soap and shower gel. A plug-in mosquito repellent is also provided which may come in handy depending on when you travel. There is a daily housekeeping service with fresh towels provided every other day or as required.
Wi-Fi
There is wifi at both bars, the restaurant and around the pool area, which extends to some rooms with varying degrees of signal strength depending on your exact room location. Basic wifi is free which should be fine for most people.
Bars in Resort
There are two bars in resort. First, there is the Pool Bar next to the beach and swimming pool with lots of loungers and cushioned sofas to sink back into and relax. This is by far the busiest bar in resort and virtually the only one that was used by guests for bar service. The pool bar offers a range of traditional and special Lemnos cocktails, milk shakes (Oreo milk shake comes highly recommended) and fruit smoothies as well as beers, wine, soft drinks and juices. Second, is the Artemis bar in the centre of the hotel physically "at the heart of resort" but generally pretty quiet given everything goes on at the beach, pool or activity areas. The Artemis bar is just used for table service alongside inclusive meals. The local larger is Mythos which is served at both the pool and Artemis bars.
Food in Resort
The standard "Club Board" Neilson holiday package at Portomyrina Palace includes breakfast and lunch every day and an evening meal four days per week. On inclusive nights food is served from the Artemis restaurant, next to the Artemis bar in the centre of the resort. Food is open buffet style with a huge range and no limit on how much you can take or how many times you can go up (you thought it was impossible to put on weight during an activity holiday?!). There is a hot food buffet with a choice of at least 2 meats, rice, chips, potato wedges and often fish; a salad bar; section for making sandwiches or toasties at lunch; cured meats and cheeses in the evening; and an extensive dessert bar offering jelly, sweet pastries, chocolate, vanilla or strawberry mouse, ice cream with sauces and toppings and chocolate cake, as well as fresh fruit if you have the discipline to stay healthy.
Food generally is excellent - we and several fellow guests all agreed the Neilson chefs do a fantastic job of catering for so many people and front of house service is always prompt and attentive. It's good wholesome food sourced locally and prepared by Lemnos chefs. There is hand sanitising gel readily available from automatic dispensers at all entrances to the restaurant and staff make hygiene a top priority. Table service for bottled water (included on inclusive nights) and other drinks at a supplement are offered on all nights.
Guests can choose to eat indoors, on a small patio immediately outside the restaurant just above the ruins, in a separate adults only section, or a short way down a path in the large olive tree garden. The setting in the olive garden is peaceful and relaxing with the table set up interspersed with impressive mature olive trees making for a great traditional Mediterranean atmosphere. The lighting is a bit dim in places during the evenings, or very bright if you're right next to the olive tree under lighting, but if you're selective in choosing your table it's perfect.
Food and Drink on Non-Inclusive Nights
On non-inclusive nights you can either choose to eat in resort choosing from an a la carte menu of sharing platters, burgers, pizzas, steak and salads or venture into the local town, Myrina. We would recommend doing a mix of the two. The a la carte menu is well priced and good food. On one of the non-inclusive nights there is also a "big beach BBQ". The BBQ offers a good choice of meat, fish and vegetarian options. On non-inclusive nights food is served on tables laid on adjacent to the pool bar.
On the non-inclusive nights there is a Neilson minibus which takes guests into town for 2 Euros per person each way, with the journey taking around 10 minutes each way. Our top tip is not to take the organised bus and instead take the 20 minute walk down a gentle hill onto the waterfront and into town if you're able to. If you take the bus you'll need to walk for 5-10 minutes to get to the best beachfront restaurants which are on the near-side to the resort.
The best restaurant in Myrina is Oyzepi "Koouos". Whilst Oyzepi "Koouos" prides itself on its fresh seafood, which is freshly caught the same day and tastes excellent, there is also a wide selection of other options including pizzas, meat dishes and pasta. Chicken skewers with home made chips is my personal recommendation. We would strongly recommend you avoid going to the Manos Beach Bar for an evening meal. Whilst it is the shortest walking distance from resort, the food is poor to mediocre and by sitting near the beach you will potentially put yourself at risk of being ravaged by mosquitoes (we found out about this the hard way!). Wander a little further into town instead. The final thing we recommend you try whilst in Lemnos is a refreshing Lemnos lemonade - real lemonade made on the island which tastes fresh even bottled.
