Irini Hotel

For a windsurfing trip, this is definitely the best option in the area, and I’d come back. The people are fantastic: friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. Breakfast is good, and dinner especially is really good. Sebastian, the waiter, is a lovely young guy who pays close attention and looks after you well. I’m taking off one star for a couple of small things: the AC costs an extra 4 Euros a day, and the TV in my room didn’t work.

We’ve been spending summers here for more than 20 years and have seen the hotel change through all its stages. We’re glad owner Yanni and his family chose to make a proper upgrade some years ago. It’s a lovely resort-style place for a family holiday, well away from mass tourism. We first came for windsurfing, since this area is one of Europe’s windiest in summer, but we love everything else here too. Buffet breakfast and dinner are served in the restaurant beside the pool. At lunch, you can order small snacks from the kitchen. If you bring your own windsurfing gear, there’s a spacious old station building right on the hotel beach. For rentals, Club Ion and the Pro Centre station are within walking distance, with good equipment and courses for all skill levels. Nightlife is scarce in this part of the island, though there are parties and BBQs almost every day for anyone with energy left after a sunny, windy day. The airport transfer takes about five minutes. You can see planes taking off and landing, but with the strong winds you can barely hear them. From somewhere in central Europe, it takes about three hours to be out surfing or swimming in the ocean.

The hotel is very clean and has excellent facilities for families. There’s a lovely beach right out front, and a kiosk where you can leave your windsurfing gear. The ION windsurfing club is only three minutes away.

My husband and I went to work there as a waitress and waiter. Before we joined, they told us about the dress code and that we’d have to pay for our clothes and tickets ourselves. They didn’t mention their other cheap rules. We spent a lot to take the job, but the owner charged staff for water, tea, coffee, and other things. We only asked for bottled water, and they said staff weren’t allowed to have it. Instead, they told us to drink from the kitchen or bar tap, saying guests and their children drank the same water and that it was clean and safe. It tasted salty, though, and could be harmful to your kidneys. My husband has kidney stones, so I know how harmful salty water can be. After we found this out, we decided to quit and told them we wouldn’t work any more. We had booked tickets and said we were leaving the next day. When we wouldn’t accept these rules, they stopped giving us breakfast. They insulted us, saying we weren’t their guests and they wouldn’t provide breakfast or food. They knew we had tickets for the next day, but told us we couldn’t stay at the hotel and had to leave immediately. The owner had picked us up from Karpathos airport when we arrived, but offered no help when we were leaving. They took some money from our salary and told us to go. We walked to the airport with our belongings, not knowing it was closed. The owner knew the closing time and didn’t tell us, maybe wanting to make things difficult. We left the hotel at noon and spent that day and night at CEFE TAVERNA. The older woman there was a kind, beautiful soul. She let us sleep on the floor of her cafe and did her best to help us through the cold night. Irini hotel owner didn’t help us. Now you can see what the hotel owner is like. Anyone thinking of visiting or working on Karpathos island, please be aware of the Irini hotel owner’s behavior.