Athina Hotel

These simple, almost Spartan suites, built on three levels, overlook the caldera and feature a wonderful cliffside swimming pool. Kato Firá, 84700 Firá, Santorini.

Homeric Poems

Stylish suites partly built into the cliffside, each with its own terrace. NFirostefani, 84700 Firá, Santorini.

Enigma Apartments A simple yet elegant and quiet complex of small apartments built into the cliff face, with superb views out over the caldera. Enigma Apartments, 84700 Firá, Santorini.

Caldera Villas

This collection of cliff-edge cavevillas extends down several levels from the main street, close to the centre of Oía village and its many restaurants. There are fantastic views from the pool and terraces, where there is also a café and breakfast area. Rooms are in traditional dazzling white-and-blue décor. 84702 Oía, Santorini.

Oía Mare Villas

Balanced on the edge of cliffs overlooking the caldera of Santorini this is one of the most magnificently sited accommodations in all Greece. The suites are in beautiful traditional-style buildings painted dazzling white, and simply but elegantly furnished, and there’s a fabulous small pool with bar and terrace. Book well ahead (up to a year in advance). 84702 Oía, Santorini.

Hotel Aethrio

A beautiful complex of suites and rooms which has been decorated with art, antiques and curios. N84702 Oía, Santorini.

Museum Hotel

This historic mansion on the main street of this cliff-side village has panoramic views. Rooms are artistically decorated. Oía, 84702 Santorini.

Hotel Egialis

Small family-run hotel perched on a hillside. Excellent sandy beach 10 minutes’ walk away. Open-air terrace bar, pool, restaurant. 84008 Aigíali, Amorgós.

Aiginitiko Arhontiko

Early-19th century mansion close to the harbour. Creatively decorated rooms. Roof garden. 18010 Aígina.

Lakki Village

The ferocious but amiable Nikki Gavalas queens it over this family-owned pension right on a long, shallow sandy bay. 84008 Aigíali, Amorgós.

Pirgos Kapetanakou

Rooms in this unusual miniature 18th-century castle are comfortable but very plain, with polished wood floors, stone walls and minimal furniture. 23062 Areópoli, Máni, Peloponnese.

Hotel Damouchari

This eclectically stylish rustic hotel, set close to a white pebble beach in a tiny fishing hamlet, is one of the nicest places to stay in all Greece. Rooms are colourfully painted and inventively furnished with antiques and curios from all over the Pilion region. Owned and run by a very friendly husband-and-wife team. Prior booking essential. Damouchari, Pilio.

Hotel Cástro

The Cástro has been run by the same family for five generations. It’s set on a quiet lane among traditional whitewashed cottages and enjoys breathtaking clifftop sea views. It’s a long hike to the nearest swimming place, but the hotel is excellent value for money; it was fully refurbished in 1993. There’s a roof terrace and a very attractive breakfast room. Despo Danassi-Kallianta, 84011 Folégandros Town, Folégandros.

Hotel Acropole

A modern, family-run hotel with plain décor but good facilities, friendly management and balconies with superb views. Filellinon 13, 33054 Delphi.

Hotel Bella Venezia Central, Neo-Classical building, originally a bank, with tasteful highceilinged rooms. Secluded inner courtyard. Zampeli 4, 49100 Corfu Town, Corfu.

Esperance Rooms and Studios

Elegant town house hotel; air-conditioned rooms furnished with simple elegance. Friendly manager. NAkti Papagou & Floegandrou 1, 84100 Ermoúpoli, Syros.

Ganimede Hotel

This charming pension, run by the friendly Italian owner, occupies a traditional 19th-century sea captain’s house. Some rooms have elaborate painted, coffered wooden ceilings, others are plain and simple. The courtyard with fountain, vines and flowers is a delightful place to enjoy Brunello’s excellent breakfasts and evening aperitifs. Gurguris St 16, 33052 Galaxídi.

Xenonas Karamarli Each room in this lovingly restored 18th-century mansion is different and imbued with style. The delightful decor includes mock-Byzantine frescoes, carved wooden furniture and old rugs. All rooms are en suite. Admire the panoramic view over the town of Volos and the Gulf of Volos from the terrace café, where breakfast, drinks and meze are served. 36511 Makrinítsa, Pílio.

Hotel Nissia

The Nissia features a palatial collection of villas designed in traditional local style, laid out around a splendid pool. The core of the hotel is a restored 19th-century building. Rooms are large and luxurious, with polished wooden floors and modern replicas of traditional furniture, and include a full kitchen. N18050 Kounoupitsa, Spetses.