Activities
Neilson's tag line "relax as hard as you like" definitely applies at Portomyrina Palace. There is a wide range of activities on offer which you can dip into and out of as much as you like. If you figure out what's available and plan your week carefully using the activity planner you won't go far wrong. Our top tip is to focus on your favourite couple of activities first and plan others around these. You'll be able to book your activities directly after the welcome briefing on the first evening and at the information centre by the pool thereafter (the exception being water skiing and wake boarding for which subsequent bookings should be made directly with the ski team).
Everyone should go to the welcome briefing - make sure you don't get caught out by the change in the hour in Greece compared to the UK and miss the start time. If you're keen to secure all your activities at your preferred times listen to the welcome briefing from the back as this will allow you to get to the front of the queue for your first activity sign up table. If you're looking to water ski or wakeboard sign up for this first to secure your preferred slot - there are a large number of places for other activities and additional sessions are always put on if needed. We found the entire activities team at Portomyrina second to none throughout our holiday (with a special mention for Brad who was excellent as the activities manager). Specific details of each of the activities available at Portomyrina Palace are set out below.
Windsurfing
Portomyrina Palace is described by Neilson as being suitable for intermediate windsurfers with stronger winds in the morning becoming calmer in the afternoon. We visited for a particularly windy fortnight which gave even the most advanced windsurfers a testing experience at times. This varied in direction but was typically cross-shore across the bay, switching to onshore on the occasional lighter wind day. The wind is often quite blustery so gust control is key and the bay does become quite wavy especially further out on windier days, but there were definite planing conditions on several days without needing a huge sail. Conditions were a bit feisty for beginners on some days but staff move classes to accommodate beginner lessons as best as possible and there were 2 much lighter wind days at the end of our holiday.
There is a good range of kit with boards ranging from around 160 litres to 100 litres and even a little less for stunt boards. Sails go all the way from childrens and beginners sails to 8.5 metres. It's worth bearing in mind that the board size is not always clearly indicated. Look right at the back of the board - at the bottom when they're stored upright - to see if the size is indicated there, it may sometimes be slightly covered by the sand. There is of course high demand for the most popular board and sail sizes (140 litres and 4-6 metre sails) so get there early to secure the kit you want. Staff make a special effort to ensure there is enough of the right kit for lesson participants even if that occasionally means asking others on the water who are free sailing to swap their equipment to allow those in lessons to take priority.
Launching is easy from the gently shelving, soft sandy beach. However, there are some larger stones in the shallows, so neoprene shoes are still recommended. We found the beach staff to be very friendly and helpful, always offering to grab sails and boards whenever we went windsurfing outside of lesson times. Lessons are included in the cost of the holiday where guests can choose a course: beginner windsurfing, intermediate non-planing windsurfing or intermediate planing windsurfing. We found beach staff were also willing to put on the odd extra advanced session covering e.g. water starts and carve gybes when there was sufficient demand to justify it. I found the intermediate planing course to be very well run with good thorough introductions to the sessions. The coaches were also very keen - and having seen them on the water, highly capable windsurfers - who were well aware of the kind of issues intermediate windsurfers come across and more than happy to help solve them.
My partner did the beginners course and also found the instructors to be very friendly and helpful. Our top tip for beginners is to ask lots of questions and ask the instructors to explain something again whenever you wish. The small group sizes for the lessons mean you get a decent amount of individual attention and personal tips. There was a ratio of between 3:1 and 6:1 guests to instructors on the courses we joined. Even in the intermediate planing course where it's a lot more difficult for instructors to watch windsurfers spread across the bay, our instructors made a definite effort to get around to everyone.
Sailing
The horse shoe shaped bay means your surrounded by land on three sides, which helps reassure and inspire confidence in beginner sailors and windsurfers. Portomyrina Palace offers a comprehensive programme of sailing courses from beginners through to advanced, along with a series of laser races on several days plus a mid-week and end of week regatta. Lasers are ready rigged ahead of group lessons, races and regattas and there are normally some already set up at other times of the day for free sailing. Other types of boat are set up promptly by Neilson staff upon request; the full range at Portomyrina is: Laser Pico, Laser 1, Laser 2000, Laser Bahia, Dart 16, Topaz Omega, Hartley 10 and FS Feva. If you don't like the idea of taking the helm yourself, sign up for a catamaran joyride for a blast across the bay, whilst picking up a few top tips from your instructor.
