Areti Studios

This place is a disgrace. We have just come back after two weeks and could not wait to get away. I must start by saying that we are used to Skiathos and love the place, so this review is no reflection on the island. But this accommodation is simply not up to standard.
The room we had for the first week was simply awful. There were live electrical wires hanging loose of the main light switch and clear damp patches throughout, as out room had the supporting wall for half the hillside behind! The smell of damp in the room was sickening and clothes and bedding very quickly took on a damp feel, even in high temperatures.
The room was so small that it was impossible to open the wardrobe door properly to get access to clothes and the two single beds had to be put side by side or it was impossible to move. There was no room for any other chair in the room - so it was the bed or nothing!
The shower was cold most of the time and the cleaner told us we were only allowed one toilet roll between the two of us for the fortnight! Our room was behind the staff quarters so we had to put up with their daily living practices, which is fair enough for them, but not what you come on holiday for.
It took First Choice a week to move us and they were simply not interested. As bad a place as I have ever stayed in. Out room for the second week was better, if only because it was bigger and had a view.
This really spoiled our holiday and we were not the only ones complaining about rooms in the first block.

The pictures of these apartments on the internet do not even come close to doing it justice. Skiathos is a beautiful island but you can only fully appreciate it from a place like this, although there is a small walk up a hill to get to it, it is worth it. The view is breathtaking. The apartments simple and clean and run by extremely friendly and welcoming people. If you are lucky enough to be staying at Areti this summer you will meet Alex, the best barman you could ever wish for! The location is perfect with of course the fantastic view and being placed near the lovely beach at Troulos with just a short bus ride to the town. This is the right place for both having a laugh and chilling out and we would definitely recommend these apartments to anyone looking for a perfect holiday!

Lovely holiday had by all, 2 adults 2 children aged 12& 10 we would recommend a torch and car hire, we regret not doing this, we found it to steep to walk.
We did of course on our first night walk to find a meal, our son fell over on the unlit roads and grazed his legs, not a good start! The suitcases are brought to the Areti separate to you, they come 2 hours later on a small truck, not good when you are in thick jeans.
The apartments are big and clean, but my 2 children who are tall, had to sleep on 2 sofas, not really suitable, the room we had was big enough for 2 more proper beds. The couple that run the pool bar are lovely, very hard working and pregnant to. I would recommend the Areti, but a car is a must.

As you'd expect with Greece the Areti Studios are basic, but kept very clean. We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 weeks at the Areti, albeit for a couple of issues.
Three of us traveled, 2 Adults and a 15 year old. We had a studio for 3 which had 2 single beds & one fold down arm chair! As our 15 year old is bigger than me, I spent 2 weeks sleeping on this chair. To be honest First Choice are really pushing this (we think only suitable for up to 8 years old). However, we were lucky enough to have a studio on the top floor and the views were fabulous.
The second issue is that the brochure was slightly misleading saying that there were 2 blocks & 17 rooms. We picked it because it was small. In truth there were 3 blocks with probably 17 rooms per block! Some days this made the pool area very crowded and sun beds in high demand!
Our last gripe was the busy road to walk to anywhere. The Areti Studios are in "no man's land" (bus stop 17) and to walk to the nearest taverna or supermarket is a 10 minute walk along the busy main road (in single file!).
Having said all of this we did have a lovely holiday. We hired a jeep for 4 days and wish we'd hired it for longer. To be able to get to the island's northern beaches is a must and it was great for going out in the evenings and carrying a few groceries back. The walk & climb to Areti with shopping bags could be tough.
Our favourite taverna was the Paradosi (at Troulos crossroads/next to bus stop 18). The owners were very welcoming and always sent us on our way with a few complimentary drinks! Good traditional food at good prices.
All this said, we would go back to the Areti studios, but next time we'd have a larger room and car hire for longer.