Hotel Alkyon

I have just returned from a one week holiday with a friend and would like to share our experience of the Alkyon Hotel. The good points of the hotel: good location, nice reception area, friendly hotel staff, good water pressure (shower) and the air conditioning was reasonably effective. Negative points of the hotel: Breakfast: the breakfast wasn't good at all. It included: mediocre rolls, warm milk (had been out too long), cornflakes that didn't taste right, orange/pineapple 'juice' that was really a squash that wasn't very nice or cold, cooked breakfast options were boiled eggs & unappetising-looking scrambled eggs with rubbery-looking tiny frankfurters and 'fresh' fruit that was out of the can, rubbery-looking ham & cheese. The best bits about the breakfast were the strawberry jam & the greek yoghurt. Rooms: definately in need of an update... as soon as you leave the airy & bright reception area, the corridors to the rooms were dark, long & uninviting. The further towards the back of the hotel your room was, the more dingey it got. Our 1st room seemed to have lighting fixtures that belonged outdoors & some without shades - the lighting was very poor within the room generally. The dressing table mirror was too low to see yourself standing up & too high to look in if when you were seated! The bathroom was a good size but dark with an olive green bathroom suite & orange/brown tiles. Beds were not that comfortable & pillows were flat! It was like a tug-of-war to open the doors to the outside area - which for us was the 'garden view' that was actually a patch of grass & communal - anybody could walk past & walk into your room. We asked to be moved for this reason & thankfully we were moved to the 1st floor. The second room was only marginally better with more attractive lighting fixtures & with the security of nobody walking into your room through the balcony! Walls were thin which meant you could hear people passing by & opening/closing their doors - any noise echoed loudly due the long corridors. Rooms were cleaned daily but we discovered it was a very poor & quick clean. Pool: wasn't a big as it looked from the photos & there wasn't much room around it with not enough loungers - which were often shaded. The holiday overall was great, Skiathos is stunning... the location of the hotel was good - but our holiday was let down by the hotel - we certainly won't be returning there.

We arrived at this hotel after reading other reviews. Yes the rooms are in a much needed need of a re vamp and update. The size of the bedroom and bathroom is good and ample, however decor old and out dated. Seating on the balcony's are all plastic white chairs that have seen better days. Two MAJOR problems are: (a) The balcony glass door leading from the bedroom. This operated on rolling wheels and makes a dreadful glass vibration noise when you open and close. The corridors are so long that when people shut the room doors it sound loud and woke us up 3 times during the week. The room doors are the thinnest wood used and you can hear people in the corridor as clear and in YOUR ROOM. We even could hear people having sex in the room next door. "Not Good". Yes the Breakfast is good and the view is a nice one however over rated. The reception staff could be more attentive and warm also the bar staff need to smile a little more. 3days out of the 7nights the water for the bath was cold. We hired a car and was told off for parking it in the parking area of the hotel until after 3 moans they accepted we are staying at the hotel. Location: The location is great and an ideal base for all types of tastes. Should this hotel of had a higher quality feel, more sound proofing to rooms and removed and replaced the horrid balcony doors, then maybe it may be a consideration We are both glad to be out of the hotel and would never stay there again. Villa Ariandi is well worth a look also Princess Hotel very nice. Hope this helps, but please believe me the noise in hotel with doors slamming is far too much for a holiday.

..and was not disappointed. The hotel is perfectly situated with views of the harbour, about a five minute walk into the centre of Skiathos town. Some of the rooms and the bar area have been updated since I was last there in Sep 06. The rooms are comfortable and cleaned daily - the bathrooms are a little on the quirky side - most with an 70s avacado coloured suite. And everyroom has a balcony. The hotel has a lovely laid back feel to it - the pool area is compact but adequate and the poolside beds are wonderfully comfortable. The hotel staff are fantastic - very chatty, friendly and helpful. A lot of the people staying at the hotel have stayed there before and when I return to Skiathos I will not hesitate to book in at the Alkyon again.