Kellia Inn

The Kellia was once a monks’ dormitory and its rooms are appropriately plainly furnished. The monastery church is still outside, and both are overshadowed by the towering cliffs of Monemvasía. There’s plenty of open space here with a big café terrace outside and a courtyard behind. The tourist office runs the inn in friendly but minimalist fashion. Kástro, 23070 Monemvasía, Laconia.

Erissos

This pretty two-storey village house has been attractively restored to offer simple rooms with balconies (nice harbour views) and kitchen facilities. Service is minimal. 28084 Fiskárdo, Kefalloniá.

Lazareto Despite its rustic, traditional exterior the Lazareto is a modern hotel, set in grassy gardens. It is dramatically overlooked by the cliffs of Monemvasía and faces across the bay to Gefyra village and the mainland mountains; its attractive bar-terrace offers a fine place from which to admire the sunset. Rooms are well equipped. N23070 Monemvasía, Laconia.

Hotel Byron

A delightful owner-managed hotel in traditional buildings next to the 11th-century Venetian fortress, in the heart of the port. Rooms are simple but pretty, with polished wooden floors and some antique furniture. Most have fine views over the bay and across stone churches and tiled roofs; some have private terraces. There’s also a very attractive café terrace. Platonos 2, 21100 Náfplio.

Hotel Malvásia

This unusual hotel is spread over three medieval Venetian buildings around the deserted ruined fortress town of Monemvasía. Each room is decorated in individual style, but all have polished wood or flagstone floors, traditional textiles and antique furniture. The best are in the original Malvásia Hotel building, where there is a bar/café. Kástro, 23070 Monemvasía, Laconia.

Zoë’s Club

A good choice for families: this attractive self-catering complex is on the outskirts of Ntápia and is very private and secluded. Its design – modern but influenced by the traditional architecture of the island – incorporates luxurious living rooms and full kitchens, terraces and balconies, flower-filled garden and a huge pool. Ntápia, Spetses

Hotel Galaxa

Delightful rooms in a traditional sea captain’s house with great views of the harbour. Very friendly management. Eleftherias & Kennedy, Chirolakas, 33052 Galaxídi.

Cavos Bay Hotel

Modern but sensitively designed hotel on the edge of a pretty village with an excellent sandy beach. Fine views. 83301 Armenistis, Ikaría.

Hotel Aktaion

Neo-Classical style building right on the harbour; rooms are plain but comfortable, with high ceilings and modern furniture. Vas. Pavlou 39, 23200 Gytheio.

Hotel Margarita This grand 19th-century mansion in one of Greece’s prettiest villages is the island’s finest hotel. Superb sea views. N80100 Chora, Kythira.

Best Western Hotel Europa

Don’t worry, it doesn’t feel like a chain hotel and is easily the best in Olympia. It is set just outside both the modern town and the ancient ruins, on a hillside above farmland. There’s an attractive pool and gardens with a taverna and a tennis court. The modern rooms have fine views. Good service. 27065 Ancient Olympia.

Lefkes Village

Set in 5 acres of grounds, the ‘village’ comprises 20 attractive, Neo-çlassical and Cycladic-style rooms round a pool with a taverna. 84400 Léfkes, Páros

Apollon Hotel

Stone-built with a polished wood interior, this sturdy hotel offers great views of the Pindhos mountains in all directions. Tositsa 19, 44200 Métsovo.

Saxónis Houses

Highly rated, fashionable getaway comprising a small complex of restored 18th-century stone houses with pretty gardens. Megálo Pápigko, 44004 Ioannina.

Hotel Belle Hélène

This simple guesthouse hosted 19th-century archaeologists and still provides comfortable, peaceful lodgings. Christous Iouda, 21200 Mykínai.

S. Nikolis’ Hotel

The main building of this pretty bougainvillea-draped hotel oozes history and features two medieval arched rooms. Set on a cobbled street below the walls built by the Knights of St John, it overlooks the ruins of the Roman market. Rooms have all mod cons; some have a veranda, patio or balcony. Hippodamou 61, 85100 Rhodes.

Cava D’Oro

Built into the ancient city walls, this was the residence of the Italian garrison commander during Italy’s occupation of Rhodes (1912–45); it became a small hotel in 1987. It is a short walk to both the centre of the old town and the ferry harbour. Rooms are simply decorated but quiet and comfortable. There is a small courtyard for breakfast and drinks. Kisthinou 15, 85100 Rhodes.

