Perantzada 1811 Art Hotel
Ithaca, Ionian Islands
A breathtakingly sleek boutique hotel on the turquoise-and-green isle of Ithaca, Odysseus' mythical homeland
Ithaca is a dream, Vathi is gorgeous, and the Perantzada is the
jewel in the crown. The town itself was rebuilt after the 1956
earthquake, but the architecture gives no hint of this:
neo-classically-inspired houses smartly dressed in summer colours
horseshoe around a shimmering Mediterranean harbour, giving the
impression that you’ve washed up on the set of a Merchant
Ivory film. Pavements buzz with life, bars fill, locals and
tourists dine at waterside restaurants.
This 19th-century, Schiller-designed house sits on the quiet side
of the bay. Its formal exterior belies the crispest of contemporary
interiors, the stuff of glossy magazines. Twelve double bedrooms
come in filmscreen white, with funky fabrics in bubblegum pink,
electric green, vivid yellow (don’t come looking for greys or
browns). Chandeliered lounges and rug-strewn terraces give gorgeous
views, with the mountain and town reflected in clear blue water.
Fine bathrooms, a small bar and staff that care: a great little
place.
Reviewed by Tom Bell
Last updated 22 May 2012
Highs
- Groovy bedrooms – 24-carat ‘designer cool’
- The view across the bay, mountains rising behind
- Beautiful Vathi – a very friendly, unspoilt town
- Boat trips to beaches along the coast
Lows
- No airport on Ithaca so you are reliant on the sporadic ferry services which often stop by mid-afternoon
- Prices are getting steep, especially given that service can be a little thin on the ground
- No restaurant in the hotel
- Some toiletries are chargeable (not the Korres shower products)
