Okeanis Beach

If you want somewhere peaceful, Okeanis Beach is a good fit. It’s away from the island’s lively areas, so it won’t suit a big party trip. The beach is right nearby, and the bus stop is about a five-minute walk, with frequent, inexpensive buses to Fira. Kamari is around a 25-35 minute walk. The road route is easier, since going along the beach takes about twice as long and isn’t comfortable. We rented an ATV for a few days and got around the island, including its more remote spots, without trouble. The hotel can arrange vehicle drop-off, just ask at reception. Our room was fine: the air conditioning worked properly, the safe was spacious and well placed, and the TV was okay, though it didn’t have English-language channels.

We had a room near the pool and really liked it. The pool is good and there’s access to the beach, and the view is very nice. The hotel is clean and looks new, and the staff are friendly and keen to help. The food was good too. It’s a four-star place, but a few things were missing that I personally didn’t mind, like a phone to reception and warm water or water in the room. The bus is a bit of a walk, so having a car is useful for getting around the island. No dogs or other animals at the hotel. I recommend it, and Nicolas and Tommy were very helpful and service minded.

The pool was nice, and the bathroom was the only good part of our room. There were at least 15 flies in there, the air conditioning was poor, and so was the mini fridge. There was no Wi-Fi in the rooms, and the reception connection was awful, so I had no way to contact my family. The food was absolutely disgusting.

We ended up here through our tour group, but I’ll be recommending they stop placing people at this hotel. Several guests said their rooms weren’t cleaned on time, apparently because staff didn’t have enough spare keys. People also mentioned leaking air conditioning units that left water across the floor, and staff who seemed indifferent. The free Wi-Fi is extremely weak and only works in the lobby. The pool and beach are average.