We were very impressed by the on the water safety and rescue boats whilst in resort. There is always a member of the Neilson beach team in the lookout tower checking for anyone in difficulty across the bay. There are a couple of small rocky islands on what is normally the downwind side of the bay and we found guests were promptly rescued whenever they got into difficulty and started getting too close to these rocks. The rescue boats also ask all sailors and windsurfers to come back upwind whenever they go out of view of the beach watch tower, which again reiterates that safety is made a top priority. Tow-ins are provided for sailing and windsurfing sessions and races should the wind die completely (as it did on our last couple of days). Finally, on very windy days beach staff ensure guests take out appropriate kit and happily provide advice on sail sizes based on knowledge of the wind conditions further out of the bay.
Biking
There is a small but well equipped mountain biking hut on resort. Portomyrina Palace has around 25 Trek mountain bikes in a range of sizes, all with disk brakes and front suspension which can be easily turned on/off when switching between off/on-road cycling. As in previous years, rides are graded based on difficulty, ranging from green (easy), through blue (moderate), red (challenging) to black (very challenging). All rides are partly on and partly off road, taking in sea views along the coast, beautiful inland lakes and local temples. Guides gave a good introduction to each route and were always helpful throughout the ride, making sure no-one had been left behind particularly after more difficult off-road sections.
It may have just been a feature of our fortnight at Portomyrina, but we found the standard of riders pretty high, with even the green ride going off at a decent pace! Of course the guides are very welcoming of all abilities so our top tip is to go at your own pace and don't be put off if others seem to be racing ahead even on some of the easier rides. The red ride 'The Hill of Eli' is a 24km ride centred on one long challenging climb up the second tallest mountain on the island. Riders have to walk the last 10 minutes to the summit where there are boulders and large rocks which make it un-rideable. There is a small temple at the top which is left open for visitors. The blue 'Radio Mast' ride goes up a closer and slightly smaller hill whilst the 'Vineyard Cruise' offers a longer but flatter mainly off-road ride taking in seaside views, lakes and local temples.
Off-road sections are on dirt tracks which have good traction and are enjoyable to ride, except for the odd juddery section here and there. We would definitely recommend even highly skilled riders take downhill off-roads sections at a controlled pace because even on what seems easy down hills there can be unexpected obstacles. Arable farming is a big feature of large parts of Lemnos, particularly inland, so it's very possible that there might be a farmer herding sheep or goats just around the next bend. There were no biking accidents when we visited and they should be entirely avoidable with some common sense. If you prefer to free ride on your own instead of joining one of the organised rides, this is absolutely possible and bikes can be signed out at any time during the day. Detailed maps and guidance instructions for all routes are available from the info centre.
Tennis
There are three modern astro turf tennis courts at Portomyrina Palace. Neilson offer group tennis coaching included in the price of your holiday and the courts are available to book for free play outside of lesson times. Neilson have now introduced a new programme produced by Mark Petchey - Andy Murray's former coach - to take their tennis coaching to the next level. The key focus of the programme is to help make you a better player with your existing style of play, rather than try to teach you new "textbook" shots. We really enjoyed the new sessions and had no complaints with the changes.
Coaches offer tips on common mistakes and individual technique but for the intermediate to advanced groups don't spend 20 minutes talking through what a forehand and backhand look like - allowing you to spend more time on court playing. The other key difference of the Mark Petchey programme is that it breaks the sessions down based on styles and patterns of play, so instead of one day playing forehands, one day playing backhands, one day serving, etc you'll instead have sessions split into "ground strokes" and "serve and volley" for example. You'll find yourself hitting lots more balls and having more fun.
Coaching is split into groups depending on ability, ranging from green (beginner) through blue (beginner-intermediate) to red (intermediate) and black (advanced). Neilson have a tennis equipment partnership with Babolat meaning there are high end carbon fibre rackets and plenty of new good quality tennis balls ready for your best tennis. Equipment is normally available from a hut on court 1 but if you take advantage of the free play option later in the evening after the hut has been locked, rackets and balls are signed out from the info centre. Group lessons run daily and there is the option to book additional one-to-one lessons at a supplement if you wish.