I first went to this hotel in 1994 (when it appears relatively new) and since then standards and aspirations have changed. The hotel remains well located - minutes from the airport , close to buses and boats. Close to good tavernas by the sea. A fair walk to one of Skiathos's best tavernas Asprolithos. The pool is a good size though unheated, the sunbeds are comfy (there are enought). The reception staff helpful and friendly - they could teach many working in 5 star establishments a thing or two. Waiters double as porters and are helpful and thoughtful BUT..... Rooms Balconies are a good size, but the rooms are basic, grotty bed linen, tired bedspreads, and curtains, strange bedside mats that look as if they have been made from a rug kit (circa 1960). The bathrooms have fittings from the 1980's and holes in the walls filled in with concrete. No hairdriers, two bars of small bars of soap provided and lux shower gel in a container over the bath. Breakfast The best view in the world? Over looking the harbour and sea. Good bread, maderia cake, lurpak butter and greek yogert, but rubber ham, spam and cheese, Congealed scrambled eggs and small frankfurters, orange and grapfruit squash pretending to be juice. All in all - good for basic accommodation but doubtful if its sustainable as a hotel for guests fromt he UK

The hotel Alkyon was in a great position - really short transfer time from the airport and the resort's bars cafes & tavernas were on the doorstep. The hotel itself wasn't great - it is in desperate need of an update and the pool area is really small (gotta get up ealry for those prime sunbed positions), but it was clean and the staff were friendly & helpful enough, so all in all it was ok. When you book, request a sea view room, it's worht the little bit extra. The bus stop was just across the street where you can go to pretty much anywhere on the south of the island. There are some lovely beaches, we liked no15 the best - small, quiet & sandy. Found some beautiful restarants out there, in fact we didn't have 1 bad experience, the windmill was great for food & a view over the marina & we loved roof top bar for a good drink afterwards. Had a great time in skiathos, will definatley be returning

Have stayed at the Alkyon many times.A great , family run hotel just minutes from the town and airport. Taxi from hotel costs only 7 euros. Family hotel , great people made to feel welcome every time we've been.( now 4 times). Quieter in the low season obviously, but still wonderful in high season, even if a little busier. Very Greek!! Wonderful bars, restaurants, etc. It is great to be in the centre of town, wonderful ,hospitable people a great place to chill out. Lovely, cosmopoliton town that attracts loads of great people from greece and further afield Certainly a place to watch the world go byy!! Go and see for yourself

We returned to Skiathos for the 4th time with our young daughter and we were recommended the Hotel Alkyon due to its convenient location. Yes, the location is perfect. A short walk from the harbour, restaurants etc, but in a quiet spot. The staff at the hotel are very friendly and helpful. The bedroom was basic but we were never really in it for long. We had breakfast every morning on the rooftop balcony which had beautiful views of the harbour. The pool is quite small and i can imagine it gets very crowded in the summer months, but because Skiathos has over 60 beaches to offer, we were on the local bus every day trying out different beaches. Our favourite beach was Aghia Paraskevi, great for small children. The bus stop is a minutes walk from the hotel , and so you are guaranteed a seat on the bus in the morning!! We will definately return to Skiathos again and to the Alkyon Hotel

Used the Alkyon for a weeks stay in June, and we got a really decent deal. Rooms are basic but clean and well serviced by the staff. Breakfast area very pleasant rooftop area and decent fayre. Pool nice but a bit cramped, suspect you will have to work hard to get a spot in the busy season. Location was perfect for us close to town centre but relatively quiet - a word of warning here though we suspect that can change in high season as a lot of so-called lively bars are located close to the hotel but when we were there were only just opening up. They call it Club Strip so there may be a clue there??? Great position for the airport (you could walk to it), and no real disturbance from airport noise as there are limited flights and, we think, none after 11pm. All in all proved to be a good choice for us

Our holiday was one week at the beginning of October. We went for a quiet time and that is what we had. We went Bed and Breakfast and breakfast was continental. Every morning, except one, we were able to sit out on the side terrace to have breakfast. It was beautiful. We were given a room, one floor up, overlooking the sea where there were lots of ferries, boats and hydrofoils to watch. There was always something to see. The swimming pool was very quiet, we could always get a sunbed. We went out to a different restaurant every night and some were excellent, others quaint. Unfortunately our week seemed to be closing time. Lots of places were closing for the season. The weather was a bit windy a couple of days but all in all it was very pleasant, and not too hot. The staff were very pleasant. The bus station (2 buses) left from next to the hotel and stopped at 26 named stops. Most of places led to beaches I believe. We went to the terminus and walked on the beach there. Practically no-one there. A very pleasant holiday on a lovely island. (At least at that time of the year it was not overrun with young people going clubbing) We had the holiday we hoped for.

I have stayed at the Alkyon Hotel twice now, my first time was last year (2002). I would like to say firstly the location of the hotel is amazing situated in the Skiathos Town and therefore so convenient for all shops, restaurants etc, and the view from the hotel across the Port is beautiful. In addition the hotel is very clean and well looked after by the staff who are so welcoming and friendly. All in all I would defy anyone to stay at the hotel and not be satisfied. Here's to my next trip...