Hotel Anastasia Reviews

I'd read about the hair-raising arrivals at Skiathos airport with some interest, so I was a tad disappointed to have a totally dull touchdown. Sure, at 1550 metres the runway is a bit on the short side but there are no histrionics, no screaming reverse thrust or squealing, burning rubber. The real downside to this lack of tarmac is that the returning aircraft cannot depart Skiathos with sufficient fuel for the hop back to Britain, so it has to put down again to top off the tanks. In our case this meant dropping into Corfu for forty minutes. This fuel stop adds another two hours to the return leg; five hours in total. And Thomas Cook aircraft (re-liveried JMC aircraft) are not renowned for their capacious legroom. It's not a pleasant experience.

From touchdown to meeting the Thomas Cook rep outside the terminal was no more than twenty minutes.
The rep will check your name off and give you a welcome envelope with your apartment number on it. You will then be directed to one of the coaches for transfer. Be advised that if your staying in the Blue Dolphin (?) apartments, your transfer time will be less than five minutes. Yes! Five. The apartments are at the end of the runway (nice for plane spotters) and you'll have paid £20.00 each for the transfer. Save your money, grab your cases and walk - it really is that close.

The luggage is taken to Anastasia by another vehicle of dubious vintage and legality. On arrival at the apartments, you'll find your luggage waiting for you halfway up the slope. Our rep just pointed up the hill and said the apartments are at the top. Yeah! Cheers for that! You'll have to drag your luggage up the remainder of the hill. Bring small cases instead of, as I did, one large one. You'll manage the hills easier.

Anastasia does not have a reception, something the Thomas Cook rep omitted to tell us. Luckily, some other guests who had arrived earlier told us that the keys were in the door. Find the apartment number that is on your welcome envelope and let yourself in. The Anastasia apartments do not have a bar area either. I missed coming back from Dinner and having a night cap and a chat with other guests before retiring. The Apollo apartments next door (Thomson Holidays) have this facility and I was jealous.

The Hotel Anastasia is actually a small number of apartments in one block, set 20 metres up and 20 metres back from the main Skiathos coast road.
Every apartment has a sea view across the Achladies bay, but suffer from traffic noise which rises up from the ain roads. The pool area is quieter due to the banking absorbing some of the noise and after a day or two you really don't notice it.

The apartments are the typically Greek basic affairs. Ours (number 2) slept four and had a mezzanine with two beds which we used for storage during our stay. The kitchenette consisted of a small kitchen table upon which were a new kettle and toaster; a two-ring electric hob and a built-under electric oven and extractor, and, of course, a sink (with plug).

The fully-tiled bathroom has a small cabinet, a sink (again with plug), a loo and a shower corner. Showering consists of standing in the corner and pointing the showerhead at oneself. Water goes everywhere and the whole room gets soaked, but this soon dries in the heat.

Word of warning - only the first loo roll is provided. After that, it's down to you to provide them.
The main room has a small coffee table, one chair (dining type), two bedside cabinets and two beds, plus a large mirror in one corner. Clothes storage is provided in the form of two built-in wardrobes with badly fitted doors and plenty of hangers from British stores.
All windows are double-glazed (some with fly screens) and apartment doors are solid metal affairs with euro-style double locks.

The worst feature of the apartment apart from the lack of seating is the bathroom, being small and badly appointed. The best feature is the fully adjustable/fully automatic remote-controlled air-conditioning. Each apartment has its own unit and is fully guest controlled at no extra cost.
Cleaning is carried out every day and includes changes of bed linen and towels. Dusting is not a priority of the cleaning girls, but all floors are swept and then mopped.

Coming down the slope from the apartment brings you to the pool area which has sun-loungers and parasols around three sides. The pool area is clean and tidy, surrounded by neat flower beds. The pool itself is very clean and looks new. It is open from 10:00 until 19:00 and it is unheated but this is not a problem in the height of summer. The cleaning girls periodically sweep the pool surface to remove any suicidal insects that have flown in, although the net is left out for guests to use also. The pool area was quiet and never crowded during our stay. We even had the pool to ourselves for the whole of one day.

