Naxos experts - pros and cons of Kymata vs. Agios Prokopios Hotel
 

We are debating to stay at either the Hotel Kymata or Agios Prokopios hotels in Naxos during the first week of September 2017. Two adults, two boys (4 and 6).

Right now, both hotels would run about 450 euros for a four night stay.

Kymata seems appealing because it is close to St George's beach. But it doesn't have a pool. It is also close to Naxos town.

Because interested in Agios Prokopios Hotel because it was recommended by Matt Barrett's Guide and because it has a pool. I don't know if MB has a agenda or is trustworthy. Some people on this forum prefer this beach to St George. We have small children but they aren't toddlers. Also, from what I have read, there are nice tavernas, etc. within walking distance.

Thoughts?

Additionally, Anthony Bourdain just did a Parts Unknown about Naxos. It's ondemand right now in the United States. It gave a neat perspective on the people of Naxos.

Agios Prokopios Hotel is much newer and very well appointed. I am sure it will be lovely place to stay if you are looking for a resort kind of place.

Logistics will be important. Given the location of Prokopios to get into town or to visit other places in the island You will need a car or use the local KTEL bus which runs every half hour to Naxos town or of course you can take a taxi.

Kymata on the other hand is 75 meters from St George beach which will be full of young children at this time of year. It is definitely not a resort but it is a nice hotel. It is a family run hotel with a good personal touch from the owners.

You will get the best recommendations for Naxos hotels right here on the Fodor's forum from regulars such as stanbr. Many people want a hotel with a pool, but with the beautiful beaches on Naxos, and the clean, crystal-clear water of the Aegean Sea, I don't see the point of one. The sea water will be perfect for swimming in September.

Regarding St George (Agios Georgios) Beach vs Agios Prokopios, that's a toss-up. I like the Agios Prokopios beach better myself, but always stay in the St George area, because it's only a 10 minute walk into Naxos Town, and evenings are magical in town. It's easy to get to Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna, and Plaka beaches during the day by bus.

I saw the Anthony Bourdain show on Naxos, and frankly found it very strange. It got a mixed reaction from people who live on the island. Naxos is better than that!

Haha, your ears must have been burning, stanbr!

I had to run an errand and got cut off so didn't finish my reply. Right you are Heimdall. I too prefer Plaka beach and Prokopios to St George they are better beaches. On days where we want to spend all our time on the beach we just hop the bus and head out around 10 and return for late afternoon rest at St George before walking into town. Like you we believe the beach town combination is unbeatable particularly with kids.

Hopefully some images will help you decide.
St George Beach Hotels Naxos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632162394787/
St George Beach Naxos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632113170279/
Naxos Town http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094558042/

Aggia Anna and Ag Prokipos beach areas https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...57656297072028

You folks are so helpful with my million questions.

I'm wondering if I can find something more resort-y than Kymata but not as expensive as Nissaki in the St George area.

The Kymata seems perfect for me but Mr. Overit might want something more upscale...

Heimdall, I agree with you totally, I thought the Bourdain video on Naxos was completely Weird -- did not at all give visuals of the dramatic beauties of the landscape & beaches -- didn't really convey the bounty of local produce or seafood or lamb or wine etc etc. And ended with a beach bonfire that is totally illegal. Feh. I'm still waiting for a good video on Naxos (but let us PRAY there never will be a movie made there or tour busses will arrive!).

Very near Kymata at St George check out Naxos Resort Beach Hotel.

Thanks for all of your suggestions and your patience with me. I know you've offered many recommendations - I look everyone up, trust me!

I finally figured out how to get street views, which made evaluating the hotels so much easier.

It seems like it makes more sense to stay near the town, with the kids, even though the Prokopios and Plaka beaches are better.

I looked at the Naxos Beach Resort Hotel - it's very pretty! About 200 euros a night for my dates, which is doable but some reviewers found it impersonal with not enough value for the money.

I'm wondering about St. Vlassis. I looked it up on the streetview thing and it seems tucked back from the beach - but that might not be a bad thing if we get more for our money further from the beach. The hotel seems to be beautiful and the owners are said to provide a personal touch. Price is good for our dates.

I have never even bothered to look at St Vlassis. It is a newer hotel built in a farmers field. That means two things it is new and upscale and you need a car to do anything else but stay at the hotel. It in fact gets good reviews and the images clearly show a lovely hotel.

