We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Nikos’s lovely place. Situated on a quiet side street in the enchanting village of Chora, the house is a gracefully renovated traditional structure with wood-beamed ceilings, with the kitchen, bath and living room on the ground floor and the bedroom on the second-floor loft. The latter leads out to a roof terrace with a view and an oversized umbrella (where we had our breakfast every day without fail).
The house is outfitted with all the important basics, including a washing machine and air conditioning on both floors. Though it was midsummer, we had no need to turn on either, thanks to the house’s thick stone walls. Both the upstairs bed and the pull-out sofa bed on the ground floor are comfortable and the towels plush and generously sized.
Nikos was unable to meet us the day we arrived, but we were welcomed by his father, who met us in the village square and led us back through the warren of flagstone-paved lanes to the house. Waiting for us on the kitchen counter was a bottle of his father’s small-batch wine, an abundant supply of capsules for the espresso machine (which was replenished later during our visit) and fixings for a light breakfast. Later in the week, his mom treated us to some of her homemade cheese pastries and creamy lemon-scented rice pudding.
Nikos's hospitality extended to his eagerness to help us explore the island, from sharing tips on the best places to swim and eat (do trust his recommendations) to getting us information on the caique that ferries you to the (spectacular) beach of Kolona.
Chora is arguably the best place to stay if you don’t have or plan to rent a car or motorcycle, as the island’s bus lines to and from the port, the thermal spa village of Loutra and the facilities-equipped beaches on the west coast are accessible from the town, as are a good number of the marked hiking trails. And if you do decide to stay in Chora, Nikos’s house is an ideal home base. I will definitely stay here again.