| Four Seasons | |
|---|---|
|
Vlyhos 18040 Hydra |
find it on the map |
No connection whatsoever with the Four Seasons hotel chain. This little hotel on the island of Hydra is tiny. It has only a few suites, and there are no uniformed staff, expensive spa and fitness centers or business facilities. Here, you will get to know the staff – all young and in a good mood – on a first-name basis; the sea will your spa and fitness centre (no charge), and as far as business facilities go, the moment you get there you will forget you ever needed them in the first place. It’s a fantastic spot, right by a small beach, and it’s ever so quiet. The building is a 150-year-old mansion, once a sponge trader’s summerhouse. After a full renovation it no longer looks like an old family home, but the four suites have plenty of charm. Each has its own style. I particularly liked the fresh and elegant feeling of “Spring” and “Summer”, which have painted wood floors and ceilings, handmade furniture and pastel colour schemes, but “Autumn” and “Winter” are also very tastefully done. You can also stay in a small building behind the mansion, which is perhaps a bit more basic inside, but has its own shaded little garden.
Life in the Four Seasons is delightfully simple. You could spend days here just moving between your suite, the beach, and the hotel’s beachfront restaurant. If you want more entertainment, the town of Hydra isn’t too far either (but far enough to keep the crowds away). There’s a boat that goes every hour or you can follow the three-kilometer footpath to the port. It’s a beautiful walk.
What makes it special to me:
I love the old building and the suites, so full of charm, but it’s the location that really does it to me. It is such a beautiful and quiet spot. Apart from the waves washing up on the shore, all you’ll hear is the occasional dog barking, donkey braying and rooster crowing, and of course in the summer, the never tiring concerts of the cicadas.
But what you should keep in mind:
Don’t expect a glorious sandy beach. It’s just a small beach with little stones and pebbles.
| Owner | Antonis Rabias (owner), Irini Papanitsaki (manager) |
| Address | Vlyhos |
| 18040 Hydra | |
| Opening period: | From the Easter Holidays until the end of Octoner |
| Children: | Welcome |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
| Credit cards: | VISA, MASTERCARD |
| Accommodation | 1 suite for 2 persons 4 suites for up to 4 persons | ||||||||||||||||
| Prices: |
| ||||||||||||||||
| Reservation policy: | A deposit of 10% of the total price of the stay is required at the time of booking. The hotel may ask for an additional credit card guarantee or deposit by bank transfer. The outstanding balance is to be paid directly to the hotel upon checkout. | ||||||||||||||||
| Cancellation policy: | The 10% deposit paid online at the time of booking is non-refundable. The hotel will charge a further fee if the booking is cancelled less than three weeks prior to your arrival date. This fee is calculated as follows: 15% of the total price of the stay is charged if a cancellation is made between 21 and 7 days prior to the arrival date. 40% of the total price of the stay is charged if a cancellation is made less than 7 days prior to the arrival date, or in the case of a no-show or an early departure. Jacoline's Small Hotels in Greece reserves the right to debit your credit card on behalf of the hotel in accordance with the above cancellation policies.  | ||||||||||||||||
| Room facilities | En-suite bathroom (shower) Telephone
Television Internet access Refrigerator Facilities to make coffee and tea Air conditioning Safe
Hairdryer |
| Other facilities | Terraces |
|
Breakfast is served between 9h00 and 11h00, and you can ask to have it in your suite, or come down and pick a table by the sea. You have a choice of three set menus: Greek breakfast (the healthiest), English breakfast (the heaviest) or continental breakfast (the most basic). I am not an easy customer and I asked for a Greek/English combi. It was not a problem at all. Of course you can also take the boat (or walk) to the main port, where you have a good choice of (Greek) restaurants. You should definitely try the Sunset Restaurant (same owner as Four Seasons) famed for its romantic setting on the rocks above the sea.
|
|
The Four Seasons is in a very tranquil spot on the island of Hydra, almost three kilometers from the port. With the sea and a small beach (Plakes) just a few steps away, wild mountains rising behind it, gorgeous views, amazing sunsets, and utter peace and quiet, it’s a setting from heaven. If the reason you go to Hydra is to enjoy the nightlife, this is not the best location for you, as at night you can’t just scroll back to your hotel. If you want to return late at night, you have to be ready to either walk for 45 minutes in the dark, or to take a water taxi. But if you come to Hydra to rest and relax, there is no better location than this one. |
 find it on the map
|
|
The hydrofoils for Hydra leave from Piraeus and take less than 1,5 hours to get to the island. You can also go by car via the Peloponnese (about 2,5 hours from Athens) and cross at Ermioni or Porto Heli via Spetses, but keep in mind that cars are not allowed on Hydra so you'd have to leave it behind on the mainland. After you arrive in the port of Hydra, you can take the private boat of the Four Seasons to the hotel. |
|
Hydra barely needs an introduction. This island off the coast of the Peloponnese is among the prettiest and most cosmopolitain in Greece. It’s famous, as much for what it has, as for what it doesn’t have. It doesn’t have roads. There are no cars, busses or even bikes. The only engine-driven vehicle on the island is the one that collects the garbage. It doesn’t have big hotels. It doesn’t have any modern construction. There isn't much of a tourist infrastructure at all. It doesn’t have much in terms of beach. But here comes what it does have. A well-protected harbour where donkeys and mules, ready to carry your luggage, line the waterfront. Impressive stone-built and whitewashed 18th and 19th century mansions and traditional houses built amphitheatrically around the harbour. A wild and beautiful landscape scattered with churches and monasteries. Lots of small and charming hotels. A good selection of restaurants and places to go out at night. And also, plenty of small beaches, jetties and flat rocks that are perfect for sunbathing and swimming.
The island attracts a fairly well-to-do crowd, but they’re not the party-going kind. Many artists, writers and intellectuals own houses, and it’s not hard to understand why they have chosen Hydra as their retreat and source of inspiration. The beauty and quiet of the island are mesmerizing. In the summer it can momentarily get crowded, especially when cruise ships make a few hours’ stop and hordes of picture snapping tourists descent on the shore. But they never stay long, nor do they venture far from the seafront, so unless you stay in a hotel right by the port you won’t be bothered by it.
|
Did you stay here?I'd love to hear how you liked it