Casa Lucia

Casa Lucia – a collection of colourful cottages in a lush garden with immaculate lawns, bougainvillea and flowers – is the perfect family holiday-spot. It’s hard to believe that the raucous nightlife and mass-market resorts of the Corfu coast are just a few minutes’ drive away. Each cottage is individually decorated. 49083 Sgombou, Corfu

La Moara

Owned by the Boutari winemaking family, this former watermill is now a luxury hotel with a superb wine bar and restaurant. 3 Victor Hugo St, 54625 Thessaloniki.

Hotel Byzantion

Location makes this hotel: all rooms have a view of the castle. Comfortable and modern with good facilities, if a bit sterile. 23100 Neos Mystrás.

Pirgos Tsitsiri

Located in an ancient village and built around the old stronghold of one of the region’s clan chieftains, this feels like a real bandit’s hideout. The views over the mountains and across the Messinian Gulf are awesome. Rooms are pleasant though simple and traditional, with wooden floors and striped wool rugs and cushions. 23071 Stavri, Máni.

Les Catherinettes

This is one of the prettiest small hotels in all Greece, with polished wood floors, elaborately painted ceilings and dadoes, and tall windows overlooking the charming harbour. It is efficiently run by the friendly owner Julie and her daughter Marina. There is a good traditional taverna downstairs on the quayside, and beaches are close by. 85600 S´ymi.

Hotel Aliki

Two steps from the sea, in a peaceful location a few minutes from the Gialós harbour area, this pretty 19th-century sea captain’s mansion is now a well-run A-Class hotel. Rooms are en suite, simply and comfortably furnished; ask for a balcony and sea view. There are café tables on the quay and a comfortable bar and lobby area. Akti G Gennimata, 85600 S´ymi.

Opera House

A collection of blue-and-white Neo-Classical-style buildings house these cool, airy studios. Each has a large kitchen; all are traditionally furnished with wooden couches and colourful rugs. Bathrooms are functional. It’s very quiet here, with tree-filled gardens and an attractive outdoor café-bar, though it’s just a five-minute stroll to the harbour tavernas. 85600 S´ymi.

Sto Roloi

Three comfortable self-contained apartments in a 200-year-old stone-built island house. Tastefully decorated. A real find. 18020 Poros.

Psará Apartments

For would-be castaways, 15 fully equipped apartments near the sandy beach of Psará, a tiny Aegean island near Chios. Psará Island, Chios.

Art Hotel Mainalon

The exterior features an imaginative and stylish use of decorative brickwork and lovely wooden balconies. Inside is a harmonious blend of traditional and modern; the walls are hung with paintings from the owner’s collection of modern Greek painters. There is also an attractive courtyard. Service can be patchy however. 22010 Vytina, Arcadia.

Hotel Bratsera

Built in the 19th century as a sponge warehouse, the Bratsera is nowadays by far the best hotel on this fashionable artistic island and provides surprisingly good value. Rooms are a mix of traditional and modern, with built-in beds or antique brass-and-iron bedsteads, fridge and TV. It has a lovely pool and restaurant. 18040 Ydra.

Archontiko Blana

A stone’s throw from the main square of the peaceful village and shaded by giant plane trees, the mansion enjoys stupendous views west across the Gulf of Volos. Polished woodwork, shuttered windows and carved wooden doors impart local flavour; minibar fridges add a touch of luxury. Penthouse suite with a tiny sauna and whirlpool bath. 37010 Vyzítsa, Pilío.

Ippokampos Hotel

A friendly and unpretentious hotel, two steps from the harbourfront in the centre of traffic-free Ydra town. It is decorated in traditional white-and-blue painted woodwork; the flagstoned courtyard is a mass of potted greenery and brilliant bougainvillea. The simply furnished rooms are bright and airy. There is a café-bar downstairs (music in the evenings). 18040 Ydra.

Archontiko Inn

This traditional mansion with shutters, painted ceilings & balconies is built round two shady flagstoned courtyards where you can eat breakfast or have evening drinks. 3703 Hora Skópelou.

Volissós Houses A cluster of traditional stone houses, renovated by Athenian sculptor Stella Tsakiri, and converted into comfortable suites. NPirgos, Volissós 82103, Chíos.

Archontiko Inn

This traditional mansion with shutters, painted ceilings & balconies is built round two shady flagstoned courtyards where you can eat breakfast or have evening drinks. 3703 Hora Skópelou.

