OSTRIA SEASIDE STUDIOS & APARTMENTS — Hotel in Chios Municipality

We've been fans of the Aegean islands for around twenty years and we fancied seeing Chios for the first time. Getting there required an international flight to Athens and then a short local flight to the island itself. Aegean Airways own both carriers and ticketed us all the way through, so the only downside is the wait at Athens - our baggage was ported straight through. ||Chios airport is tiny but, in our experience,efficient and the taxi to our holiday home in the fishing village of Katarraktis took well under half an hour. Katarraktis is still how we remember and love Greek fishing villages, facing east across the Chios Strait. Ostria Apartments does the same and on our first night we speculated at the display of ruby-red lights glimmering across the water. At breakfast it was obviously a wind-farm in Turkey! ||We liked our private balcony but had wondered about shade. That was no problem because the access balcony is in shade in the morning and it was easy to sit out there when needed. ||We had a nice sized room with a modern bathroom but (fairly normal for Greece) no shower curtain. There is a small but usable kitchen area with hotplate. We take egg-cups everywhere and you will need to get coffee filters. Everything is beautifully clean. ||Other Aegean islands, such as Samos and especially Ikaria have plenty of fresh water, but on Chios the water-supply is limited and you will be advised not to drink the tap-water because of the mineral content. (The locals seem to concur and it may be that there are some unusually high levels of chromium minerals, perhaps due to the volcanic soils.) Not a problem brushing your teeth or making coffee, we'd say. ||Katarraktis doesn't display conspicuous wealth - there were few new cars - but, despite some disused older houses, the village looks cared for and characterful. It has that elusive, unforced quality of quiet charm. ||There are two mini-markets - the one up a side-street and identifiable by its caged-birds has the better range but they are both helpful. Take your phrase book if you want to buy anything you can't point at. We had a good laugh when my request for butter was mistaken for batteries. The latter don't spread too well.||There are enough places to dine out and the food is fine. We went to Meltaki most where we typically got two courses and two beers for just over 30 euros. ||We had decided not to hire a car for our short break, so we can't tell you how wonderful the mastic-growing area is or the wild area in the north-west, but I'm sure some other more adventurous visitors will do the honours in that...

This past summer, it was the seventh time since July 2008 that we once again chose to book in at the Ostria Seaside Studios and Apartments for a six-week stay! The reason for our choice is the warm and friendly welcome extended to us at all times by the father-and-son team, Alexandros and NIkos Xenakis as well as their respective wives Katy and Christina. Every effort is made on their part to make our accommodation as comfortable and as pleasant as possible. ||In addition to this, Nikos, being an IT expert, is always most willing to provide any technical assistance needed with electronic devices such as smartphones, i-phones, i-pads etc., and this he does out of the kindness and generosity of his heart, accompanied by his beautiful smile! Infinite thanks to you Niko!||A further attraction about staying at the Ostria in Katarraktis is Alexandros' generosity with his charming gifts of his fresh homemade lemonade, delicious grapes from his well-tended vineyard on the premises, aromatic baby tomatoes, eggplants and dried oregano from his nearby plot! We truly appreciate Alexandros' kind gestures!||The kitchenette in each studio and apartment allows one to cook and enjoy to one's heart's content fresh produce cultivated in the area. Dinner on the balcony under the stars on balmy summer evenings is an absolute delight whilst listening to the waves in the sea below breaking rhythmically on the beach and watching the flickering lights of nearby coastal towns in Turkey across Katarraktis Bay!||Not to be missed is the magnificent sunrise over the bay at the crack of dawn as well as the full moon slowly making its appearance above the horizon in the distance and pouring its channel of light over the deep blue...

Quality of service is top notch. Since I booked, Nikos has been responsive and extremely helpful. Its was my first time in Chios and completely no clue what to expect but Nikos made it extremely easy for me. I asked him recommendations for Scuba Diving and Car Rental. And he arranged and booked everything for me. I haven't even arrived Chios and Nikos was already providing assistance.||||When I arrived, I arrived 2 hours before the room is ready.... Nikos told me in advance that my room will only be available at 9-9:30am. I didn't mind at all to wait at the reception... While waiting Nikos offered me with refreshing beverage and a generous slice of delicious apple cake. Yummy...||||The room is on the second floor, the view is heavenly, the room is clean, convenient and comfortable. Someone comes every morning to clean the room and change the bed sheets. By the way its an apartment type so it has kitchen corner, complete with utensils, plates, pans, pots, glasses, you can basically cook and prepare a nice meal.||||There is also a swimming pool, loved it a lot. Spent most of my time. But the beach is also inviting. Lovely lovely time walking and strolling along the beach. It's not sandy shore but rocky, still walkable though. It's really nice.||||5 minutes walk, there are mini markets and restaurants - Meltemaki - I ate the best seafood so far in Greece. It's so good and fresh.||||I mean, what else can I ask for? I highly recommend this place. I stayed there for 4 nights and...