It all comes back to what I said earlier. If you are resort type of people meaning you want to spend virtually all your time at the hotel complex then this is a good place.

If you want a Greek experience with your kids meeting new friends on the beach every day and are able to walk into town whenever you want to see how Greeks live then Kymata or something else at St George is what you should do.

You keep finding resort types of hotels. Thats OK if that's what makes you happy.

Being tied to the hotel for most of my activities is the last thing I would ever want so I am biased. Everyone is different.

I keep thinking about your kids and the beach and the town activities and hope you choose simple over fancy but you need to go with your gut.

Frankly Greece isn't a "resort hotel" type of country. Part of the charm is walking around town, visiting local shops, and eating in family-run cafes, tavernas, and restaurants. People who isolate themselves in a resort miss the best part of Greece. It's only recently that these large hotel complexes have started cropping up, and frankly that alarms me.

I'm glad you are being patient with me.

For many years, my husband and I travelled on shoestring budgets throughout Europe and Asia, staying in small and dark hostels, apartments, and not-very-clean places. I guess I'm still scarred by being trapped in a damp little apartment in Barcelona for four days with a shower that didn't work.

We've never done a beach vacation, ever, so I'm guessing I have no idea what to expect. We've also never gone on vacation with kids.

St. Vlassis looks lovely on the inside but the streetview shows a field in the middle of nowhere. It's really offputting. And I cannot bring myself to book at the Naxos Resort Beach Hotel. I tried.

We haven't gone on a vacation in five years - and can go maybe once per year - maybe it's dumb to try and shoehorn everything into this one trip. I'm inclined right now to stick to Kymata, where we have a reservation, and save the resort-type place for our next beach vacation.

I failed to say that Naxos Resort while lovely appears to be a more corporate hotel and our experience was the staff wasn't particularly friendly. Your instincts could be quite perceptive.

I can give you other options. Another resort type hotel is Galaxy. Its at the other end of the beach from Kymata back 200 meters from the beach. It gets good reviews but is priced like it was on the beach.

Right next door is the little gem, Hotel Spiros. It is a tourist class hotel. No resort feel, very Greek Meaning family run by people who are happy you are there. It has a pool and a great breakfast. We have visited it several times and many of the top floor units have ocean view. It has kitchenettes which is great for kids who might need servicing anytime.

Both Galaxy and Spiros are in the St George beach album I posted above.

Another option is Hotel Argo, which is near Naxos Resort Hotel and one street away from St George Beach. The rooms are immaculately clean, and have great showers. Hotel Argo is owned by a very nice Greek-Swedish family who have always been helpful to me. When I let them know what ferry or flight I am on they are there to meet me with free transport to the hotel.

Hotel Argo is likely to be cheaper than the hotels mentioned by stanbr. I understand it has been renovated since I was last there, and now bills itself as a boutique hotel.

Argo looks like it might bridge the gap between me wanting a family-run place, smaller by St George's beach and Mr. Overit wanting something immaculate and well-appointed. From the reviews, its seems we may need earplugs. I booked a suite and messaged them to let them know we are two adults and two kids. We will see what they say.

Unless something has changed drastically since I was there, you won't need earplugs at Argo! I've been there in May and June, and don't recall any noise at all, in fact remember it being very quiet.

I've now read some reviews with complaints about noise on booking(dot)com, but frankly they surprise me. Perhaps Argo has a new building that isn't as well soundproofed as the older ones, which I thought were very nice. Check for availability of apartments at Argo, which I believe are in a separate nearby building.

Yes, there apparently appears to be "Argo Apartments" and "Argo Boutique," with the "Boutique" being the renovated part and more expensive part.

Good recommendations.. now am deciding between Kymata and the Argo...you two (and travelerjan) have convinced me it's best to stay by St George's because it's close to town.

Last night at dinner, I was discussing with my husband whether we should book a hotel with or with our a pool in Naxos and my six-year old (a Pisces) lit up when he heard the word "pool."

I was thinking I would take the boys to the pool in the morning when they are up and full of energy. Mr. Overit likes to sleep in and then when Mr. Overit gets up, all head to town or around the island. Then lunch, nap, beach, town dinner....

Overlt, last time I stayed at Argo was before the pool was built, so perhaps my recollections are outdated. I stayed in ordinary rooms in a building next to the reception and breakfast facilities. I do remember they also had apartments, which I think, but not sure, were in another building across the street.

