Halaris Rooms — Hotel in Municipality of Syros and Ermoupoli

We were stranded on Syros for a couple of days in September due to high winds, and booked in here on the spur of the moment; as the Aktaion hotel on the harbour, where we spent the previous night, had no available rooms.||||The Halaris is at the other end of town, down by the Neorion shipyard entrance. There was no picture-book view here, though; and opening the shuttered window in our room at the back of the hotel revealed only the bare concrete wall of the industrial unit directly opposite, with the tall cranes of the shipyard looming beyond; peering over its roof like curious giraffes. On the other side of the hotel the rooms were facing the relatively busy main road. ||||However, they were clean, modern (possibly refurbished recently) and reasonably-priced rooms, with a welcoming owner; and the whining of passing motorbikes, and joyful shouts of departing workers whenever there was a shift-change at the shipyard was no real problem. People have to work after all, and it’s good to see the shipyard so active, as it brings much-needed employment on an island that is less dependent on tourism than many others (and long may this continue). ||||Our room was large with air conditioning, the bed was comfortable, and the shower and toilet were new, modern and more than adequate. It’s only a short stroll of ten minutes or so (along the seafront, or through the backstreets of the town) to get to the harbour or the town square. There is an excellent bakery a couple of minutes away for breakfast, and a nice large marina nearby in the opposite direction to the town, where you can sit and consume it whilst watching the small boats. ||||We would definitely stay here again without hesitation. Wherever you stay in Ermoupoli, there is an abundance of local character, and it is no different here. Although maybe a bit too “industrial” for some at this end of town (but remember, Syros is not Mykonos – thank God), it was...

Hotel Halaris (Xalaris) was honestly one of the best places I’ve ever stayed in Syros. First of all, it’s literally only a 5-minute walk from the port, which made getting there super easy after our ferry ride. While we took a taxi because we had luggage for 3, you honestly don’t need a taxi or anything once you get there — it’s that close to the port. During the day, we walked right to the various shops along the port and found so many gifts, treats and items that we bought during our stay. When traveling to upper Syros, the bus picked us up 1 minute away from the hotel.||The hotel building itself is absolutely stunning. It’s made completely out of marble, and it seriously looks like a royal palace. The design gives off an elegant, classy and historical vibe, and everything inside is super clean, sparkly and updated.||Nikos and his brother were also amazing hosts and lifelong residents of the island. They were true gentlemen and made us feel so welcome and gave us suggestions throughout our stay of which beaches to visit, where to go, eat and shop. They helped us with anything we needed and answered all our questions without hesitation. You can tell they really care about their guests and were fluent in English when working with guests.||The room we stayed in was super spacious and comfortable and had everything we needed. The bathroom was sparkling clean, and the shower had great water pressure and all amenities were included. The air conditioning was really strong too, which was perfect after walking around in the sun all day.||If you’re visiting Syros, I 150% recommend staying at Hotel Halaris. It’s comfortable, beautiful, and run by awesome people. I will definitely stay here again - and cannot wait to do so! It will be our home...

An accident of my wife (fortunately not very serious) brought us urgently from Paros Island where we were spending our summer, to Hermoupolis, Syros Island where is the main General Hospital of the Aegean Islands. Mid August is very difficult to find accommodation because of the important Virgin Mary celebration. Searching for a room at midnight was even more difficult. But I was lucky to find a room at the Halaris Hoitel. Lucky also because the hotel is located 5 minutes walk from the hospital where I went visiting my wife daily.||This hotel is an old neoclassic building but it is completely renovated because of the zeal and interest of its owner Nikos Halaris. Part of the ground flour houses the National Bank of Greece. Because of its old style, the bathrooms are small although fully renovated and clean. The rooms are clean and contain all facilities.||The personnel was very friendly and the knowledgeable owner Nikos Halaris was always present morning and evening to help in everything I needed. For those who like to have breakfast there is a possibility at an extra 5 euros for a buffet breakfast of moderate variety. For me this was important as I had to take it and go to see my wife. I was glad to stay in this hotel and I would recommend it, for an extra reason because of its nearness to...