Towards the end of the week there are two short American Doubles tournaments organised - one for green and blue players and another for red and black players. The American doubles set-up means you play with a different partner and against different opponents each game, using tie-break scoring. The 4 players with the highest score from each of the green-blue and red-black tournaments go into a "final" match open for other guests to watch (with a bar on court) on the afternoon of the final day. However, the most important event of the week is "booze and balls". This is a series of fun, light-hearted games played with a racket in one hand and a beer - or soft drink if you prefer - in the other. Everyone is encouraged to take part and ability really doesn't matter. Booze and balls team captains lead a dancing competition to decide ends and games are played with children's tennis balls (soft and squishy). There is again a bar on court and entertaining commentary from a tennis coach.
Water Ski and Wakeboarding
Neilson guests can take advantage of two free 15 minute water ski or wakeboard tows per week at Portomyrina Palace. The ski team are a real credit to the beach club and the quality of instruction is top class. Each time you go out there will be you, the boat driver and another member of the ski team who will shout tips on technique whilst you're on the water and indicate to you when the boat needs to turn around to go the opposite way across the bay. Just bear in mind that the bay at Lemnos can become quite wavy, especially in higher wind conditions, so you'll need to bend your legs to take in the bumps at times. The ski team will always still run tows providing it is safe. There were a couple of days at the end of our holiday when the sea was flat as a pancake and water ski conditions were perfect. It's best to see water skiing and wakeboarding as another cool part of your Portomyrina Palace holiday; if you prefer to centre your holiday around it you'd be best advised to look at a different specialist Neilson water ski and wakeboard centre such as The Retreat in Sivota.
If you get a flat week and have the energy for more water skiing and wakeboarding, Neilson offer a range of upgrade packages for beginners to experts. Upgrades are based around British Water Ski & Wakeboard (BWSW) qualifications and will take your experience beyond 'just having a go'. Courses are split into beginner, intermediate and advanced with each giving you six 15 minutes tows at a cost of £150 per person. The beginner course works towards the BWSW Bronze Award. Progressing throughout the week, the beginner pack guides you through the basics of water skiing and wakeboarding giving you the basic knowledge and skills required to be confident behind the ski boat. The aim is to complete 5 minutes of safe water skiing and wakeboarding.
If you are comfortable getting up out of the water on your water skis or wakeboard and are able to cross the wake both ways then the Intermediate Pack is best for you. Working towards the BWSW Silver award you will develop your skills and progress to jumping on the wakeboard and deep water starts on your skis. If you're very proficient on water skis or the wakeboard and can already do all of these things, the advanced pack will be best for you. The advanced pack and BWSW Gold award is focused on more advanced skills. Wake boarders will be working on their heel side and toe side jumps, incorporating grabs, while water skiers will be passing gates and developing slalom skills.
Fitness
You'll find a comprehensive range of fitness classes at Portomyrina Palace spanning yoga, pilates, Zumba, boxercise, body combat, boot camp, meta fit, ab attack, fitball, aqua and stretch and relax. All sessions (except aqua) are run from the open but shaded fitness platform by the shore and all necessary equipment is provided. During the fortnight we were at Portomyrina Palace sessions were run by 'fitness' Sally who trains fitness instructors across other Neilson resorts. Sally is better than any personal trainer you'll find in the UK but does often move around between beach clubs every couple of years, so she may not be there when you visit. However, all instructors are fully trained, motivating and first aid qualified so you'll be in good hands.
Choose Zumba for an aerobic fitness programme featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance and performed to Latin American dance music. Meta fit is a form of high intensity interval training (HIIT) based on recorded exercise instructions that are done in short bursts, with a final longer exercise at the end to max your workout. Boxercise is a boxing session where guests partner up and take turns to put on the boxing gloves or target pads for their opposite number to fire punches at, whilst body combat is more of a shadow boxing workout to focus on your technique. Aqua is a session based in the pool run at midday involving simple moves to music, often incorporating parts from the other sessions. It generally appeals to older women but the moves against the water resistance can be made challenging for anyone. There are also early morning jogs including a 13km route to the radio mast at the top of a nearby hill if you're up for a challenge.
The fitness platform is a particularly good location for stretch and relax and yoga with the breeze and sound of waves gently rippling onto the shore nearby. Don't be surprised if many guests are left so chilled out after stretch and relax that they start to fall asleep at the end of the relaxation part on foam mats (just hope you're not next to someone who snores!). We would strongly recommend the fitness classes, but if you do prefer to train more privately there is an air conditioned gym close to the spa which is well equipped with both cardio and weights equipment. This is situated next to the spa where chilled water with lemon and fresh fruit is available.
