Socrates Plaza Studios Reviews

Just returned from two weeks at the Socrates and feel totally refreshed and relaxed. We chose Thassos as we wanted a quite holiday and we weren't disappointed. The island is quiet with the resorts themselves generally offering a small selection of restaurants and bars. They never got busy while we were there, even in Thassos Town.

Don't let the fact that there is no airport put you off, it is very well organised by Thomson. there is some waiting around to get the ferry, but there is time to pop into a taverna for a drink and relax.

Skala Prinos itself isn't the prettiest of resorts and is quiet. there are around 5 restaurants, some snack bars and a few bars. The beach is small and sunbeds are limited on the beach. We went round the island looking at other resorts, Golden Beach/Skala Potamia has the best beach, whilst Potos and Limenaria have smaller beaches but more bars and restaurants, it depends what you want really.

The Socrates Hotel was a lot better than expected really for a 2star hotel, really clean, ideally located on the beach. Only complaint really was the lack of sunbeds (which we had to pay for) and the self-catering facilities.

Excellent holiday overall and would definately recommend Thassos to anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing holiday.

This is our 2nd year back at the Socrates hotel (Self Catering). George was pleased to see us, and many of the other guests who return yaear after year. An ideal spot for romantics and for those who want to be away from the really busy resorts. As always George and his mother maintain a high quality and pride in their accommodation. I would recommend it to many of my friends.

The harbour area just a short walk away with its samll and friendly tavernas. All make you welcoma and remember those you return with pleasure.

I had to make a mention as I feel they deserve the recognition for making it such a lovely place to stay.

Having read the reviews about this hotel and resort, we were really looking forward to our holiday in Thassos. This was our first time to Thassos and we were not dissapointed.

The Socrates plaza is probably the friendliest hotel we have ever stayed in. Ge orge is an absolute gem! The location is absolutely superb, right on the beach and within easy walking distance (flat) of the village cente.

Definately go to The Nest , the best taverna for authentic Greek food, and certainly try out your Greek langauge skills, you will be appreciated! But also do try Zorba's, especially for the Swordfish. Apparently Brian's is good for steak, but we must admit, we were none too impressed, but there again not everywhere suits everbody!

Do take the time to walk (yes) up to Prinos village, it's a proper woking village, again with wonderfully friendly locals.

As for Thassos itself, we will certainly be back. Do not be put off by the ferry transfer, it's all part of the holiday. Great not to have to lug cases from the coach, they are transferred for you and again to the airport on the way back. Do not miss Panagia and Aliki, although I would think these are a little crowded in the height of summer, well as crowded as Thassos gets.

We were there for the first week of the season this year,and the weather was a little mixed, but hey, still better than the UK, alternate sunny and hot days and cloudy and warms days, but the nights were a bit chilly.

All in all superb just about covers it.We will be back to Thassos and The Socrates, just like many of the people we met there this year.

14 days of heaven, great room, great pool, deserted beach. Great tavernas within short stroll, excellent staff. Peaceful and relaxing, but with Thassos town easily accessible by bus or taxi,the best of both worlds.

Sunday 7th July was a very sad day, why? because we had just returned from our summer holiday this year, on the beautiful green island of Thassos, more to the point we had left behind the people and a hotel that we had instantly fell in love with.

From the moment we stepped off the coach the Hotel Socrates created such a warm welcoming atmosphere. We knew that there was something special by the way that George (Manager/Owner) greeted some guests who were obviously returning to spend yet another holiday at his family run hotel.
We spoke to many guests during our stay, some of which were first timers here or others who were returning to experience the warm hospitallity of the hotel.

The rooms are quite adequate, we took our own travel kettle just in case, we needn't have bothered, our room was equiped with a full size kettle and toaster in a kitchen area just large enough to prepare light snacks.
Rooms at the front of the hotel have superb sea views, whilst rooms at the rear had great views of the mountains and olive groves.

Cleanliness was a high priority as all rooms were cleaned every day by the very friendly maids.
We were advised to go on a number of excursions to see the rest of the island, but may be perhaps another year, we had found our little bit of paradise right here at the Socrates, with much of every day spent either chilling out by the swimming pool which was surrounded by beautifully kept gardens or in the sea which was a matter of steps away from our sunbeds by the pool, across the narrow strip of sandy beach.

On our first evening out we walked the few hundred yards along the path by the edge of the sea into Skala Prinos village, not very commercialised but with Tavernas and Bars dotted along the sea front being used either by other holidaymakers or very friendly locals. We ate at a Taverna on the sea front the name which escapes me, but on our way there we passed a sign which showed the way to ";The Nest"; another Taverna which I understood from postings on this site which either recommended a visit whilst others said it had closed down. On our second night we decided to investigate, needless to say we ate there for the rest of our holiday, and by judging from the number of guests we recognised from the Socrates so did a good many others. The food was excellent, and lets just say the local wine went down very very well, and yes you do get a sweet whether you order one or not, the service can be a little slow if they are busy, but that never bothered us. Nick the excellent English speaking waiter and son of the owner, was always more than helpfull to explain the various Greek dishes (the potato salad was wonderful along with all the other Greek dishes that we sampled).

