Aristo Aparthotel

1 reader found this review helpful

I and my parnter have just returned from two weeks at the Aristo Apartments in Psalidi. To be honest before we arrived we were worried having read some of the comments.
When we arrived we were very pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the complex also the facilities and the friendliness on the people who run the complex. Ignore comments about a badly lit steep hill leading to the complex. Yes there is a slope and yes there is no lighting until you reach the top but my partner has a false hip and walking difficulties and had no problems what so ever walking up th the complex. If you want a good clean friendly quiet place to to stay you shoud try the Aristo Apartments for me they tick all the boxes. The cooking facilities are basic so if you plan on cooking big meals you wont be able to but there is a fabulous taverna and the bottom of the road (Nicos and Kontessa) and we found no where better to eat on the island. Also the is a regular bus service again from the bottom of the road into Kos town if you want more night life. As far as I am concerned for great relaxing holiday there is no where better than the Ariso Apartments.

2 readers found this review helpful

The apartments themselves are OK, the lobby area and pool are very nice. The staff are very helpful, David behind the bar is lovely and was always giving my boyfriend free ouzo shots. However its the area that lets the apartments down, Psalidi is like a ghost town, the beach is horrendous, all rocks and large ants everywhere, you cant lie on the beach anywhere. Most of Psalidi is a building site too and is not traditional Greek, it is all modern ugly hotels. Nikos and Kontessa taverna at the bottom of the hill is brilliant, traditional greek food and dancing and very friendly staff. However this is the only decent taverna in the area you will have to go into Kos Town every night for OK food which tbh isnt much better, there are no traditional tavernas there either. The apartments were dead as well when we were there the bar just had us in at night which wasnt great we ended up in bed at 11 every night because we couldnt stay in Kos Town past then or we'd miss the bus back. The lack of air conditioning is unbearable too, It was 42 degrees when we were there we had to buy 2 electric fans which made no difference.
All in all it is an OK cheap package deal the weather is gorgeous and if you're just looking for a pool holiday its perfect, but not if your looking for traditional greek cuisine, or shopping or beaches

2 readers found this review helpful

Aristo apartment are situated up a steep hill which at night is not lit.
Whilst they are clean apartments and cleaned 6/7 days a week, they are badly maintained, and we spent all of our 11 days without balcony lights, a bathroom light, and a bedroom light in the dressing area. The wardrobe also broke during the holiday.
Fridges are extremely old and because there is no air con at all, this makes the heat worse at night.
The Olympic website states that there is a mini market on site, which there isn't and also says there is entertainment, which again there isn't! I walked to the nearest mini market in 7 minutes. The road is very dangerous and busy too.
The pool area is nice but many people were suffering from eye and ear infections during our stay. I never saw it cleaned during our stay.
The little bar serves snacks which are cheap but not a great choice.
May I also point out that the Olympic rep is very young and inexperienced and struggled when pressurised. Saying that she was a nice enough girl.
Please be aware that there is no exchange facility for your money. The nearest is opposite the sports bar towards Kos town, approx 10 minute walk.
As for Psalidi itself well it’s just the main road into Kos town. The beaches are very poor and the apartments are a good 1/2 an hour walk from them anyway. There are lots of restaurants along this road which are good value for money a meal for 2 adults and 2 kids with drinks (3 courses) is approx 45 Euros.
However in Kos Town itself it’s the usual get them in and hike them out attitude, more expensive and giving you no 'Greek time' to enjoy your meal.
There is a small taverna at the bottom of the hill where Aristo is situated and it’s great!
Good food, good value, excellent entertainment! Well worth a visit. They love the kids and they even give them free ice creams!

