If it were possible to give 6 Stars for that exceptional, rare AirBnB experience that stands so far above the rest, then I would give the Villa Baya—and its hosts, Tania and Kyriakos—a 6 star review.
First, the villa is absolutely stunning, in impeccable condition, with all the amenities one could hope for. Our beds were made daily, the villa was cleaned daily, as if staying in a 4 or 5 star hotel. Moreover, the villa is a short ATV or car ride from the Chora (main city on Ios) and Port, 3 minutes and 7 minutes, respectively.
The view is unbelievable—morning, day, evening, night, you get perfect scenic shots of the Chore hill, the old windmills to its left, the valley to its right, and the nearby island of Sikenos in the distance.
The villa is serene and quiet, although you do get those occasional rustic sounds which remind you that you are on a Greek island—roosters in the distance, the chime-like sound of bells which are worn by the herds of goats grazing on the nearby hills.
When it came to hospitality, the Villa Baya really stood out. Kyriakos met us at the port and helped us with our ATV rentals before we followed him up the road to the villa. Here, he gave us a breakdown of all the foods and wines available to us in the villa's fridges per the honesty bar policy—local and regional foods generously priced at the cost they were purchased by the hosts. Knowing that we were foodies, Kyriakos also gave us amazing suggestions for restaurants in Ios (they were phenomenal), as well as for our subsequent time on other Greek islands and Thessaloniki. He also gave us great suggestions for sites to see throughout our time in Greece. All of this made our stay feel less like a simple vacation and more like a return/nostos to a home which we had been missing all our lives.
In the end, we left Ios feeling like we had made many true friends—true Greek xenia/hospitality. We will definitely return to the Ios again, and when we do, we will most certainly be staying at the Villa Baya.
Thank you Tania and Kyriakos for our best AirBnB experience to date!