Boletsos Beach

The two-bedroom apartments are spacious and clean, with a separate kitchen. There were plenty of good towels, linen, and toilet rolls, bins were emptied daily, and the Wi-Fi worked throughout. The cleaners were exceptional, doing a thorough job seven days a week. The pool was fine with enough sunbeds. Two lovely people offer massages at a very reasonable price, and I had one and can recommend it. There’s a short set of steps to a narrow beach, where the sea is shallow for a long way and feels very safe. Plenty of good places to eat, a nearby supermarket, bus stop, taxis, car hire, and a little train are all handy. But we were put in room 203, behind the petrol station on the main road, despite requesting a top-floor room away from noise. We knew it wasn’t a top-floor apartment and questioned it, but the woman checking us in abruptly called it “a quiet room.” Traffic, motorbikes, and bars were so loud we might as well have slept outside. From the balcony we looked at a huge concrete spiral staircase, with no view, sun, privacy, or sleep. The gardens at the front and back were unkempt. I’m sure the owner knew what that room was like. After a couple of days, tired and hoping to move, we asked again. The woman, who I believe is the owner, wouldn’t listen and said the hotel was full, though rooms could still be booked that day. We had asked Jet2 to note that my wife has osteoarthritis and sleeps poorly, so she needed somewhere peaceful. We knew the hotel was close to the road and facilities, which was useful because she can’t walk far. We’d also emailed the hotel and got no reply. In 20 years of visiting the Greek islands, I’ve never met such an uncooperative, unsympathetic owner. We booked because it boasts sea views from every room and says you can fall asleep to gentle waves. What a joke. We couldn’t wait to get home and sleep. Would we return? Only with a quieter room.

The apartments are handy for tourist shops, food shops, a bakery, and plenty of lovely restaurants within walking distance. A meal for two costs about €30, and Lidl is a 10-minute drive away. For a budget holiday, I’d definitely recommend it, and we had a wonderful stay. The owner, who also owns the petroleum station in front of the hotel, was kind and chatty. The cleaning staff were super friendly and did a fantastic job. The pool was clean and had enough sunbeds, though the pool bar was basically shut and the woman there wasn’t very friendly when we visited October 5-12, 2024. The beach could use a bit of a clean, and there are nicer beaches elsewhere on the island. Cooking was the main downside. There’s no extractor fan, just a sliding window that lets flies in. The two-ring hob had very few utensils, only basic cutlery and a ladle, no spatula, and the frying pans were poor quality. The grill was the best bit. There’s a kettle, toaster, and large fridge, but no microwave or oven. Reception is across the road. The safe costs €15 and air conditioning €70. Tourist tax is cash only, which felt a bit cheeky. Parking is limited to about six cars, but you can find a spot on the road.

The apartment was clean and had plenty of space, with a balcony and small kitchen. The shower was a little small, but for a reasonable price the quality was very good. I’d book this apartment again.

The rooms and bathrooms were nice, and the people were lovely. The sea is right in front, about 10 meters away. The pool bar runs from 9 to 18, so nights are quiet and you can sleep.