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Iapetos Village: Traveller Reviews

4.0 of 5
Gialos 85600, Greece
Hotel amenities
Iapetos Village
Ranked #1 of 2 Gialos B&B and Inns
4.5 of 5 stars 27 Reviews
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27 reviews from our community

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Traveller rating
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Sydney, Australia
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
“Confused”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 December 2011
5
people found this review helpful

Booked and stayed here late september based on all the positive reviews on trip advisor and in all honesty my family and i completely fail to see what all the fuss is about. From the moment we arrived there were problems. We were left stranded on the dock when we were supposed to have had someone there to collect us. Thankfully a taxi driver who had seen we were completely stranded assisted us and contacted the hotel and asked them to come and collect us. When they arrived they said they had been there waiting but couldn't find us and took off. We knew that was complete nonsense as we were first off the boat and were scouting for the van immediately.... the place is just too small to be able to have missed it. Anyway upon our arrival we found the village to be very quaint, well maintained (and quite pretty from within) and certainly conveniently located.
Upon arrival and then being shown to our villa it became immediately evident there were major noise issues with our villa...and for the entire property. Many of the villas were backed directly onto the main road. So i immediately went back to the reception. I asked were there any quiet villas and expressed concern we were unlikely to be able t get sleep with all the noise inside our villa from the traffic. The owner responded in a rather ridiculing and unobliging fashion saying the villas were not noisy and we won't notice it. I again said its going to be pretty hard for us to sleep here but he again dismissed my concerns and basically blew me off. After that I knew there was no point pushing it any further. Very unimpressed with the uncaring attitude particularly seeing the place looked to 70% empty and other potentially quieter villas in the centre of the property available. It was if they wanted the guests that were there under there watchful eye. Now maybe we are missing something here with all the glowing reviews reporting serenity, comforts, fantastic breakfasts and so on but after 1 week i can assure you all of that is a major fallacy and i must seriously question the authenticity of these reviews. I can 100% assure you this place is anything but serene or quiet and logically how can it possibly ever be quiet when the villa bedroom walls provide the direct boundary to the main roadway that runs alongside the village? Anything that has wheels goes past the place from dawn to dusk into late evening reverberating into the villas, echoing all around the courtyard and throughout the entire place. It's very very noticeably noisy, not peaceful at all. Between the hours of midnight and 3 am it is quiet but that is it. We were so thankful we had kept some earplugs from our international flight or we would not have slept a wink the whole stay and even then it wasn't easy as the noise penetration into the bedrooms from the passing motorbikes and vehicles was unrelenting, unbelievable!....so you would always be waking, conscious of the noise. Then there are the barking dogs that are also unrelenting in both evening and daytime hours making even daytime relaxation difficult.Then to the beds. They would have to be THE most uncomfortable hardest beds we have EVER slept on during our past 2 years and 2 months traveling through the greek islands. The so called sofa bed was simply un-sleepable. Even our young daughter who has proven she can sleep on basically anything found her limit here. It was not even a fold out with a mattress, but just a lounge that had incredibly uncomfortable saggy cushioning. And these reports of sumptuous breakfasts are complete fantasy. The breakfasts were the worst we have ever had anywhere in Greece without any shadow of a doubt. There were 2 people (one being the gardener come chef come baggage handler come cleaner etc) always in the kitchen but neither would offer any service or oblige any requests and neither possessed any customer service skills whatsoever. If you ask can you please make me an egg, or is there any bread, or is there any anything.... because everything what was there was so tired it was inedible, you just get glared at and told no. The same old fruit in the fruit bowl everyday... same thing with the cake tray. A small litter of left over broken cake pieces in one tray that nobody wanted yet were continually put back out day after day. The only thing you could eat were some stale pieces of bread rolls, and the jams were hopeless....again nobody wanted them....and you could see why. The honey bottle had this lid with a slide lever which only allowed the tiniest trickle to be extracted after 5 minutes of desperately trying to get some out!!!The coffee was also very ordinary. Any eggs that were there were so cold and unappetising you wouldn't think of touching them. Same went with the boiled eggs. Cold and undoubtedly the same ones that were there a week ago. We weren't the only guests to see this either but most, like ourselves recognised the unfriendly unobliging nature of the two men in the kitchen and just raised their eyebrows in misbelief seeing the same old food being put out day after day. What we couldn't understand was how was it the shops down the road had an abundance of fresh fruit, bread, jams, cereal and so on yet none were able to find way to this place to feed the guests at breakfast. Very very strange indeed. The air-conditioning was useless as well. There was just the one split unit upstairs that was somehow meant to feed the downstair area....too bad if you were trying to sleep downstairs on the other terribly uncomfortable lounge. The shower was tinsy tinny but had a good nozzle but the water was very heavily chlorinated, i suspect fed from the pool perhaps? And the toilet had this crazy push button on the side that made it impossible to press without breaking your fingers. the girls had major problems with that. And then the stair case leading too the upper level was so dangerous. If you took a slip on that in the middle of the night going to the toilet downstairs you would wing up seriously injured. My wife missed a step and nearly broke her ankle. There is no handrail or anything and the tiles are very sharp on the edges....a serious safety hazard even in daytime. All i can say about Iapetos villas is they look pretty and have nice well maintained gardens and have some nice views overlooking the mountains but so far as providing comfort for the guests they fall a long way short of the mark in very basic and key areas. While Symi island was a truly fantastic island, in-fact a highlight island out of the 5 dodecanese we visited during our one months stay, i must say Lapetos villas is an epic fail in providing the customer the basics in comfort, safety, and an acceptable level of customer service. Thankfully Symi island and the local friendliness of the place provided the back up necessary feel good. Symi is truly an amazing must see island with some incredibly beautiful beaches and views. Don't miss it!....but I'm sure there are better accommodation opportunities to be had. Im sure the owners will chime in to deny all this but instead of doing that they should deal with the truth and at least fix the problems they can (super hard beds, lousy food, woeful customer service skills, air cond and try to do something about insulating the noise penetration into the villas!!

