Forkis Apartments

The beds were comfortable, the air conditioning worked well enough, and our large room with two balconies was serviced daily. The room felt a little bare and old-fashioned, though, and could use some attention. The setting at Dexa Beach, around the bay from much bigger Vathy, is beautiful. The beach is only a 30-second walk away, and at the end of June the water was crystal clear and not cold at all. Residents have sunbeds for their own use, and the owner keeps a close eye on them. Walking around to Vathy can feel a bit too far on a hot day, so I’d recommend taking a taxi both ways. At €5 each way, it’s a bargain, trust me!

The studio is their smallest apartment, but it was just the right size for two. We had a fabulous, relaxing visit. The location is fantastic, the place is incredibly beautiful, and the owners are lovely.

Forkis Apartments was very good value for what we paid, with a view and location that can’t be beaten. The sea-view double studio was basic but a good size, and the cleaner, who was friendly and amazing, kept it beautifully clean every day. There was plenty of storage, a decent dressing table, a full-size fridge, a double sink, kettle, pots and pans, and room to prepare meals. The normal full-size hairdryer was a nice surprise, and the bed was comfy. The shower had good pressure. The sea is beautiful, and the quiet, unspoilt pebble beach seems to be used mostly by locals, so bring shoes for the water. Access to the rest of the island and the port was great. You can walk to Vathy, but because of my mobility we took a taxi, which cost EUR 15,00 return. Beach towels were available for a small charge, we were kindly allowed to check in early, and the owner quickly sorted out a problem with the toilet. A few things could be improved. The sunbeds were in rough shape, and I injured my hand on one on the first day. They need proper maintenance or replacing, and there were only four out during our stay, including one that was broken. The safe was tiny and not fixed to the wardrobe, so we didn’t feel we could use it. The air conditioning was set at 23 degrees and the owner wouldn’t lower it, saying “climate change.” I have a brain condition that makes it hard to regulate my temperature at night, and 23 degrees wasn’t cool enough in the oppressive heat. We were there during a heat wave, with one day reaching 44 degrees. I’ve never had air conditioning set that high in more than 25 years of travelling to Greece. If electricity costs are the reason, perhaps the nightly rates could be raised to cover them. We also saw outdoor lights left on all day and wondered whether climate change applied there too. We had no such problem at our accommodation in Kefalonia, where the air conditioning could be set from 16 degrees upward. Other guests were loud and inconsiderate on almost every night, scraping furniture across the floor until midnight and shouting or arguing in the apartments and on the beach. That wasn’t the owner’s fault. There was some road noise, though it didn’t affect our stay, and some maintenance noise from work on the café/snack bar. Despite those issues, this is clean, basic accommodation at a good price, with a beautiful view you wouldn’t tire of. It could use a few fixes, especially the sunbeds and safe. If you’re after simple beauty, the setting says it all, and we’d recommend it and return.

The location is hard to beat on Ithaki: right on a beautiful beach, about 1.5 km from town, and with million-dollar sea views from every room. The beach is long, the water is clean, and during our ten days there were never more than 20-25 people on it, so it felt almost private. Eight beach beds for guests sit under olive trees, and the owners also run a nice bar on the beach. The apartments and grounds are in excellent condition and kept clean. The owners live on the ground floor, are helpful and nice, and are nearly always available, which felt reassuring. If you can’t find them, you can message them on Viber. Our apartment was cleaned and tidied every day, with beds made and things put in order. Sheets and towels were changed every four days, though you could ask for more frequent changes. There’s no washing machine, but the very nice cleaning lady can wash and dry laundry for you. The doors are heavy-duty with secure locks. There’s also a lemon tree to pick from for fresh lemonade, and a little “library” of summer books for an easy read. We had a great experience and vacation at Forkis Apartments.