Blue Dolphin Studios & Apartments

1 reader found this review helpful

Where to begin ....! At the beginning, when we arrived as a family of 4, 2 teenagers being a girl of 14....well there’s one pain and a boy of 16....there’s the other!
Right back to the blue dolphin. when we stepped off the coach, as already said a little concerning being so close to the airport you think Gatwick! Not the case at all we have just been given the best seat at the opera! As flights coming in and out are only on a Wednesday and Friday, no late and no early flights, maybe a few light aircraft in between, but as I said the best seat in the opera!
We were greeted by Natasha the wife of dimities who you will see through your holiday and if lucky enough will meet. More of that later....
Natasha will guide you around your clean and spacious apartment and is very friendly and will give you any advice you need with regards to local facilities. They have two children kimi who is nearly 16 and madga who is around 5. Kimi looks after the bar...right...anybody who has a nearly 16 or 16 year old knows what this means! They don’t want to be there! But she does really well and she is even better if you pull her leg! Just tell her to smile she soon beams all over her face.
Natasha is about on Wednesdays and Fridays to greet new arrivals and as they live on the premises Natasha and Dimitris are always around to help and they do! More of that later.....
The pool is only serving 9 apartments so hey! No having to beat the Germans to the sunbeds! Its like having your own pool and you get to meet most of the other guests, with the odd young couples going to the beaches via water taxis, which if you were say in your fifties to reach these would take you a pleasant 20 minute stroll. remember your on holiday!
The main town is even closer and to eat out even closer 5 minutes to the first taverna and 10 mins to many more of which you will find and see and love!
Right the best part for me was meeting dimitris (a man after my own heart!) We have the greatest fortune to meet this family run business. They took us out on their speedboat and I went snorkelling with Dimitris who was not there for the pleasure as I was....oh no he was getting our lunch! But for me this was absolutely fantastic! Once he had collected sea urchins and shellfish he came back to the beach and prepared our lunch at the taverna at kastro beach, which is owned by his cousin, now Dimitris does not speak much English and why should he? he lives in Greece! But he will tell you the only reason he does not speak good English is because he was taught at Oxford University! With a big grin on his face!
As for the helping as I said earlier. my boy had an accident in the pool. showing off ! I guess! He had a plastic float come up and hit him in the mouth. Kimi went and got Natasha with Dimitris close in pursuit. Now I need you to remember this is where you would normally get the Thomas cook rep, oh no not here! Natasha took my lad and me to the hospital, done all the translating, he had a couple of stitches and we were back within the hour! Natasha even went and got the prescription as well! As I said help they do!
This place deserves more than only 2 stars without a shadow of a doubt.
Before we left which was heart felt by us and a few others that were leaving and a few that were not, dimitris often goes night fishing and he gave us all a good meal as a sending away party, drinks and food (food which he caught)was fantastic. Now this is not something you should expect, just enjoy being Greek for 1-2 weeks. If this does inspire you to visit remember it is you! That is a guest to this country, so don’t be a whingeing brit! Be a helpful Greek!
Dimitris, Natasha, kimi, magda...we Paul, Ann, Arnold, Shelley thank you for the greatest most memorable holiday yet! See you next year!

I had a wonderful week at the Blue Dolphin Apartments in Skiathos Town.
The apartments were very comfy and well maintained. Natasha and her family were very welcoming and nothing was too much bother for them. The pool area was very clean, tidy and the sunbeds etc very modern and comfortable.
About 10 min walk into the main town however there were a number of lovely bars and restaurants on the way along to town and this combined with lovely views over the port made it a pleasant walk. A stop off along the way for a glass of wine at the Windmill made it even more enjoyable with the water practically lapping at your feet watching the sun go down.
The apartments are very near to the airport (couldn’t get much nearer) however please don’t let this put you off. It was quite exciting to see the aircraft landing and taking off, noise wasn’t intrusive at all as only 3-4 aircraft per day (none in evening or early morning). Friday was busiest day for flights but found that it was a bit of a tourist attraction - with a number of people walking down from other parts of the resort to sit at the bar and restaurant next door to the apartments watching the aircraft coming and going.
The resort itself was lovely - much more Greece than I had seen in other larger Greek islands. People very friendly, great choice of restaurants and lovely gift shops rather than the abundance of 'ly-lo' shops you see in other parts of the med. I felt the resort itself was clean and toilets in restaurants appeared to be well maintained.
I would definitely return Skiathos and to Blue Dolphin apartments just because of their cleanliness, warm welcome, accommodation and position. Hoping for a return visit in September.
Hope you enjoy your time here too!

On arriving at the Blue Dolphin we were met by a strong smell of disinfectant, which turned to the smell of mould and damp by the end of the week.
On investigating we also found that the mattress was rusty and mouldy, the drain in the bathroom stank, the sink was constantly blocked, the fixtures in the bathroom were broke, the cooking utensils were rusty, there was mould climbing up both the bedroom and the living room walls, there was also mould on every net. We woke up each morning with a sore throat due to the damp conditions. The exterior of the property was terrible, there was rubbish all over, the bar was never manned, the sunloungers were rusty and so were the bar stools.
The waste bin in the bathroom and the towels were changed once in a week.
We ended up coming back with a camera full of photos and informing Thomas Cook.
I’ve read a review from before we went and after and there reviews were glowing, so I am slightly confused in regards to what happened when we got there!!
If it has been cleaned up since how holiday then the apartments are in a prime location, although there is no need to book for the transfers as a taxi will probably cost you 3 euros. It is at the end of the runway but you don’t get any interference as there are no night flights in or out of Skiathos.
Skiathos in a whole is one of the most beautiful islands that I have ever visited and in a way I am glad our accommodation was so horrendous as it really pushed us to spend time out exploring.
Another piece of advice, don’t go on the excursion to Athens, its is a 13hr day but only 2.5hrs of that is actually in Athens the rest is travel, it is a sheer waste of money and time.