If Argo has added a new section with poorly soundproofed rooms, that would put me off too. I doubt the apartments would be noisy, though.

Maybe the boutique is the renovated hotel and the apartments have not been renovated. I'm not so concerned with soundproofing, as we live in the middle of a city, garbage and delivery trucks rumbling by at 7 AM on weekend mornings - noise is normal for us. Armed with earplugs and eye mask we'll be fine.

I think three of the four of us want a pool, despite having the beach so close, so I'm resigned to looking for a hotel with one.

Should you wish to contact Hotel Argo directly, here is their own website with contact phone number and email: http://www.argo-hotel.gr/index.php?lang=en

Calls to a landline with Skype aren't all that expensive, and may be worth a few dollars to insure you get what you want. I always prefer dealing directly with a hotel rather than through a third-party booking agency. If you decide to call, remember the time difference, which is GMT + 2 hrs in Greece.

Did you look at Spiros? Its only about 100 meters from Argo and is actually closer to the beach.

And from what i recall it has a much nicer pool area.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7632162394787/

Overit, you need to listen to recommendations... like stanbr. AND to look carefully at the text and photos of each hotel, and think about the choice that can help you to relax, not be on "mommy duty" 24/7.. The reason you are going to St. George is not just the proximity to town.. it is because it is an IDEAL SAfE beach for kids the age of your boys. It is very shallow until you wade way out, so it is SAFE even for toddlers... and y our boys can sit in water, just barely covering their swimsuits, and play with sand and buckets.The beach is MUCH safer, you can sit under an umbrella and read a book (or a phone, more likely), and children 3 yards away will be safe. I see this every May-June, with Scandinavian parents.

By contrast almost none of the pool hotels have "baby pools". even Hotel Spiros just has one pool... and the shallowest part typically is 2.5 feet at least -- you would have to be IN the pool at all times, and actually hold up the youngest. More Work for Mother The only hotel near the beach that shows a "baby pool" in photos is Naxos Resort Beach Hotel, which you already dissed. So don't jump at a decision.

Travelerjan, while I appreciate your suggestions, I don't appreciate the snark. As for the phone comment, what's that about? I have never even bothered to take my phone out of the country and probably won't bother now.

Stanbr and Heimdall have been very helpful, and I am listening to them. You, however, seem to have a superiority complex.

I did check Hotel Spiros, stanbr. The issue with it is that the room currently available for four people on our dates has 2 twin beds and one sofa bed. My husband and I don't want to spend our first vacation in five years on a sofa bed or in two twin beds pushed together, if that's understandable.

Booking for 4 is a bit tricky in that sense. We don't want two separate rooms as my boys have never stayed in a hotel before so they might get scared.

Overit, have you looked at SUN BEACH? this is right off the beach, and I just checked booking.com and put in a "dummy booking" for Sept 4 - 9 --- for the first week in September it still has one 2-bedroom apartment available... one BR has twin beds, one has king-size bed; $500 US for 5 nights ... I've done a walkby of this place, seems v. nice, Booking.com reviews are 8.9 "excellent" .... you can book it & cancel w.o. penalty. I'd suggest you take a look tonight.

No problem you have to do what works for you. Its a matter of understanding all the possibilities and making the choice that makes the most sense.
I appreciate you indicating you were not ignoring my suggestion and indicating that it didn't work for you.

Thats totally OK but we all spend a lot of time here trying to help people to get the most out of their Greek experience but often we don't get any feedback as to what made you make your decision. Often we feel like our input is worthless. Its much better to do as you have done to say thanks but this make the best sense for us.

Have a great vacation

Have you asked Spiros if they can push the twin beds together. They have two room units where they call this matrimonial configuration. Thats a pretty common solution in Greek hotels.

Wow afraid to wade in here lest my head get bitten off , but since I've stayed at kymatas ans loved it I will .

We have stayed in many nice hotels , and some lovely resorts , but the Kymata is special and I suppose only some folks can appreciate the old world family run charm . It's very clean , the ac was very efficient , and the breakfasts homemade ( including the jams ) . The staff will treat your children like little princes , and you like family .
You should take the top floor suite , roomy and the views are to die for ! No elevator however and it is third floor , but we are older and fatter than you and managed fine !