Like others before us we too feel that we have left a piece of our hearts back on Thassos, so much so that the day after we returned home, our first priority was to visit the local travel agent, yes you've guessed it to book next years holiday to ";The Hotel Socrates"; on Thassos, as next years holiday will be even more special as we will be there on our honeymoon.

So if youre looking to chill out and relax this is definately the holiday for you. See you next summer.

Lovely peaceful relaxed setting overlooking the sea on one side and mountains at the other.Rooms described as self catering but facilities very small and inadequate for self catering purposes. Extremely clean apartments, bedding and towels changed on a regular basis. One downfall of the holiday was being hounded for money by the owners for sunbed hire(2euros each daily)at the complex and the beach, and air conditioning(5 euros per night per room)adding 200 pounds extra onto holiday which we hadn`t accounted for or been made aware of during booking.
Approx six Tavernas in the small port catering for a variety of tastes plus 2 supermarkets reasonably priced.
We went on two trips which although we felt were overpriced, particularily the Bulgarian one, Angela, the trip guide was a font of all knowledge and very witty.

We hired a car for 8 days which allowed us to view the fantastic scenery, and beautiful bays on the island, although in hind sight should probably have been for 4, as travel into Thassos town for the night life was 20 euros return by taxi (the ride of your life)and less than the daily 25 euro car hire.

Would certainly go back to Thassos but to different apartments where there are no hidden extra charges.

We arrived back from Thassos on Sunday and for the first time ever i felt compelled to write and tell you how much we enjoyed our trip to the island. It is a superb place to visit if you are looking for a quiet, relaxed and completely stress free holiday and it is an ideal location for couples - but not if you are wanting nightlife - this is virtually non existant but suited us!

We stayed in the excellent Socrates Hotel in Scala Prinou which I highly recommend. The welcome and hospitality we received there from George and his family was unsurpassed and it is easy to see why holidaymakers return there time and time again. It is a small, modern, clean, family run hotel right by the beach with a superb pool. The resort itself is very small and quiet with a few bars and tavernas, the best one by far being The Nest which we visited many times due to the excellent greek food and friendly atmosphere - (look out for the owner's son who is a real asset to the place) Again if you are looking for lively nightlife then this is not the resort for you but Thassos Town is only 12km away. I would also hesitate to recommend this resort to families with young children as there is little to do beyond swimming but it is the perfect location for couples of all ages who are looking to get away from it all. If you are staying for more than a week i would definitely suggest hiring a jeep and going off up into the mountains.

An absolute must to see is the village of Castro. An almost uninhabited village high up in the mountains with breathtaking views and one taverna run by its only permanent residents! For car hire try Potos - they were considerably cheaper than the company recommended by the rep and others in the resort. All in all we had an excellent holiday and came back thoroughly rested and ready to face the real world again! We will certainly return to Thassos in the future and stay at the Socrates again.

You couldn't find a better hotel.

We came back from Skala Prinous at the end of August and we STILL are on a high from our holiday!... I'd read some of the reviews on this site and I was a little apprehensive about our holiday (you work hard all year and look forward to 2 weeks of relaxation and a beautiful holiday haven!) - I can truly say, hand on heart.... I WISH WE WERE IN SKALA PRINOU AT HOTEL SOCRATES RIGHT NOW!!!....

We've been to afew of the smaller greek islands before butt not one, NOT ONE!, has even compared to this holiday!...

We stayed, for 2 weeks, at the Hotel Socrates in room 103 (breath-taking view! :-) )... the rooms were adequate.. all we needed, a bed to sleep in a washroom/shower room to freshen up in a small working area to prepare our lunch in but a balcony to take in the superb sunsets and evening nights..

Like I said, we've been back home for well over a month now and we are STILL having dreams about this wonderful place. The whole time we spent there, we didn't rent a car or go on any of the trips organized by Thompson - WHY? - because we'd already found perfection and didn't need, or want, to get away from it!!..

The Hotel Socrates was spotless and everyone was very welcoming and friendly - learn abit of greek and get to know the local young gardener and the maids... that's one thing we loved about this place... not very commercialised (something which we hope remains this way!)... it was Greece at it's best.

On a Friday night DO NOT miss ";George's Bar-Be-Que!";... it's a fantastic nite and you get to see Thomas do his greek dancing (look out for the girls too! - they don't just clean your room!!!)..

The surrounding area of Scala Prinou is very small - and all the better for it! - after 2 minutes you've walked thru the main area... Pass thru the main high street (won't take you long!)... and arrive at a small bridge... just ensure you've taken some of your left over breakfast bread... the natives below the bridge are very appreciative!!! ;-)...