First the apartments; upon arrival at 5am in the morning we were greeted by a friendly man who helped us to our rooms. The apartments are up a steep incline without lighting and its poorly maintained.
We had booked a one bed apartment but was given two studios, which upon booking was available and cheaper but decided for security we wanted an apartment.
For the duration of the holiday we had no bathroom light, no balcony light, and only one light in one of the bedroom sections which made things difficult when returning at night.
During our holiday the wardrobe rail broke and remained so.
The apartment was poorly maintained and generally needed updating. Without air conditioning the apartments were unbearable at night, bearing in mind it had been 42 degrees during the day so it was very hot.
There was also a problem with the pool with many people getting ear and eye infections but the owner insisted that it was an airborne infection. My son has since had to be treated at home with antibiotic sprays. I never saw the pool cleaned. Many guests including myself expected and were told that there was air con which is a necessity in July and August.
The lady who ran the bar during the day was in the main ok but could be officious when she needed to be. The bar offered basic snacks but were reasonably priced and were well cooked and quickly brought to you.
At night however, there was no entertainment at all other than Greek TV and the odd showing of a pirate DVD. The Greek lad on duty at night regularly had his mates in attendance and rather than show English or Dutch football matches which were advertised chose to show Greek ones so him and his mate could watch. Shame because the website still states that there is entertainment but there is none.
The beach was a good 20 minute walk away which was shingle and not very pleasant.
The rep Fiona was a quivering wreck and although these problems were reported to her, I doubt if I will hear anything about my comments.
As for Psalidi well we never really found the heart of it! It’s just a main road heading into Kos town, with a few bars and restaurants along it. It’s not a resort as such, which was disappointing. You needed to catch a bus into Kos town and they ran regularly and cheap (about 1E per person). BEWARE, bus drivers can be very nasty!!!
There is a restaurant at the bottom of the hill from the complex and this is highly recommended. A meal for two adults and two kids, three courses with drinks was about 45 Euros. But the portions were excellent and so was the quality of the food. You were also entertained by the waiters with dancing and their humour - great!
Can also recommend a boat trip on the Calypso boat from Kos town on the 3 island cruise. Excellent value for money at 15E including lunch, under 12's free and 12-16 's half price.
All in all our party was disappointed with Psalidi. I had visited Kos some time before and its changed and not for the better. It’s now commercialised and whilst the locals want your money they don't really want you there!

We had never been to Kos but it was fantastic. We spent a lot of time exploring the island and hired a car for a few days. Paradise beach is one of the best places I have ever been and highly recommend a visit.
We went on quite a few excursions organised by the rep, this is where we experienced some problems. On one of the trips the rep forgot to book us in!
After waiting for an hour for the bus to turn up we had to go back up to the reception and phone the helpline, we were then told our names where not on the list!
However we were booked in for the week after which wouldn't have been any good if you where staying for a week and it was a disappointment for my child who was excited to be going.
Also worth a visit is nissyros, where you get to go in a volcano! The apartments are basic and we found ours to be a little dirty sometimes especially if you looked too closely! It was peaceful and had fantastic views, and a great little balcony where you could soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the views.
I had a little problem with one of the staff, I do not know the mans name but after asking him if I could use the reception phone to ring the rep (after the bus was a little late and we were worried she had not booked us in again!) He blankly refused; as I had no cash and my mobile broke this caused a slight problem.
After this incident he would not serve me at the bar at all which I found rude and a little upsetting.
Apart from that it was fantastic and I will go back to Kos one day, maybe even staying at Aristo. My advice would be explore the island but not through the reps you can get it cheaper in Kos town, and visit the tavern at the bottom of the hill, very friendly, cheap and they love kids.

The rooms were very spacious but the kitchen and bathroom were RUBBISH!!!!!!!! Pool area was quite good. Nikos and Kontessa restaurant is a must. Food was OK. Theo liked to dance to the traditional Greek music.
There was no air conditioning and it could do with some. Bus service was good to Kos Town.
Wanted to visit the water park but we didn't get a chance so next time we visit Kos we will go to the water park. It was further than we thought to Kos Town.
The Worksop Gang
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Well .... just got back from our second visit to Aristo (I reviewed it in Aug 06). Had a wonderfully relaxing time again. Temperature was between 39 to 46 degrees every day, and we didn't see a cloud for a fortnight!
Negatives (that you need to be aware of):
No air-conditioning which made sleeping at night very difficult. The hill from the road to the apartments is very steep and unsuitable for the elderly/disabled. No shop on site so the hill had to be negotiated every day. Very few parasols around the pool (and when its 40 degrees + you need 'em!)
Positives (loads, but here are a few):
The views, the peace and quiet, the pool area, Ellie and David (who remembered us from last year, welcomed us with a hug, and are STILL the nicest people on the island), etc, etc, etc. You really do feel part of the family.
If you are looking for a relaxing holiday and don't mind the bus ride into town (sometimes very, very crowded) then you have to try Aristo.
Places to visit:
Numerous beach side restaurants/tavernas on the way into Kos, The Castle of the Knights, Hippocrates Tree, Tingaki Beach (15 minutes from Kos on the bus, but beautiful), Kefalos (for it's gorgeous bays with crystal clear water).
We have toured the island a lot and we certainly chose the right place to stay. Hotels in Kos Town are all very close together and the pools are overlooked and right on the street. The island was a lot quieter this year and a lot of the bars and restaurants have closed down, and the general consensus amongst restaurant & taverna owners that we spoke to was that it will get quieter every year.
Ellie & David, you said you would read this review ... thank you for another great holiday and who knows? ... we might see you again next year.
Ian & Diane XX

