When we told an English couple who own a house on Astypalaia that we were staying at Pylaia Hotel, they sniggered: “Ooh, rich people!”. In fact, the slickest hotel on this remote, rugged outcrop is neither hugely expensive nor hugely luxurious. But anything remotely fancy is a novelty on Astypalaia, an island of wild landscapes and welcoming locals that’s still relatively undiscovered. So Pylaia - a 27-room hotel on the outskirts of Chora with a small spa, twin pools and an upscale restaurant - seems almost out of place.
Owner Dimitris Petridenas clearly has ambitions to put Astypalaia on the map: he also runs Akti, the island’s poshest seafood restaurant, and the Iliana bakery, which produces (and exports) the delicious saffron and almond biscuits given to i-escape guests as a welcome gift. His wife Anna is the local music teacher. From the lifesize papier-mâché donkey in the dazzlingly white lobby to the sophisticated dishes at the in-house restaurant, Pylaia Hotel is a classy choice.
Highs
- Smiling staff always ready to go the extra mile
- Wonderful food (eg monkfish with lemon, fennel and lemongrass) and views in the top-floor restaurant
- And an excellent buffet breakfast with local specialities
- Spacious, romantic rooms with great beds by Cocomat, plus a self-catering apartment that's useful for families
- Lovely beaches within walking and biking distance, including Livadi, the island's best
Lows
- Tricky to get to (a hopper flight or 9-hour ferry from Athens), but the island's remoteness is its appeal
- Built on a steep slope, the hotel's split-level layout is a little awkward - and not suitable for toddlers
- Although all rooms have outdoor space, few balconies and terraces are really private; rooms by the pools can be noisy
- Bathrooms are not well ventilated, and some are tiny
- The pools are too small for proper swimming
Best time to go
The hotel is open from May to mid-October. Availability is limited in August, when Astypalaia is at its busiest - too busy for some. Many restaurants and bars operate a very short season from mid-June to mid-September. The weather can be unpredictable towards the end of the season.
Our top tips
On August 14-16, there’s a major church festival at Panagia Portraitissa in Chora, with festivities including blindfolded yoghurt feeding and climbing a greasy pole to catch a fake rooster!
- Boutique Hotel
- 27 rooms
- Restaurant and bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
- Bicycles Available
Rooms
For a small hotel, Pylaia has a lot of different room categories. Bright and spacious, bedrooms differ widely in size and vantage point, but all have excellent all-natural mattresses and bed linen, and décor is clean, neutral and uncluttered, with the odd designer piece. Bathrooms are attractive, too, with walk-in showers plus tubs in the bigger categories. Every room has outdoor space though most are tiny terraces and the larger ones tend to be quite exposed.
Deluxe Rooms near the top of the hotel have big bathrooms and fabulous views across the valley to the sea. The Junior Suites at the bottom of the hotel are the most peaceful and private, with unbroken sea views. Split-level Honeymoon Suites have steep stairs down to rather dark, musty bathrooms, but lovely terraces. The Grand Suites, clustered around the pools, are best suited to families, with separate bedrooms and large indoor and outdoor living areas. There’s a sea view but not a lot of privacy when the pools are busy.
There's also the serviced Two-Bedroom Apartments, with double and twin rooms, a shower bathroom, an open-plan living/dining area with a kitchen, and a spacious veranda.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Breakfast is a generous spread of freshly baked breads and cakes, saffron and raisin pastries, pouggia (cream cheese and cinnamon turnovers), eggs, bacon, heaps of fresh fruit, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Only the cappuccino, which is charged extra, was a letdown.
The top-floor breakfast room doubles as Plori for lunch and dinner, a smart restaurant with a modern Mediterranean menu that’s anything but traditional. Dishes such as cheese and lavender rolls, monkfish with lemon, fennel and lemongrass, or sea bass with martini sauce are delicious and make a welcome break from standard taverna fare. There’s a decent selection of Greek wines, too. Room service covers the basics (burgers, club sandwiches, Greek salad), but is underwhelming. Simple snacks and refreshments are served at the small pool bar throughout the day, but it’s closed in low season.
Akti, the hotel’s sister restaurant, was already closed for the season when we visited in late September. However, there are plenty of other eating and drinking options in Chora, a 5-minute walk.
Features include:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Climb up to the 13th-century Venetian castle that crowns Chora, via a delightful maze of sleepy, whitewashed lanes
- Swim at Kaminakia beach or walk to Tzanaki, a tiny pebble beach 10 minutes down a dirt track, with amazing views
- Take a boat trip to Koutsomiti and Kounoupes, tiny islands with castaway beaches that could be in the Caribbean
- Drive to Vathy, an otherworldly lagoon and archaeological site, for fresh fish at one of the tavernas
- Go to Castro bar at sunset for exotic cocktails and unforgettable sea views
- Relax in the hotel spa with a hot-stone massage or some 'ouzotherapy'!
- See our other top tips for the island
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Plantlife / flora
- Sailing
- Scuba diving
- Snorkelling
- Swimming
- Traditional cultures
Kids
The hotel is very welcoming to families, and messy eaters are tolerated with good humour. Travel cots and highchairs are provided free of charge, and there's a special room service and even a spa menu for kids! However, the hotel is built on multiple levels with lots of steep stairs, so it’s best suited to older children who are steady on their feet.
Best for:
Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
Most rooms can fit a baby cot or rollaway bed. Grand Suites have a double bedroom and a large lounge with space for 1-2 baby cots or rollaway beds. The Two Bedroom Apartments are great for a family of 4-6, with double and twin rooms, plus space for a baby cot or rollaway bed.
Cots Available
Baby equipment:
Travel cots and highchairs.
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Astypalaia is the westernmost island in the Dodecanese. Built on a sheer hillside, Pylaia Hotel is on the outskirts of Chora, a small town. It’s a 5-minute walk into town.
By Air:
There are regular flights from Athens to the tiny airport of Astypalaia (aka Panaghia), 12km away. There may also be flights from Leros or Rhodes. Check Sky Express and Aegean Air or ask the hotel when making your enquiry.
Pylaia Hotel provides transfers to and from the airport at an additional cost, and the island is small so you may not need a car. But if you want to explore the island's unspoilt interior during your stay, you can hire one locally; consider hiring a jeep. The hotel has a free car park.
By Ferry:
There are ferries from Piraeus via Paros - Naxos - Amorgos, or from Rhodes via Kos - Kalymnos; both routes will take several hours, but you can often get a cheap cabin.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Greece and getting around
Airports:
- Astypalaia (aka Panaghia) 12.0 km JTY
Other:
- Beach 2.0 km
- Shops 1.0 km
- Restaurant 1.0 km