All in all, I could go on and on about Scala Prinou, The Hotel Socrates and Thassos - I/We were enchanted by the whole holiday... Stephens Junior was nicknamed ";Nemo!"; on holiday because she loved the pool/sea so much!... I ain't afraid to say I left a piece of my heart on this holiday, it blew away everything that I thought it was gonna be, I promised George @ The Socrates that we shall be back.... no doubt about it!!!

L and R...

Nufaro

Hotel: Very friendly family run hotel. Many people return year after year.George who is great fun runs everything especially the bar! He and his sister speak very good English, and both do everything they can to make your holiday a great one. Get George to tell you where rock pool really is (the island guide book is wrong). The hotel has a good size pool which is only a few yards away from the sea. It sells good snack meals (including very good fish and chips) but not the cheapest in the resort. If you like trying out Greek vegeteable dishes and succulent meat, the weekly BBQ is excellent. If you expect mountains of meat you'll be disappointed.

Resort: A quiet (i.e. no night clubs) resort where, in August, Greek and other nationalities holiday easily together. The harbour, bus station and ATM are a few hundred yards down the path from the hotel but in no way detract from the layed back atmosphere- they just make getting places very easy. The many tavernas have different strengths: The Nest is a good place to start as the waiter will advise you if he thinks you've ordered too much food!-try to ignore the owner's son who is like a 'Just William' character on speed- complete with public school accent. Brian's has the best Greek salad and house wine, Delphini's has good grill/reasonable prices and at Zorba's we found best all round food and entertaining waiter (not the cheapest though).

Island: Best Greek island we've been to so far: Hire a 4x4 and drive to the highest point where the views are truely phenominal. Make sure you have at least one very calm driver for those awkward bits where the track narrows at the places with the steepest drop. A car is also essential to find the quieter beaches. Consider hiring from Potos rentals- a good deal and manned by a world weary Brit who seems to have come straight from a Graham Greene novel. If you're going into the mountains don't tell him if you don't have a mobile- it makes him very nervous!

Take a ferry to Kavala on the mainland from Scala Prinou- great old town/Cora walled with well preserved castle where unlike in Britain no one will stop you risking life and limb when you explore it. From there you can also take a bus on to Phillipi to see the extensive ruins including best preserved Roman toilets.

Don't be misled by the word Thassos on the buses- it doesn't mean it's going to Thassos town, it's just to remind you which island you're on! You could end up on a mystery tour. We got to Theologos which is historically interesting and has a taverna where the proprietor insisted on giving us free ouzo when we asked for water. Best to go with the flow in these situations!

Bring back honey and olive oil, both made on the island and both excellent. Ouzo is cheapest in the duty free.

I have just returned from one of my best holidays. I was travelling with my 1 year old daughter and another family. I couldnt have found a more ideal place. Socrates is now all self catering and although the rooms arent large you have everything you could want or need, all very clean and new.
This was a lovely hotel ideal for young children as it is on the beach. Older children may be bored as Prinos does not offer much. However it is a friendly little place that i will be visiting next year. The highly recommended 'Nest' was a disappointment that we visited twice but never again. The best restaurant we found was 'Delphinis' blue and white just before the turning for the Nest. The hotel was like being in - as i read - a reunion but one that i will join next year.
George was wonderful, his parents great, both of whom made a great fuss of my 1 year old.And who were great with the older kids in our party. All the other staff were also exceptionally nice.
Defineately will be going again.

After a long day to get to the resort you get a friendly welcome from George who is the owners son and manager of the hotel. The hotel has very modern interior, but the bedrooms are nothing special. Half of the hotel looks out over the sea and the other half over the mountains. There is a large seating area which is always in the cool shade and is next to the swiming pool. If you choose to sunbathe by the swimming pool or beach you will be charged 3.50 euros for the use of sun loungers.

Food is available at the bar for most of the day, but you are only a few minutes walk from the village centre. There are about 2 supermarkets and plenty of places to eat, all serving pretty much the same food, for some good Greek traditional food try the Nest, service can be very slow on busy nights. The beach is not great, just a narrow strip outside the hotel grounds wide enough to get the sun loungers on. If you have time to hire a car it is well worth it as then you can discover more secluded beaches. There is not much night life in the village, most bars are closed by 11.30pm.

Back at the hotel George is often still up at 3am serving cocktails and taking the younger people to the open air night clubs. As the island is only small everyone seems to know everyone, George has lots of contacts in restaurnts in other villages so he can arrange meals for you and get discounts for you. There is a bus service which operates daily but services finish quiet early. Taxis are very cheap about 20 euros for a return fee to Thassos Town. The ferry port causes no problems what so ever, there is a service about every 1.5 hours to Kavala. There was an awful lot of returning people to the hotel, as it has to be one of the best in the village. Well worth the trip.