Passing by the pool you descend down the zigzag slope to the road. Immediately opposite is a dusty concrete path that leads down to Achladies beach. Watch for cars and mopeds coming up this track at speed.

The beach is quite nice, with coarse sand and clear waters. The Hotel Esperides backs on to the beach and you can use their taverna or one of the other two; Paradise or Faros. The beach has plenty of sun beds. Some are exclusively for the hotel guests and others are available for visitors at ?4.00 per person per day.
Along this beach is a small rickety jetty from which you can get the water taxi into Skiathos Town for ?1.50 per person one-way. The timetable is posted alongside the taverna and is roughly every 30 to 40 minutes.
This is a much nicer way of arriving in town for dinner, as it drops you right in the middle of the old harbour.

On the left of this beach path is the Villa Kim. Wait outside the villa for the bus to town. This is bus stop number nine and it costs e0.80 per person to Skiathos Town bus stop number four. For a few cents more you can stay on until the bus terminus by the new harbour.

Turning right out of the apartments and heading down the steep main road brings you to the 'bustling' centre of Achladies with three supermarkets and a couple of tavernas. The supermarkets will deliver your shopping to your apartment for free if you don't want to drag it back up the hill yourself. Be careful on the raod around here as it appears that much of the traffic treats pedestrians as fair game.

The Thomas Cook reps are fairly useless, lacking useful resort knowledge. They are, of course, much more interested in flogging excursions and car/scooter rental.
The Thomas Cook car rental is via Avis and their 'special' was a 4x4 Suzuki, 3 days for the price of 2 at ?169.00. A quick check in Skiathos Town found prices of ?40.00 per day for the same vehicle, and I wasn't even trying hard.

We booked an island boat trip at e21.00 per person which was accompanied by a Thomas Cook rep on board the Sporades Express, which I'm guessing used to be a ferry boat before the hydrofoils arrived.
It consists of two decks, the lower one being a snack bar area and the upper one split fore and aft between covered and uncovered. A word of warning here; on this upper deck are the diesel exhausts. When the boat weighed anchor and manoeuvred out of its berth, the first sign of increased engine revs brought a massive blast of diesel soot that covered everything on the exposed after-deck including the passengers. At the first stop by Lalaria, the crew had to swab the whole deck and seating area down. Too little, too late. My advice is to stay in the fore cabin until the first stop, by which time the exhausts have cleared themselves. This may have been a one off but I kind of doubt it.

The rest of the trip was okay with stops at Lalaria (gets busy as other boats arrive), Kastro (a Greek flag stuck on top of a rock and a guy selling soft drinks from a fridge), Asselinos ( bar and taverna and the cheapest beer I found all week - e2.00 for 500ml Mythos) and a final stop at Tsougria for a bit of swimming and sunbathing. (watch out for the small sea urchins. These can really spoil your day if you stand on them. Something else the Thomas Cook rep failed to inform us about.)
Be advised that if you want a transfer back to the apartments, Thomas Cook will charge you an extra ?2.50 per person for the privilege.

Eating out:

We didn't eat out in Achladies, preferring to travel to Skiathos Town each evening, but we're told that the Rose Garden, by the supermarkets, is very good.
There is plenty of choice in Skiathos Town from McDonald's, pizza and chips and gyros right through to some very fine restaurants.
The general consensus is that the restaurants around the old harbour are trading on location and not quality.

Maria's Pizza

Directions:
From the old harbour front, where the water taxi arrives, head up the slope by the Slip Inn (red and cream cushions in lieu of tables and chairs outside. Turn immediate right on passing this bar and you're now facing the Pan jewellers. Turn right at the top and follow round to the left. Maria's is right in front of you on the right-hand side.