The location is perfect and I really can not imagine sitting at a hotel pool when the beach is so beatiful , the water so clear and warm , the beach lounge chairs so comfy to camp out all day ! We would don in morning , have lunch on beach , enjoy drink service on beach ( so cheap ) . Try having a Greek salad at a few places , we did then would return to ur fave place each day ! Close to hotel on the beach !

Anyways Geeece is amazing , don't try to make it like going to some resort in Florida or Hawaii , enjoy the quirks , it's not about nasty dirty cheap ( yuck ) bit about casual , comfy , laid back and authentic

Justineparis wrote:

"I really can not imagine sitting at a hotel pool when the beach is so beatiful , the water so clear and warm , the beach lounge chairs so comfy to camp out all day!"

Exactly my thoughts! I can't imagine travelling all the way to Greece, then sitting around a pool, although I know some people do. I have nothing against pools, and in fact worked my way through university as a swimming pool lifeguard in the summers. When I am in Greece, though, I prefer swimming in the sea.

The Aegean Sea at Naxos is so crystal clear and clean, it's like swimming in a big swimming pool without the chlorine. Naxos, like most Greek Islands, doesn't pump its sewage into the sea, so the water on beaches is always pure. Children have fun playing in the sand and looking for small sea creatures.

Amazing info. Tx

You folks have convinced me that I won't be needing a pool in Naxos. I forgot how much I hate chlorine, and we can schedule one day at the Naxos water park. There are pools all over the world but the Aegean is only in one place, right?

It's been years since I've been at the beach (the last time was Sri Lanka in 2011!)

The number of options on Naxos is overwhelming but I cannot bring myself to cancel my booking at Kymata. It's where my heart wants to stay. On the other hand, I don't want to hold onto the booking and inconvenience the owners and other travelers who might want the room.

If your heart wants you to stay at Kymata, then that's where you should stay. There are really no bad choices on Naxos.

Often your first decision is the right one. We get to overthinking and doubting ourselves but now that you have eliminated the need for a pool you will find Kymata is perfect for you.

Overit.. did you book the top room suites.. ?

Overit I am afraid we have confused you a lot already with all the different suggestions, but I can't but recommend you also check "Villa Naxia". You will not find it in online booking platforms, only send a request directly to their website. It is right on the beach of St George and had a full renovation in 2016 (or perhaps 2015). It doesn't have a pool, but the rooms are very fresh (your husband will be happy) and I think the rates are normal. Kymata is indeed very central and the staff very friendly and welcoming, it is also a good choice but surely more "basic" than Villa Naxia. Anyway, I am sure you will enjoy your vacation on Naxos! The island is ideal for families!

I second the recommend for Villa Naxia, & wish you luck -- it is getting very hard to book ... word has gotten out!

Thanks for the tip!

I checked the site a few days ago (needed a break from trip planning) and saw the Villa Naxia recommendation.

So I contacted them, and they have availability two of the four days we plan to be in Naxos.

So we are booking two nights at Kymata and two nights at Villa Naxia. Although it might seem like a pain to shift hotels, it works for our budget and we will get two experiences.

Overit I would love to hear your thoughts on Villa Naxia. Our family of five will be visiting next year and I've been debating between Villa Naxia and Korali Boutique hotel. Unfortunately Kymata doesn't have rooms for five.

Villa Naxia is farther along the beach of the 2, and set back, but with a view of the sands. I happen to like the decor a lot, and the setting and it actually has more space around it thus, and more rooms with open views. The fact that Korali has added the designation "boutique" in the last several years makes me wonder... perhaps it has bought new furnishings and is giving itself airs.

Thanks travelerjan. Its really helpful to hear insight that compares the two. How is the location of the Korali? You mention that Naxia is further along the beach... is that a good thing? Korali seems to have two hotels... boutique and another one I think.

Why don't you search "booking.com St George Beach Naxos" and that will bring up the location ...the little google map (to the left) can be clicked on, and enlarged. In order to see the hotels (which appear as little "baloons" on the map, yu have to put in a starting/ending date. In order to see the maximum number of hotels, yo would need to put in a "dummy date" when most hotels will have vacancies. I suggest to put in something like Oct 15-17. there will be a list of hotels, just click on any one, in order to bring up the little map. Click to enlarge... ou will see all the hotels ... The baloons with Red centers are fully booked.. for the rest, click & you get their name, and their price for those dates. You can judge for yourself.