Skiathos Palace Hotel

We’ve come back every year for the past four years, but this may be our last visit. The people working in the view restaurant and at breakfast are lovely. Some of the other staff, though, came across as rude, snide and mean. I don’t understand the bitterness, and other guests said they’d noticed the same thing.

We spent a lovely time at Skiathos Palace, surrounded by greenery in a beautiful part of the island. The restaurant had amazing food and views across Skiathos. Our spotless, comfortable room also had a beautiful sea view, and the sunset from the balcony felt magical. The pool was just right for unwinding with a drink. We’ll choose this hotel again on our next holiday.

The bus stop is right outside, and there are a couple of lovely tavernas and bars if you turn right out of the hotel. The location is great, though be ready for steep steps and no lifts. The beautiful beaches take a fair walk, but they’re worth it. At the hotel’s private beach and Koukanaires beach, two sunbeds and a parasol cost €30; Elias beach is only €15.

The rooftop pool looks out over Koukonaries beach, but we only tried it once, late in the afternoon. The loungers were very close together, and people had already saved beds with towels before breakfast, so you have to do that too if you want one. We preferred spending our time at the island’s beautiful beaches instead. The hotel has a stunning view and the beach is an easy walk away, but otherwise it felt fairly average. There’s a bus stop close by, buses are easy to use, and a shuttle goes to Skiathos Town and Koukonaries beach. Breakfast had plenty of standard options. We skipped the other hotel meals and walked to local restaurants.