All the tables are outside in the street and are chocked up due to the unevenness of the street. It took me three attempts to get a table here as it is very popular while the adjoining tavernas have capacity to spare - always a good sign. Aim to arrive between 18:00 and 18:30. Anytime after 19:00 and you're going to struggle or sit, as people do, on adjacent shop window ledges waiting for a table to become vacant.
Most starters will do one between two and the salads, stuffed breads and pizzas are fabulous. They also do a wide range of pastas and have a good selection of wines. The staff are friendly, and smartly turned out. The prices are very reasonable and the portions more than adequate.
On my beer price index, they rated an average score which is e2.30 for 500ml Mythos (46 cents/100ml).
A highly recommended restaurant.

Piccolos

Directions:
As for Maria's Pizza but at the Pan jewellers turn left and head around to the right. You'll come into a small square with a scattering of tables in the centre.

Here we had salad starters (you will need one each) followed by pasta dishes. It was very tasty and well presented. The service was efficient and polite rather than friendly.
Piccolos rated below average on the beer price index at e2.30 for 300ml Mythos (69.7cents/100ml).
A recommended restaurant.

Asprolithos

Directions:

Walk up Papadiamanti Street, away from the new harbour. Towards the top of the street on the right-hand side is a white school building. Turn right just before this building and head down the short street to the next junction. Turn right and Asprolithos is situated about 50 metres on the left-hand side.

The first thing you'll notice is the subdued atmosphere helped by the low light levels. The tables are outside under what appears to be a pitched arbour. This, however, houses the electrically-controlled canvas roof sections which can be rolled out, if the rain arrives, creating the impression of a large and pleasant marquee.
The staff were all friendly, efficient and immaculate in their white shirts/blouses, black trousers and ties.
The menu was comprehensive which you are left to peruse with your complimentary Ouzo on ice.
We ate there four time and we were never disappointed; each time receiving complimentary desserts of fruit salad and crème brulee. The portions were of good size and the food was always piping hot.
The score on the beer price index was average at e2.30 for 500ml Mythos (46 cents/100ml).
A highly recommended restaurant.

Dionisos

Directions:

Walk up Papadiamanti Street, away from the new harbour. Turn right by the National Bank of Greece and the restaurant is about 75 metres on the left-hand side of the street.

We sought this out from recommendations but we were disappointed.
The restaurant had plenty of capacity and initial service was good with drinks arriving promptly along with complimentary Ouzo. The menu was reasonably comprehensive. We ordered two lamb dishes, fairly standard Greek fare, and then we waited and waited and waited some more. Forty-five minutes later our meals finally arrived. At best the food was average but the rice and sliced potatoes we only just warm.
The waiter service was adequate, not sullen or unfriendly, but just going through the motions.
The location also suffers from incessant scooter going by; if you do visit this restaurant, get a table at the back.
The beer price index was below average at e2.50 for 500ml Mythos (50 cents/100ml)
Not a recommended restaurant.

The Windmill Restaurant

Directions:

Head towards the eastern side of the new harbour and follow the signs up the back streets.

Unless you're an athlete or a mountain Sherpa you will need a drink and possibly oxygen on arrival.
The windmill occupies the highest point in Skiathos Town as befits its industrial past.
First impressions are very good. The windmill has been restored and the seating arranged around it is very picturesque; the panorama of Skiathos Town is laid out before you. We had an excellent view of both harbours and watched the boats and ships arriving and departing as the daylight faded.
The restaurant is British run and the waiters were friendly and smart in their black Windmill tee shirts.
I'd read several favourable reviews of this restaurant and according to their own publicity are recommended by The Time, The Daily Telegraph and Holiday Which. I can only say that we must have caught them on a really bad day.
My salmon starter was nicely presented on a bed of salad which had passed its best several hours earlier; palatable but disappointing. My wife's starter, similarly, was palatable but a little tired.

I was however looking forward to my main course of breast of pheasant served with Dauphinoise potatoes.
The meal arrived and was obviously freshly prepared, however the pheasant was tough and it became a real chore to work through. I'd swear that the potatoes had just come out of the microwave oven after a prolonged period. They were that hot that I blistered the roof of my mouth. A warning from the waiter would have been appreciated. My wife's meal was more evenly presented but her lamb dish was described as 'nothing special.'
The real kicker about this restaurant is the price. Starters were on average e8.00 - 12.00 which is about the same as other restaurants charge for a main course. Main courses were anywhere from e15.00 upwards.
To put this into perspective, we averaged around ?30.00 for two courses with drinks for two people. At the Windmill this rose to e71.80. As the food is nothing exceptional I can only surmise that guests pay through the nose for the view.

