The Best Hotels to Book in Ithaca, Greece, for Every Traveller

Housed in a quaint old olive press dating back to 1890, this boutique hotel in the island’s main port, Vathy, is full of design quirks. From industrial steel beams to rustic stone walls and an old iron olive-oil barrel in pride of place, the inside is much more modern than the chocolate-box exterior. Rooms are smart expanses of white with colour-pop fabrics, and there’s a shady patio to relax on after a day’s sightseeing.

Also in the architecturally well-preserved port town of Vathy, blue-painted guesthouse Perantzada has striking interior design reminiscent of a modern-art gallery: coffee tables like smooth white pebbles, scarlet Perspex lamps, glass-fronted mezzanine bedrooms and bright pops of colour against stark white walls. Injections of luxury include a tranquil infinity pool, and a daily feast first thing: an authentic home-made breakfast of pastries, cakes and jams.

The USP here is the setting, a hop, skip and a jump from the so-clean-it’s-transparent sea, with stirring views of vessels moored in Vathy Port. Built in 1969, the Mentor also has the distinction of having been the first hotel proper on Ithaca. (It’s been run by the current management since 1987 and was last renovated in 2011.) With room for 70 guests in air-conditioned comfort, it has four suites, 30 doubles and three single rooms with bathrooms. Plenty of the island is within walking distance. The most beautiful beaches include Filiatro, or Gidaki, reached by boat from the square just beyond the door.

A traditional neoclassical Venetian house, surrounded by laurels and angelica, sets the stage for friendly four-star Korina in the heart of the Ithacan capital, Vathy. It’s in a fine location, a five-minute walk from the main square, where everyone gravitates for the restaurants, bars, marina and museums. If you want to swim and sunbathe, the nearest Blue Flag beach is 2km (just over a mile) away. Deluxe doubles at the interior-designed Korina – each named after diminutive Ionian islands – include two with port views and one (Paxi), with a cosy backyard. But it’s the suites that truly float our boat, with their atmospheric chunky-stone walls and plush, enveloping beds.

Ithaca’s Poem is not even a decade old, but it has bedded into Vathy beautifully. It’s close to various museums and some beautiful beaches, and there are shopping opps on the main square nearby. If you have a car, you can take advantage of the private parking. There’s quite a range of accommodation, from spacious maisonettes with large verandas overlooking the harbour to two-bedroom apartments and, most affordably, one-bedroom alternatives – with bathrooms and kitchenettes, these are perfect for two adults. Given the choice, we’d opt for a maisonette, if only for the two sunny first-floor bedrooms and the ground-floor kitchens with dining tables for communal dinners. These spaces can accommodate up to six guests.

Overlooking the bay that faces Vathy Port, this homely guesthouse has a range of rooms, from basic apartments to stylishly decked-out suites with balconies and living areas. A sea-view restaurant and pool terrace add a dash of luxury – the latter is blessed with a bougainvillea-shaded lounger area. It feels intimate, but this is a fully equipped hotel with onsite parking, as well as car- and boat-hire facilities. If you’re in search of full-on privacy, book the President Suite and you’ll get your own generous private pool.

A lofty position on an Ithacan hill gives this family-run aparthotel killer views of land and sea in all directions. It is a peaceful, low-key hideaway with simple, tiled rooms, all wrought-iron bed frames and luxe white sheets. Some have fully kitted kitchens and glorious balcony views. Here in Vathy, you’re just a few kilometres from stunning beaches such as Skinos and Gidaki, so bring a hire car and head out.

This trio of villas, each named for a Greek woman, sit above shallow, shingly Dexa Beach just outside Vathy. With options sleeping from two to six, each has a private pool – we love Villa Anna’s, with its mini-infinity edge – rustic, stone-built looks and fabulous sea views from balconies and terraces. Inside, unpainted stone is warmed up by distressed-wood furniture, sheer curtains and textured-linen sofas – but the real draw is the generous outside space.

If you want Greek-idyll simplicity, you’ve come to the right place: at Epicharis Apartments you’ll find a cluster of simple studios less than half a mile from the main port, en route to the village of Perachori. You’ll get a view of said port or of the mountain, depending on which option you take. All have clean double rooms in Greek blue and white, with a living area, kitchen and bathroom.

If you’d like your stay on Ithaca to be on the indulgent side, family-run Adastra Ithaka Luxury Suites, on a verdant hill above the main harbour in Vathy, will fit the bill. It takes its name from the Latin phrase ad astra per aspera, meaning “through hardships to the stars.” Of the latter there are plenty, glittering in the Ionian sky above. Of the former there are none – instead, expect four lovingly furnished, spacious suites in light Mediterranean pastels, each with a living room, one or two bedrooms, a fully equipped country style kitchen and a balcony with wildly beautiful island views.