Room Tip: Specify up front that you will not accept any villa that backs onto the road. There are a few in the...
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  • Stayed September 2011, travelled with family
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Dialga about Iapetos Village
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Stoke on Trent
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Very relaxing, lovely accommodation... will definitely go back”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 October 2011
1
person found this review helpful

As the previous reviewer said it’s difficult to know what else to add to the long list of excellent reviews.
The hotel has been finished to a very high standard and is laid out very well. Last year we went to the brilliant Skoples Village on Skopelos island and we thought that we would never find anywhere as good as that but with Iapetos we certainly have. The location of the place is perfect, just far enough from the centre to be quiet and relaxing but only a five minute flop to the nearest tavernas & bars. As you make your way down to the sea front from the hotel you find yourself roughly in the middle of the port area, giving you walking options down both sides of the harbour. There are plenty of places to eat, drink & people watch within just a few minutes stroll. Our personal favourite was the Mediterano as it was right on the front, excellent for watching both boats and people and with very reasonably priced drinks.
During the day it doesn’t get overly crowded (we were there in mid Aug). Both the pool & the pool bar are a godsend in the heat of the afternoon. I know some have said that the pool is a little cold but believe me in the sweltering long August afternoons it’s absolutely perfect! There is a good selection of drinks and some snacks are also available. In fact Katarina actually made the best Mojito in Symi (in our humble opinion) and we did significant research on the subject. Both of the 2 young ladies who served kept the pool and bar area spotless, they we always cleaning up as soon as the table was finished with. If you want to have a snooze in the afternoon again it is very quiet and there is nothing much to disturb your rest.
The rooms are spacious, we stayed in a 2 floor apartment with kitchen & bathroom downstairs and bedroom upstairs. They are also spotless and are cleaned thoroughly everyday by the very pleasant maids. The bathroom is also excellent, again very clean and with a shower that my wife insists is the best she has ever had.
Breakfasts are generally good, with selection of mostly homemade goodies. The eggy bread dusted with a little cinnamon and icing sugar was good, however once I spotted the sumptuous homemade lemon curd and added a little of that on top of the eggy bread it was fantastic. The Greek yogurt and prunes beautiful (again a little of the homemade lemon curd added a lovely twist to it).
We ate at many of the tavernas and once at one of the gyros places. In fact the latter were so obliging that when we asked if they had lamb, even though it was not on the menu, they popped off to the butchers to buy some for us and then cooked it fresh – now that’s service. I do not recall having a bad meal in Symi but worth special mention was Mythis rooftop where we ate twice and it got the prestigious accolade of serving our last meal in before leaving for home. Also please try the Nireus, its good for frappes in the day, ouzos in the evening and food at whatever time, everything we had there was good. We also went to the Italian behind the harbour 3 times, again excellent.
All in all fantastic, we are very likely going to book again for next year which is something we have never done before.