The beer price index was, not surprisingly, below average at e4.00 for 330 ml Mythos (121.21 cents/100ml).
The average price of a Mythos in Skiathos Town corrected for Pounds Sterling and pint measures is £1.80 per pint, which compares favourably with the U.K. The Windmill are charging £4.75 per pint, an increase of 263.89%. How is this possibly justified?

I was so disappointed, I'd heard such good things about this restaurant and I really wanted to like it but the quality of the food was not even close to justifying the prices on the menu.
Not a recommended restaurant.

Don Quiojote

Directions:

Follow the new harbour around to the eastern end and you'll find the restaurant opposite the bus terminus.

This one is listed because one of my holiday neighbours, who had visited Skiathos several times before, swears by the quality of the food.
It suffers from being at the unfashionable end of town but it serves the best Tapas that my neighbour had eaten anywhere. And by all accounts this guy had eaten all over Mediterranean Europe.
So, if you fancy Tapas one evening, stay on the Skiathos Town bus until it reaches the terminus and give it a try.

Highly recommended (so I'm told)

Skiathos conclusion

On the whole Skiathos is a pretty island, loved by 'beach people' with over sixty to choose from.
Car hire is not essential as the bus covers most locations and runs until 01:00. If you do want a car, check prices carefully first and check the small print for the insurance terms. Only hire a 4x4 as normal road cars cannot handle some of the tracks to the beaches and the islands interior.
You'll pay for three days what you'll pay for seven on the larger Greek islands like Corfu or Crete, but then Skiathos is more expensive than most other Greek islands anyway, with notable exceptions like Santorini which are 20-25% more expensive again.

If, like us, you're holiday 'doing people' who want places to visit and to learn something of the history and culture then Skiathos is not for you. Don't misunderstand. I've met several people who have been back time after time. My inbound flight neighbours had been to Skiathos ten times and still love to spend their vacation time down in Koukounaries.

It's an excellent place to get a week of R and R, which is exactly what we needed this time. Two weeks would be too much as the boredom would have set in.
Would I go back again? The answer would have to be no. Been there, done that.

Anastasias has good view over the bay, is 20 metres above and 20 metres back from coast road, so you can't see the traffic from the pool and some traffic noise is absorbed by the bank, though you soon wind down and appreciate the handy location 25metres from the bus stop (number 9). Just over the road is a lane down to the beach from where you can catch the water taxi into Skiathos Town - try riding 'first class' on the prow.

Anastasia has a live-in maid who cleans 6 times a week, lovely landscaping and air-conditioning.

Change money at the Esprides hotel, there are 3 supermarkets but they're eye-wateringly expensive for anything other than bread, and you'll have to labour up the hill with your purchases, so we got used to shopping either at the slightly cheaper supermarkets round bus stop 4 in Skiathos Town, or at Troulos, then catching a bus to stop 9.

The dog sanctuary is at the monastery above Troulos. It's open 10-14, it's very well-run and the dogs love being walked by tourists. To get there catch a bus to Troulos, then walk, it takes an hour.

We found banana beach to be the best, good cooling breeze, very good value beach bar, view of the Grrek mainland.

Skiathos Town has a great range of restaurants but avoid the harbour front ones as they're pricey and lack character. We enjoyed the Cuba and the Hellenikon (for bazouki music, the poritons were small).
Corner cafes on Ppadiamantis Street serve cheap and tasty gyros in pitta bread.

For good value and nice food you can't beat the Taverna Green Meadow at Troulos, get off the bus at the petrol station and walk on 100 yards, you'll see it set in a green lawn.

Take a plug-in mosquito killer and wear repellant every evening.