Versa Studios Reviews

The Versa is a good clean, pretty but very basic studio block. The people there are friendly and helpful. Thassos Town has two harbours,the new one which is mostly yachts, and the old one which has some really pretty fishing boats.

The town beach can get busy by the bars, but if you don't need a sunbed, then take your towel down the other end and lie on the quieter bit of sand. The island beach bar does excellent lunches, and a good service running round the beach serving those that want a drink, but don't want to move, Our favourite restaurants were Twins and El Greco for Greek food, and Chefs Table for a Sunday Roast. On the way back in the evening to the Versa we liked to pop in to Rumours Bar run by Paul and Wanda for a drink and a chat or watch the football. There are so many walks to go on and things to see, you don't need to go out of the resort to fill your days.

Lovely studios, well maintained and equipped (hairdryer, satellite TV, etc) and plenty of storage space.

Was lucky enough to have a double room (Apt 11), which meant that we had a balcony to the front and back, giving a lovely through breeze when windows were open and therefore no need for air-conditioning; however, if you had one of the smaller rooms, which our friends did, air-conditioning probably a 'must have' (especially when you had to shut the windows when noisy outside - see point below).

Owners live on site and were very nice and couldn't do enough for you. Apartments cleaned every day, with bed linen and towels changed frequently. You can hire a safe in the room at 30 Euros for 2 weeks, which I thought was a bit pricey.

Turn right outside the apartments and you are only a 15 minutes stroll to the town beach (or longer if you go via the main shopping area en-route!).

Although small, the beach offers a good choice of tavernas and bars to frequent, with sunbeds and umbrellas free of charge if you purchase food and drink during the day (otherwise they charge around 2 Euros per bed).

Verniers was our favourite and they served great food and good wine (of which we had plenty), although the Island Bar was also good if you only wanted limited snacks rather than a proper lunch. Turn left outside and you head to the new harbour and some very good restaurants - our favourites were the Mediterranean and Le Muses (right next to each other on the front).

The only downside to the apartments is that they are on the busy road into town, which meant lots of traffic noise late at night and you tended to get coaches pulling up outside the apartments to drop off at the hotel opposite and that was a bit noisy too, especially first thing in the morning.

We found Thassos, the Versa studios and our rep Emma to all be absolutly excellent.

As it happens Emma actually looked after 7 hotels over 3 different areas and only the times for the nearest hotels to the Versa Studios were included on her noticeboard. Each time we saw her she was most helpful. Not only was she helpful during her visiting times, she was more than willing to answer our questions when we bumped in to her in a restaurant one evening.

We also went on the Macedonia Tour and thought the guide Angela, very knowlegable and witty.

The Island is very very beautiful and we will definantly be going back next year with Thomson as they made our journey over to the island pleasurable.

Thassos town itself is very lovely, with a nice beach and plenty of eating places (taverna's) and bars.

The Versa studio is situated within 5 minutes of the centre of town, and only 10 mins from the beach.

The best spot on the beach is just infront of the Island bar, as the sunbeds are free and if you walk up to order a beer they will bring it out to you (and the sunbeds have little tables, for your beer!)

We think the best quality restaurant (taverna) was The Twins, which was consitantly good whenever we chose to eat there. Also, most of the other ones we tried were also good.

Of particular note to maybe avoid:
El Greco - we were near the kitchens and heard the famillar sound of microwave beep throughout our meal. The meal itself was also average, too much food and definately microwaved.

Zorba's Live - food was fine, but expensive compared to the others. Obviously the price was represented in the entertainment (which was actuallly quite good - just don't sit near the speakers as they were overdriven!)

Also we found the Macedonian Experience trip suffered a tour guide from hell. The trip was very good itself, but her constant bullying of people, political speeches, the lack of toilet breaks and facilities (the toilet on the coach was locked so no one could use it) made for more stress than was needed on a long coach trip.

If we travel to Thassos, we would not travel with Thomson.

Also, for the best weather travel earlier than late september - we had some really nice days of hot sun, but also some days of cloud and rain.

That said, the cloud over the mountains makes for some really good video and photos.

Restaurants to visit:
The Twins - consitantly good
Pigi - traditional taverna in town square
Zodiac - owned by the brother of Twins owner

Bars to visit:
Full Moon - good selection, very chilled.
Harbour Lights - friendly, British, with Sky TV
Island - on the beach. Superb during the day, good lunches, nice at nite.
The Drift - nice, next to Island.
Rumours - British couple run this, very friendly.

Travel:
Best way to see the island is to hire a car. We got one through Thomson/Europcar at a good rate, with air con. Best beach to visit is Golden Beach.

The mainland link is by ferry. 30 mins crossing (or 45 if against wind/current)this takes cars and small trucks. This is how you get to island after landing at the airport on the mainland, which is a little way outside the Greek main city of Kavala.

The ferry crossing is quick, enjoyable, they serve beer and the seagulls come along for the ride.

Kavala town is also linked by hydrofoil, one of the Greek Flying Dolphin's. It doesn't run all that frequently, one of the original Russian built Dolphins. We didn't travel on it but going out of port it seemed to pick up speed very quickly, complete with a ton of diesel smoke as its engines powered it up onto it's ski's!

So that completes our review of Thassos. Having been to other islands, we won't be going back - but then again, we like to try a different island each time.

Mostly very enjoyable, but let down by Thomson on that island - who seem to be stuck in the 1980's with regard to customer service

Just got back from 2 wks in versa studios in thassos town and we can say we had a great time.versa has a mossie screen on the balcony doors so no unwanted nite time bites if u use ur mossie killers as well.very friendly staff and a safe .a bit of road noise as it is a main road into thassos town but the pool opposite in the kosmar site was just what u need to cool down.

went to most of the restaurants recommended on this site only had a poor one at zorba's at the top of an alley but had some really great ones at a place called ASTERIA on the sea front area( costas and lina )after the meal u get cake,coffee and metaxa for free and the meals cost about 20 - 25 euros for 2 (15 - 18 quid)really made us welcome,but good quality food.lovely shopping area in town at night,but good restaurants all over,twins,pigi,syrtaki zodiac.

beack ok but a good walk from versa hired a car went round the island if u like gold go to iris gold factory just outside limenarias the other end of island, very good roads tho.never had a problem with wasps wherever and liked the beaches at scala potamias and golden beach.small place but lots to do so we gotta go back soon,like ferry trips to kavala,fillipi ruins, istanbul.

all in all very good accomodation,good resort,good restaurants good beaches good roads very friendly people and worth the flight and ferry boat ride to get there