The Aristo Apartments, where do I start?
One of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had! What an amazing place.
The views are gorgeous, just like the food! The staff are super helpful and really do make you feel welcome. Elle, David, and Anthony are all great people. Elle was telling me off for getting up at 1pm but I say it was David’s fault for the extra strong vodka!
If you stay at Aristo be sure to have many of visits to the 'Nikos and Contessa Taverna' situated at the bottom of the road to Aristo.
You can’t can’t miss it! Fantastic food, fantastic people...fantastic place. Miltos, Theo, Eddie, Simos, and the rest are all up for making a night to remember! Miltos and Theo like to dance and get the crowd involved. Miltos also likes to play little pranks which I’ll let you find about for yourselves as I had to and the whole place was laughing.
Kos town is only a 5 - 10 min bus ride away, 1euro 10cents. Or taxi, we found to be, 7euros or 8euros...depending how late it was. Kos town has some really nice restaurants and the bar street can get drawn in very easily. We had some awesome nights down there.
Also within walking distance from Aristo is a water park.... Never had the chance to visit, because we were busy finding other places around the island, but Anthony was telling us how great and how very close it was.
Will definitely going back very soon.

The apartments are very basic and without air conditioning, but that is the only negative. We had beautiful ocean views overlooking Turkey and could see the most beautiful sunrise every morning. The rooms are set in a very quiet location with only the sound of crickets to break the silence.
Aristo has a very clean pool (with plenty of sun beds) and a very nice pool bar. There is no entertainment on site, but who needs that when you have David & John to keep you entertained. When you ask John for a whiskey, vodka, etc it comes in a half pint glass!!! Ellie, David, John and the rest of the staff are genuinely nice people that can't do enough for you, and as a result you almost feel a part of the family.
There are excellent restaurants on way into Kos Town (10 minutes on the bus, 1 Euro 5 cents, and run every 15 mins). Taxi from or to Kos Town is always 7 Euros.
I highly recommend the Aristo, it's quaint, quiet, clean, very well run and has superb views.
Of the restaurants between Aristo and Kos Town I recommend 'Psalidi Gardens', 'Neo' (run by a Greek family from Chingford!) and 'Europe Bar' which is next to 'Blue Ocean' ... you can eat and dangle your feet in the sea.
There are no beaches in Psalidi worth using, go to Tingaki it takes about an hour on two buses, but well worth it.
Thanks again to Ellie (she's lovely, but DON'T upset her!!), David and John for making it a lovely holiday.

2 readers found this review helpful

Just back from Kos, this is my second time at the Aristo and I can only say that it’s superb, my opinion reinforced from last year.
The place is spotless and the cleaners are on site, cleaning literally from dawn till dusk. The gardens are beautifully maintained...Dave Elle and Yianni are fantastic staff, if something is wrong, they get it fixed....the manageress is also helpful. the aristo is a hotel which has escaped the package holiday feeling. It’s small and friendly, with a cosmopolitan feel.
If u only want British when you go abroad, then the aristo isn’t for you, it has all nationalities in it, Dutch, Italian and Germans...which I think makes a holiday special. The aristo is on a hill which is pretty steep but after a few hikes you get used to it...a good restaurant to try is the White Castle Greek kitchen, the food delicious, but again its Greek lol,
Not for those wanting egg and chips, although they do a good English breakfast, the important thing is, its only a 10 minute walk...the waiter George is a great guy..tell him angela stuart jordan and drew said Hi...enjoy Kos...its fantastic