Tinos Heritage Plateia

We’ll be back, and we’ve already told friends to stay here. The owner picked us up from the boat and took us back at no extra cost. Shops, restaurants and cafés are close by, and the port is only about a three-minute walk away. The rooms are great value, with all the facilities we needed, even a toothbrush, plus drinks, coffee, toast and everything for a quick breakfast.

The staff who looked after the rooms were cheerful, understanding and polite, and the rooms themselves were very clean. They were small, though, especially the three-bed room we had on our first night. Finding someone to let us in was awkward since there’s no reception. We called Mrs Virginia twice with no answer, then had to knock hard before a staff member opened the door. She hadn’t been very helpful on the phone about who would be there to welcome us. We’d booked five nights for my friend and me by phone four months ahead. Mrs Virginia quoted a price and asked for one night’s deposit, which seemed fair. On our second day we had to move rooms, and one of us had come down with stomach flu. We checked out by 11 as requested and politely asked if we could get into the new room a little sooner. Mrs Virginia immediately snapped that they couldn’t just press a button to clean rooms and get things done. Her manner had already been unacceptable the day before, too. At checkout she asked for more than we’d agreed on. When we objected, she said she could charge even more, enough for what could get us at least a four-star hotel. The three stars are for the lovely staff, not the owner.

Virginia Rooms has a lovely mix of Cycladic character and modern comfort, and the design felt closely tied to the region’s architecture. My balcony looked onto a quiet courtyard shaded by a mature tree, a peaceful little spot that’s hard to find in a city stay. I also appreciated having a Nespresso machine and breakfast treats in the room, so I could start the day without going out. The location is excellent. For an authentic stay with contemporary comforts in Tinos, I’d gladly recommend it.

I never got to stay here. I had booked three nights, and Virginia, I think that was her name, was meant to collect me from the port at 8 pm. Nobody showed up. I called three times, and on the fourth call she told me, without any shame, that I had no reservation. Then why send a text confirming it on the day I booked? She didn’t even apologize for the huge trouble this caused. Leaving a woman travelling alone without a place to sleep in the middle of the night is cruel. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. À fuir.