Hydrea Hotel

“A Room With A View”

We had a fabulous time at the Hydrea Exclusive Hospitality and on the incredible island of Hydra. We went last summer 2024 and loved it enough to return this summer 2025! This elegant boutique hotel was originally a private mansion built in 1803 ( I researched the background) and it was beautifully… more

We had a fabulous time at the Hydrea Exclusive Hospitality and on the incredible island of Hydra. We went last summer 2024 and loved it enough to return this summer 2025! This elegant boutique hotel was originally a private mansion built in 1803 ( I researched the background) and it was beautifully restored but still feels historical and magical. It's ideally positioned on the beautiful Hydra port with amazing views no matter what time of day. They serve a truly delicious breakfast high up on a big open outdoor big veranda where the ocean meets the port. At breakfast it's fresh and bright and then cocktails under the golden sunsets are enchanting at dusk and at night the harbor twinkles like a painting - so you’re insured that each day starts and ends with a beautiful place! In addition to the elegant Venetian mansion you get to stay in, the hotel staff are terrific and make your stay easy! The very professional and stylish Kallisti heads the team and manages every guest request with ease, interest and knows how to make things happen. She recommended super cool restaurants, got us hard to get reservations at several top restaurants and scored us seats at the very hip bar under a windmill and the best sunset on the island!. Kallisti arranged a boat for two adventures - one a day trip to around the island with incredible swimming in turquoise blue waters and caves and e enjoyed it so much a fe days later she organized a boat to he Peloponnese for a classic Greek taverna from the 70's with perfect sunset view, great music and nothing around but the sea. Kallisti also know everyone on the island! She was at the Hydrea Exclusive Hospitality last year on our 1st visit and this year it felt like she was an old friend! They hired Eleni since our last visit who works at reception and serves breakfast in the mornings and she’s lovely and remarkably hard-working. Her presence adds joy to each day as she always has a smile and remembers exactly how we like our coffee's, our Greek yogurt with extra dried fruits and pistachio's on the side! We left feeling that we were privileged to have an experience so rare and exquisite - we know we’ll definitely be back. Very special place!

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“Lovely hotel in a special place”

After a weekend in Athens we took the Flying Cat from Piraeus to Hydra. A short stroll round the harbour brought us to the Hydrea, where we have spent a wonderful 5 days (so far). The terrace has a wonderful view across the town, but our private terrace has been the perfect location to watch the co… more

After a weekend in Athens we took the Flying Cat from Piraeus to Hydra. A short stroll round the harbour brought us to the Hydrea, where we have spent a wonderful 5 days (so far). The terrace has a wonderful view across the town, but our private terrace has been the perfect location to watch the comings and goings of the buzzy town - just far enough away to be out of the hubbub, close enough to be wherever you want to be in a few minutes. The building is lovely, decorated in a soft palette throughout and beautifully furnished. Like the place, service is relaxed but on point. Breakfasts, ordered in advance but available at any time from 8.30 - 11.00, are delicious. No, there isn’t a pool, there’s limited facilities and reception isn’t available 24 hours, but who cares. This is a place for just stopping and chilling out. Be aware that access from street level is up 35 or so fairly steep stone steps and there is stone flooring in public areas. There is a stair lift available.

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“Service needs improvement for the price”

The hotel is in a fantastic location right near the port and some great swimming spots. The rooms and lovely. However, the service was poor. A few examples include: Every day when we left our room they would come into our room and turn the aircon off. As it was 37 degrees during the day, we wanted… more

The hotel is in a fantastic location right near the port and some great swimming spots. The rooms and lovely. However, the service was poor. A few examples include: Every day when we left our room they would come into our room and turn the aircon off. As it was 37 degrees during the day, we wanted to come back to a cool room after being out for lunch etc. Each day we asked them to stop doing this and each day they continued. On one occasion I had a 7.30am work call and asked to order a coffee to have while I did this call. They said they were unable to make coffee before 8am - crazy in a luxury hotel at these prices. Every day the barista got my coffee order wrong despite ordering the same thing every day for the duration of our stay. The girl on the front desk was quite rude and unhelpful. She claimed a few times it was just that she didn’t speak English well (which seems concerning given most of the guests staying speak English) however at other times it seemed to be clear she just wanted us to get out of the hotel each day and not ask for assistance for things like reservations for restaurants. In the end we organised things ourselves. On one day the tour guide we had organised for 7pm had called the hotel to cancel and they had not bothered to notify us - we got to reception at 6.45 only then to find our tour was cancelled It’s a shame as the hotel itself is lovely (however I would not recommend it for older guests or those not strong and fit to do lots of stairs - the main staircase is very steep and long - I’m in my mid 30s and found it hard to do each day in the heat. There’s no alternate access). I do hope they improve the service in future if the expect to charge the prices they do for this hotel.

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