Grecian Castle Hotel

The pool was a nicer place to spend time than the beach for us. Paralia Chiou is just across the road, but the shore was rockier than I expected, with a mix of rocks, sand, and sticks. The hotel wouldn’t give us extra towels for the beach because they were concerned about bacteria in the water. That left me wondering whether swimming there was safe. I’d read online that the Straight of Chios is safe for swimming, so I didn’t understand the concern. The hotel had easy, complimentary parking, which was useful since parking in Chios Town without a resident pass was difficult. I’d suggest walking into town instead of driving. It’s within walking distance of Chios Town (Chora), though the port was farther than I’d imagined, about a 20-minute walk. I wonder whether any rental car companies in Chios provide resident passes. We liked the pretty setting and the semi-private porches outside our rooms, with fruit growing nearby. The atmosphere felt peaceful and refreshing. The mattresses, though, were thin and uncomfortable, and there wasn’t much we could do about that during our stay. New ones would be a good investment. Getting more than one room key also took more effort than it should have. We went to the desk four times before it worked, and were told the machine was broken. The pool was roped off for our first few days. When we asked, the desk said it was safe to use, but the rope was there because no lifeguard was on duty. A lifeguard was there for only a day or two during our five-day stay. The space between the loungers and the pool was very narrow, and I could imagine someone slipping and falling in.