Swimming and Water Polo
Close to the beach front is an Olympic size 50 metre pool (well 47 metres to be precise, if you're wondering why your length times are a second or two quicker than normal). The pool is open from 8am to 8pm every day. Confidence jackets are available for children (just help yourself) who should be supervised by an adult at all times. Private swim lessons are offered by Jim "the swim" at a supplement who provides helpful tips on technique and will happily tailor sessions to whatever your looking to achieve. If you are a beginner and don't like the idea of taking the limelight by being taught in a relatively busy part of the resort, Jim will happily arrange a lesson for you in the much quieter/more private spa pool, which is about 7 metres long.
There are normally at least a few people who enjoy free lane swimming at Neilson resorts, particularly in the early morning and evenings, but never so many that you'll struggle for space. For those looking for something a bit more adventurous, there are a few open water swimming sessions that take place throughout the week, taking advantage of the stunning horse shoe bay. Staff are sensible in trying to arrange these when it's not too wavy and well away from other water users. Last but certainly by no means least, water polo games are also organised throughout the week by Jim, which makes for a great activity when the winds were too high to take to the water or play tennis. No previous experience is necessary and proper water polo hats are provided.
Scuba Diving
A free 20 minute 'try dive' in the swimming pool is included in your Neilson holiday for those who haven't scuba dived before or experienced divers who fancy a quick refresher. This gives you a quick introduction to the kit and a short opportunity to practice your Darth Vader impression under water whilst swimming around a very safe and controlled environment (there is very little that can go wrong on a swimming pool!). I tend to find people figure out whether they love or hate scuba diving pretty quickly (my personal view is if your comfortable and confident in water you should love it), so the try dive is a good way of figuring this out without having to shell out too much at the outset. Our try dive was taken by Fletch who was friendly and made my partner who is new to diving and a little nervous feel very comfortable. If you enjoy your try dive or are already an experienced diver a range of organised dives can be arranged at a time to suit you at a reasonable supplement. Just don't forget to pack your PADI diver card and log book if you intend to go diving during your holiday.
Sea Kayaking
There are plenty of one and two person sea kayaks that are used for organised kayak safaris led by a member of the beach team throughout the week. If you prefer, kayaks can also be taken out at any time during the day for 'free paddling'. Just take a buoyancy aid from the beach, let the beach staff know where you're going and roughly how long you'll be and help yourself to kayaks and paddles. The Neilson staff will of course help you with equipment and kayaks as well if needed. Try to choose a lighter wind day to venture out in kayak as this will usually mean the sea is not as wavy. The best place to paddle to is the so called "secret beach" on the opposite side of the horse shoe bay, hidden behind a small rocky outcrop. It's about a 10 minute paddle at a leisurely pace each way and makes for a great way to explore the bay. Take a pair of goggles with you (or try to talk the Black rock Diving centre into lending you a mask and snorkel for an hour). Once you've pulled your kayak onto the beach you can enjoy seeing some colourful fish in and around the rocky outlet, hunt for shells or relax and unwind on the beach with a bit more privacy than in resort.
Volleyball
Why not challenge the Neilson team to a spot of volleyball (they're a competitive bunch!) as the sun goes down, topped off by a well-deserved cold Mythos beer. When we stayed at Portomyrina, volleyball was played to a surprising high standard, but the team were always very welcome of beginners like me. Games are played with 6-a-side based on a carefully organised front and back row. Whenever a team loses serve, its players rotate positions. This gives everyone the chance to serve and if the numbers haven't quite worked means each person will do the odd rotation off the pitch to give others the chance to play. The games are well organised by resort manager Callum who helps point people in the right direction and will give you a few pointers on technique if you wish. The highlight of the volleyball week is the guests vs. staff match on the final timetabled day which is usually a competitive affair!
Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)
Stand up paddle boarding (or SUP for short) is a great way to explore the amazing Lemnos coastline whilst also providing a steady workout for your arms and core. SUP boards are free to use at Portomyrina Beach club and can be taken out whenever you wish during the day - just take a buoyancy aid and let the beach team know how long you'll be. The Red SUP boards provided are suitable for paddle boarders of all abilities. No formal tuition is required but the Neilson beach team will happily give you a few tips on how to get started. In fact, there is a 30 minute introduction to SUP at the start of the week if you're a little tentative about the idea at first. SUP complement other activities really well and provide a whole body and 'core' workout for honing that beach body - they're even used in some of the "special" balance-orientated yoga sessions during the week. You'll feel like you're walking on water in no time!
