Ourania Studios

The walk into town is a long one, and getting to the car park in the dark was awkward because there are no lights on the steps, so I had to use a torch. Our ground-floor room looked onto a scruffy back yard, where a washing machine sits outside for guests to use. The room was gloomy enough that we needed the lights on all the time. The air con and blinds didn't work either. The decor is okay, but this place doesn't feel cared for. Maybe the upstairs rooms are better. The owner needs to pay attention. I'd stay somewhere else.

It was so quiet at night, and coming back here after a day out felt relaxing. The room was spacious, with a really comfortable bed and a nice balcony. It’s far enough from the city to feel disconnected and unwind, but had everything we needed.

The best part was Georgios Giafis Farm restaurant, about 0.9 miles (1.5km) away, with traditional local farm food in beautiful surroundings. We used this studio for one night between ferry hops and it was fine for a stopover, but felt overpriced. It was one studio for two adults and a 17-year-old, and cost 50% more than the apartments we’d stayed in the previous nights in Diakoptó and Patras. The air con worked for only 10 minutes at a time at first, then stopped altogether. Also, the ferry terminal is about 1.4 miles (2.25km) away, roughly a 25-minute walk along a busy single-carriageway road.

It’s clean and simple, and the room has air con, so you can sit there and think about where to go next. Without a car you’ll feel a bit out of the way. Sami itself isn’t the best town on the island.