Pylaia Hotel, Astypalaia, Dodecanese Islands, Greece - Explore & Book
"When we told an English couple who own a house on Astypalaia that we were staying at Pylaia Hotel, they sniggered: “Ooh, rich people!”. In fact, the slickest hotel on this remote, rugged outcrop is neither hugely expensive nor hugely luxurious. But anything remotely fancy is a novelty on Astypalaia, an island of wild landscapes and welcoming locals that’s still relatively undiscovered. So Pylaia - a 27-room hotel on the outskirts of Chora with a small spa, twin pools and an upscale restaurant - seems almost out of place. Owner Dimitris Petridenas clearly has ambitions to put Astypalaia on the map: he also runs Akti, the island’s poshest seafood restaurant, and the Iliana bakery, which produces (and exports) the delicious saffron and almond biscuits given to i-escape guests as a welcome gift. His wife Anna is the local music teacher. From the lifesize papier-mâché donkey in the dazzlingly white lobby to the sophisticated dishes at the in-house restaurant, Pylaia Hotel is a classy choice. Highs Smiling staff always ready to go the extra mileWonderful food (eg monkfish with lemon, fennel and lemongrass) and views in the top-floor restaurant And an excellent buffet breakfast with local specialitiesSpacious, romantic rooms with great beds by Cocomat, plus a self-catering apartment that's useful for familiesLovely beaches within walking and biking distance, including Livadi, the island's best Lows Tricky to get to (a hopper flight or 9-hour ferry from Athens), but the island's remoteness is its appealBuilt on a steep slope, the hotel's split-level layout is a little awkward - and not suitable for toddlersAlthough all rooms have outdoor space, few balconies and terraces are really private; rooms by the pools can be noisyBathrooms are not well ventilated, and some are tinyThe pools are too small for proper swimming" - Rachel Howard
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