Pool and Table Tennis
In the heart of the hotel close to the spa and restaurant there is a large, open airy space with lots of cushioned sofas along with one pool table and two table tennis tables. If you fancy yourself as the next Ronnie O Sullivan and won't be happy with a bit of a slant on the table, this will not be for you, but if you're looking for something chilled out to do between more strenuous activities as a pair, family or group of mates, the pool and table tennis are great extras to have available. Both are free of charge and first come first served. There aren't any organised games, tournaments or coaching put on by Neilson but staff are relaxed if you want to set something up as a larger group.
Spa
Portomyrina Palace has a 'Temple Spa' in the centre of the hotel, tucked away down a courtyard path with overhanging flowers and palm trees that help set you off on the route to relaxation. The spa is centred on a large (roughly 7 metre by 7 metre) swimming pool. This is maintained at a pretty cool temperature, so is best used as a plunge pool to cool down muscles or help shake off mild cases of sunstroke if you've overdone it on the sun lounger. There are four treatment rooms including one dedicated to couples treatments as well as relaxation and manicure areas (no sauna, steam room or jacuzzi).
The spa team offer a wide range of treatments including manicures, pedicures, Swedish or deep tissue massage, waxing, facials and body scrubs. Use of facilities is complimentary whilst treatments are charged to your room. We booked 55 minute massages which were 65 Euros (£55) for the end of our second week, both of which were excellent. The spa loyalty card also grants guests 30% off a second treatment or 10% off any of a vast range of beauty products. If you're on a budget there are shorter treatments such as file and polish so you still feel pampered and can sunbathe in style.
Kids Club
It can be a lot of work keeping kids happy on holiday. Toddlers have completely different needs from young teenagers, with different levels of supervision, mealtimes and so on. That's why Neilson have created a number of different children's clubs for kids of all ages - from cute babies up to cool teenagers. All of Neilson's kids clubs run six days a week and are packed full of fun activities, so kids are pretty much guaranteed to meet others of their age and make new friends. Meanwhile, parents can lie back and relax, but not too much, you could be out on the water or the tennis courts too!
Neilson understand how much you will appreciate one or two quiet evenings while on holiday, so offer supervised evening activities or sleep clubs for all children on 5 nights per week, 2 of which are included free of charge in the standard club hours. Safety is made a top priority with all teams being fully trained experts in childcare, as well as being people who love working with kids. We spoke to several guests with children who were very complimentary about the kids club service in Portomyrina, suggesting you can relax and be safe in the knowledge that your children are in very capable hands.
More details about the specific Neilson kids clubs for children of different ages is available here. The general idea for children that are old enough to do activities is that they'll do all the things the adults do but have much more fun.
Neilson Staff
Neilson have a top team of active holiday experts at Portomyrina, all committed to ensuring each and every guest has the very best time. They're on hand at all times to provide insider knowledge, helpful advice, hospitality and activity information to help you get the most out of your holiday. From the warm greeting at the airport and welcome drinks upon arrival at the resort to top class activity tuition, prompt and attentive food and drink service and a very well organised departure, we felt the Neilson team at Poryomyrina were faultless.
Local Area and Trips
It's possible to hire a car to explore the island but there is really no better way to take in the lakes, coastline, temples and arable landscape that Lemnos has to offer than by taking out a mountain bike and exploring under your own steam. This can be done either by free riding (taking a bike to explore yourself) or by joining one of the many group rides organised by Expert Neilson guides. For something more leisurely join a gentle green ride to venture into a nearby Greek village for a coffee with the locals. Stroll into the waterfront town of Myrina - the island's capital and main port. Explore the imposing Venetian castle, charming Ottoman architecture and the numerous shops and restaurants scattered along picturesque alleyways. Take a step back in time with a visit to one of the island's historical sites. Excavations of the city of Poliochni have revealed a close relationship with the ancient city of Troy. If you prefer to hire a car, venture out to some of the traditional, characterful villages untouched by tourism. Stop off at the salt lakes and you may spot a flamingo!
Portomyrina Palace is currently our joint favourite Neilson resort. We spoke to many fellow guests who were Neilson regulars and agreed that Portomyrina was either the best or well up there. This is echoed by it's currently holding of the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Enjoy.
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