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Ianspen about Iapetos Village
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
liverpool
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
23 helpful votes 23 helpful votes
“Iapetos Village -- stunning, spacious apartments on a beautiful island...”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 August 2011

It's difficult to know what I can add to the succession of five star reviews which have already been written on Trip Advisor about the fabulous Iapetos Village. Having just got back from a week there, I agree with every word that has been posted previously. In a nutshell, the apartments are beautifully appointed, spacious and spotlessly maintained. The owners of the complex just seem to have gone that extra mile to ensure that every detail relating to the accommodation and its surroundings is perfect. On top of that, the breakfasts are sumptuous, varied and delicious. Be prepared to put a little weight on!

Symi itself is a small but beautiful, picture postcard resort. With numerous luxury yachts moored in the harbour, it has quite an up-market feel about it. However, it manages to maintain plenty of authentic Greek character and doesn't fall into the trap of trying to be too showy and 'bling'.

I have to say the bars in Symi were a slight disappointment. We didn't want bustling nightlife - far from it - but most bars were rather quiet and not very inviting. The harbour boasts a good selection of restaurants, but beware one or two of the expensive harbour-side tavernas. If you try the Mythos fish taverna the food is good, but many of the dishes are unpriced on the menu and the fish platter for two cost us an eye-watering 85 Euros!!! Definitely recommended are the Neraida Restaurant, which is located just 75 metres from the Iapetos Village on the road down to the harbour and the Nireus, located in a beautiful spot on the edge of the harbour by the clock tower, with tables right alongside the water's edge. Both are really good and reasonably priced.

The Iapetos boasts just about the only swimming pool in Symi. However, the pool itself and the adjacent sun terrace are a bit restricted in size so it is a good idea to take advantage of the water taxis that leave late morning on-the-hour from Symi harbour and head for the island's small but picturesque beaches. We can recommend Agios Nikolaos, which is about fiteen minutes by water taxi. Paradise! Our tip would be to head for the far end of the beach from the jetty, where there is more sand and far less shingle -- it will save wear and tear on your feet! Agios Nikolaos beach has a nice taverna that serves a very decent chicken souvlaki!

All in all, Symi is a near perfect little gem of an island with a real charm and an atmosphere which most holiday destinations just cannot match. It really has that 'something extra' and is definitely worth paying a little more for in comparison with the larger more commercialised resorts. The only real drawback is the amount of travel time that it takes to get there. Once you have landed in Rhodes, you take a forty minute coach journey to Rhodes harbour. We then had to wait over an hour at the harbour-side with no seating or refreshments (and not much shade!) for the connecting ferry. After a forty minute ferry trip across to Symi there is a final short walk to the Iapetos. The journey took twelve hours, door-to-door, on the outward leg and fourteen hours on the return due to a delay with our flight. If you are going for just one week this is a big chunk out of your holiday. It is by no means a deal-breaker, it just needs factoring in and thinking about. We went with Olympic and they organised the whole thing really well. Hiya, Justine! Overall, a brilliant holiday. Bravo! and many thanks to the wonderful Iapetos Village!

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask blowinfree about Iapetos Village
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Athens, Greece
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“Lovely family friendly little gem hotel”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 August 2011

We travelled to Symi with our two children for a few days in the middle of august and I am very happy I found this very nice hotel although I booked it at the last moment. I liked very much the garden area and loved the breakfast which included every day homemade breads, greek traditional cakes, jams, pies and puddings, not forgetting freshly squized orange juice, fresh fruit, and greek yoghurt. In the rooms you have flat TV screens, bathrobes and complimentary mineral water in the fridge. Our children of 4 and 6 yrs, have enjoyed the pool, which seems to be the only one on the island of Symi, especially in the afternoons after our beach trips and we could sit close watching them, sunbathing and sipping on our cocktails from the pool bar. The owners were very nice people and created a friendly atmosphere in their hotel.On the downside: We had to use the trashbins in the bathroom for toilet paper (I guess due to the island's poor infrastructure) and the rooms were a little dusty (bathrooms however were very clean). All together the experience was very positive and I would highly recommend this hotel to families with children who are used to high standard hotels and enjoy a more personal treatment and cosi friendly atmosphere. In the amenities included free wifi and transfers from-to the port. Very good value for money.

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Kirki1212 about Iapetos Village
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Excellent”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 August 2011
1
person found this review helpful

Terrific holiday complex, better than the website suggests - small and intimate. Pool lovely - Symi has no water source of its own so this is a REAL luxury. Landscaping intelligent and beautiful. Rooms well-designed. Beds roomy and firm. Showers powerful. Breakfasts - especially the home-made desserts fantastic. I'd like to bring the cook who makes them back home with me.. Try the marmalade and the lemon curd. Would recommend this hotel to anyone.

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Additional Information about Iapetos Village

Gialos 85600, Greece
Price range (per night):* 98 AUD - 229 AUD

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