Aristomenis Studios

The place is clean and cheerful, and there’s a pool, though I haven’t used it yet. Drinks seem a bit pricey to me, for example, a Fanta costs €4. I know they need to make money through the summer season. Air conditioning is expensive too, though I’m not sure whether that’s down to electricity costs. One thing to know is that rooms near the road can be noisy. The bar plays 70s and 80s throwback music late into the night, and you can hear it even with the doors shut.

The location is beautiful, but it wouldn’t be so good if you have mobility issues. We stayed with my wife and boys, and found the apartments very basic and tired, with old furniture. The shower area smelled, and there was nowhere to boil the kettle. We might have eaten and drunk more at the pool, but it was expensive. I got the feeling the owners were only happy if you were spending money at the bar. If not, they seemed to have a “wash their hands” attitude.

What bothered me most at Aristosmenis Studios was the owners’ behavior. From arrival, they were extremely rude and unwelcoming, gave dismissive answers to basic questions, and made me feel like a nuisance. When I asked for help with a basic amenity, I was spoken to aggressively, as if I’d asked for something unreasonable. It left me feeling like I had to walk on eggshells, which is the last thing I want while travelling. The location may be nice, but that was overshadowed by the lack of respect and professionalism. I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was disappointing enough that I wanted to warn others. If friendly service and respectful communication matter to you, I strongly suggest looking elsewhere.

The pool area was so relaxing, with plenty of sunbeds and no morning scramble to claim one. The pool was lovely for cooling off or playing catch with the kids, and the view of the sea and island was stunning from our room. There are several nearby beaches too. Our family run retreat made our first trip to kefalonia a wonderful one, and we’ll definitely be back. Everyone was so welcoming and worked hard to make our stay memorable, beyond what we expected. The room was a good size and set up well for self catering, with everything we needed. Breakfast was a real treat, Greek yogurt, lots of coffee, homemade cake, and fresh omelettes, poached eggs or eggs Benedict prepared in front of you. Nothing was too much trouble. The island is hilly, but the walks looked worse than they turned out to be, and we were glad to burn off some calories after all that food. Thanks to the whole family for such a lovely stay.