Belvedere Hotel

Right in the heart of the Old Town, this luxury hotel features 40 rooms with all mod cons; there’s even a gym and Jacuzzi. Rohari, 84600 My´ konos.

Kivotos Clubhotel

Art and artefacts abound in this luxury resort built in Cycladic village-style around a gorgeous saltwater pool. Private beach. 84600 Ornos, M´ykonos.

Grecotel M´ykonos Blu

This luxury complex boasts unbeatable facilities, including two superb restaurants and range of watersports. 84600 Psarou, Platys Gialos, M´ykonos.

Among the star features of the modern, medium-rise hotel are: its attractive Art Nouveau-style bar and foyer; a palm tree-studded garden and terrace; and a 15m (50ft) pool with waterfall. It is set in a residential suburb, close to the airport and some 30 minutes’ drive to the city centre. Service is cool yet professional. Pandoras 3 & Lazaraki, 16674 Glyfada, Athens.

Andromeda Hotel

A real find: a small boutique hotel, on a quiet side street 20-30 minutes’ walk from Syntagma Square and the historic city centre. It is dotted with designer objects and antique carpets; its many amenities include laundry service and 24-hour room service. The restaurant serves Oriental and Polynesian specialities. Timoleontos Vassou 22, 11521 Athens.

Hotel Marble House

This friendly, efficient family-run hotel is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, within an easy walk of the Plaka. Excellent value. Zinni Anastasiou 35, 11741-Koykaki, Athens.

Village-style arrangement of simply furnished bungalows and suites, among lush gardens on a private headland 2km west of Agios Nikolaos. Three pools, five restaurants, four bars, private beach, antique shop, art gallery and boutique, billiards room, health centre and watersports centre. PO Box 47, GR-72100 Agios Nikolaos, Crete.

Casa Delfino Suites

This sensitively restored Venetian mansion is close to the bustling harbourside, yet its elegant studios are quiet and private. Rooms are extremely well-furnished, combining all mod cons (Jacuzzi, minibar) with classic style; rooftop views over the castle, out to sea, and inland. Shady pebble-mosaic courtyard. Theofanous 9, 73100 Chaniá, Crete.

Hotel Nostos

Archetypal picture-postcard Greece: down a charming narrow pedestrian street in the heart of the old town, is this café/bar/hotel, painted in bright blue, yellow and pink. Small round café tables, rush chairs and pots of flowers complete the picture. The studio rooms have gallery beds and balconies with great views of the castle and the mountains. Zambeliou 42-46, 73131 Chaniá, Crete.

Suites Pandora

A peaceful location on a quiet street is one of the attractions of this small collection of suites in a 19th-century mansion. Others are the views of the old town and boats in the harbour, the attractive courtyard and balconies, and the rooftop café terrace. Rooms are furnished in simple traditional style, with double brass beds and stone-flagged floors. Lithinon 29, 73100 Chania, Crete.

Mythos Suites Hotel

l This 16th-century Venetian mansion is set on a quiet street in the picturesque old quarter of town, and is within easy walking distance of sights and beaches. It was tastefully restored in 1994, and great attention to detail has been paid in the lighting and decoration. Bright bar and breakfast area and sunny terraces. 12 Karaoli Square, 74100 Réthymno, Crete.

Vecchio Hotel

Apartments These attractive apartments provide excellent value. They are set in a quiet street in the heart of the old quarter; the building is new but decorated in pale blue and terracotta to fit the style of its medieval surroundings. The super pool is a real bonus. Rooms are simple and modern, well appointed and elegantly painted. Daliani 4, 74100 Réthymno, Crete.

Hotel Fortezza

This modern, family-run hotel may be short on charm but it’s long on facilities and has an excellent central location. Melissinou 16, 74100 Réthymno, Crete.

GREECE, REGION BY REGION

GREECE CAN be divided into two obvious parts: mainland and the islands.

Mainland Greece

The Gulf of Corinth and the Corinth Canal slice Greece into two. The southern Peloponnese offers a wide range of landscapes, from rugged, treeless mountains to gentle farmland, lush valleys and sandy beaches. There are lovely small hotels in historic buildings in towns such as Yíthion and Návplion, in medieval fortresses like Monemvasiá, and in the tiny castles of the Máni region and the stone villages of Arkadia. Central and northern Greece are equally varied. The capital, Athens, a huge urban sprawl, is short of hotels of distinction, as are other main towns, but there are unique places to stay throughout the mainland. Among them are the rugged, dry-stone-walled homes of the Zagoria villages and restored neo-classical mansions in small ports such as Galaxídi, near Delphi.

The Islands

Of the thousands of Greek islands, only some hundred are inhabited. These are divided into six groups, plus Crete, largest of all the islands and an administrative region in its own right. Closest to Athens are the tiny Argo-Saronic islands, popular with foreign visitors and Athenians escaping from the city. The group includes car-free Ydra, and Spétses with its choice of excellent small resort hotels.

The white villages, bluedomed churches and mountainous, arid landscapes of the Cyclades islands are among the best-known images of Greece. Despite the popularity of Mykonos, Páros and Santoríni, there are a number of charmingly simple places to stay, ideal for peace and quiet.

Tourism is still relatively new to the large, widely spaced islands of the Northeast Aegean group, where most beds are in small, simple pensions and larger holiday hotels.

The Dodecanese group, close to the Turkish coast, includes tiny isles such as Sy´mi along with larger neighbours such as Rhodes, which receives hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Many of the most charming hotels are in impressively restored neoclassical houses.

The Sporades and Ionian islands are dominated by the package holiday market, with few hotels of real character. K´ythira, in the Ionian group, is the exception, with some attractive small hotels in its white-washed village capital. Crete, Greece’s largest island and most southerly, is almost a country in its own right. Many of its most interesting and attractive places to stay are in old Venetian- Turkish townhouses.

FOOD AND DRINK

THE BEST GREEK FOOD is the simplest: fish straight from the net; fresh vegetables served as salad with wild thyme and oregano. Restaurants in tourist areas have multilingual menus but the food in places off the beaten track is often better. In smaller villages you will be invited into the kitchen to see what’s simmering on the stove or waiting to be grilled. Méze, a selection of dishes served simultaneously, is a Greek mainstay. As well as olives and strong-flavoured feta cheese made from goat’s or sheep’s milk, méze might include roasted peppers, grilled cheese, humous (a purée of chickpeas and sesame seeds), taramasalata (a dip made of cod roe), and little sausages. Greek seafood – especially astakós (lobster), garidhes (shrimp) and barboúnia (red mullet) – is expensive and is usually priced according to weight. Meat is usually veal, lamb or chicken, sometimes game; goat meat is regarded as a delicacy to be reserved for special occasions. The traditional Greek salad, with tomatoes, onion, cucumber, olives, peppers and feta cheese, is a meal in itself. Dinner, usually eaten late, is the main meal of the day. Greek wine has improved in recent years. Good-quality red, white and rosé wines are now available throughout Greece, in addition to the traditional retsina, a white wine flavoured with pine resin, not to everyone’s taste.

BEDROOMS AND BATHROOMS

IF YOU WANT a double bed, ask for it specifically when booking, as most rooms are twin bedded. Most hotels offer en suite WC and shower as standard. Water is usually heated by solar power and electric water heaters; at the end of a long summer day, water may be scaldingly hot. BOOK AHEAD from June to September, when Greeks as well as foreign visitors take their holidays. Tourism is highly seasonal, and many hotels on the islands close from October until April. In small hotels, breakfast is often the only meal served.

Language in Greece

English is very widely spoken, especially in the resort areas.

Currency in Greece

From 1 January 2002, the European euro (written ‘EUR’), made up of 100 cents.

Shops in Greece

Most open 8am–1pm, and from 5–8pm Mon–Sat.

Tipping in Greece

Formal tipping is not customary, but it is not unusual to round up the bill.

Telephoning

To phone within Greece, dial the full number. To phone Greece from Britain, dial the country code 00 30, then the number, omitting the initial zero; from the US, 011 30.

Public holidays

1 January; 6 January; Shrove Monday; 25 March; Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday; 1 May; Whit Monday; 15 August; 28 October; 25 and 26 December.

USEFUL WORDS IN GREEK

THE SYSTEM of transliteration used here to represent Greek is the one used by the Greek government.

Breakfast Topro-ee-no

Lunch Tome-see-mer-ya-no

Dinner Totheep-no

How much? Posokanee?

Free room? E-che-teh tho-ma-tee-a?

Single (room) Mo-na krevat-ya

Double (with a double bed) Thee-klee-no meh thee-plo dre-va-tee

GREECE PRICE BANDS

MAXIMUM ROOM RATES are displayed on each bedroom door. Discounts may be offered for longer stays. Greek hotels are classified in five categories, but don’t be swayed by this.