La Piscine

“Friendly beautiful hotel in great location”

Fantastic holiday. Very friendly staff. Welcome drink on arrival. We were upgraded to a pool room and a bottle of wine in the room. Pool area is beautiful with loads of sun beds. Breakfast has most things you would expect. Loved it and would recommend

“Excellent”

Lovely hotel a few minutes walk Skiathos town! Our room was clean and well equipped, breakfast was good plenty of choice. We had one evening meal on a Sunday when there was an entertainment on! This lifted the atmosphere of the restaurant, other evenings it was very quiet, we always called for a n… more

Lovely hotel a few minutes walk Skiathos town! Our room was clean and well equipped, breakfast was good plenty of choice. We had one evening meal on a Sunday when there was an entertainment on! This lifted the atmosphere of the restaurant, other evenings it was very quiet, we always called for a nightcap. Staff are excellent so friendly, always happy to chat and answer questions about the local area. Pool area was very good, always sunbeds available. My final thought is this hotel is spotlessly clean everywhere.

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“Not a 5* anymore”

Arrived here but rooms were not ready. The reason being they let people stay in their room until 1-1.30pm for free and then charge €70 for a later check out. Therefore, they haven't got enough time to clean the rooms. We have stayed here before and the breakfast was always good but this week it is … more

Arrived here but rooms were not ready. The reason being they let people stay in their room until 1-1.30pm for free and then charge €70 for a later check out. Therefore, they haven't got enough time to clean the rooms. We have stayed here before and the breakfast was always good but this week it is cold apart from when we had a fresh omelette but the person cooking them has now left! Surely they could get someone to cook instead of him in what is supposed to be a 5* hotel! This hotel is in a great location which is why I picked it. It is only a short walk to town where there are lots of bars, shops and restaurants. Staff here are friendly and rooms are very clean and we have clean towels daily. I would definitely return if they could get their act together and managed to have hot food! I have already booked Skiathos for next year but not this place unfortunately. This is my favourite island out of all the Greek Islands and I come here every year.

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“7 day Holiday to Skiathos for first time”

Upon arrival we were slightly perplexed that the hotel was so close to the airport as the transfer was around 8 minutes and the initial WOW factor did not hit us when considering the other buildings on display, I even asked if we were at the right hotel. That said once inside the hotel was pleasant… more

Upon arrival we were slightly perplexed that the hotel was so close to the airport as the transfer was around 8 minutes and the initial WOW factor did not hit us when considering the other buildings on display, I even asked if we were at the right hotel. That said once inside the hotel was pleasant and the front of house welcoming. Anyone travelling to Greece has to pay the new climate tax which for 7 nights was around 75 euros. There is no gym or indoor pool with this hotel however the location to Skiathos town and nearby shops, bars and restaurant's was only a 7 minute walk and a massive plus around convenience and exploration. Our luggage was delt with and taken to our rooms on arrival which was a lovely touch and believe this an improvement from reading other reviews, and whilst this was happening we were cordially invited to a complimentary drink at the bar so we could take in the view, its pool and immediate dining surroundings which on reflection looked lovely. The main thing I noticed immediately was how quiet the place was which had us relaxing from the get go. My wife and I stayed in room 109 over looking the pool where we had our own balcony. Some of the other terraced balconies were shared which we wouldn't have liked however the only downside to our balcony other than the mosquitos after dark was the playground to the right hand side which from 1830 until around 2100 was plentiful with noise, laughter, crying, and kids being kids. Fortunately unlike all the cats the children did eventually have homes to go to. After two days of our stay we attended breakfast for the first time and truthfully it was not what I expected, and certainly not something I would suggest was 5 star, and instead helps a person respect the more simple pleasures in life. The hotel did not serve any fruit juices, instead it had warm orange squash. Specialty coffees were served from a machine where upon request the staff would put these in glasses instead of the mugs so they looked the part, but they were anything but special since machine drinks. What disappointed me the most however was the warm food such as the bacon, baked beans, and mushrooms that truthfully were either cold or the bacon very under cooked. What didn't help was the units these were served in which had lots of old food remnants around the warmers that did not look clean. What also didn't help was all the plates were cold given no plate warmer which might be an easy problem to resolve and help guests keep their food hotter. The whole feel of breakfast was something of a large let down especially given the amount we paid for B&B at this hotel. On a plus side however, we tried the snacks for dinner and had two evening meals both of which were amazing. My fillet beef was truthfully one of best meals I had on the Island which makes no sense as to why breakfast, catering for only 42 rooms, should be so poor since it should have been the best start to anyone's day when on holiday. This may be something the hotel wishes to comment on and certainly looks to improve for 2025 since most of the staff were aware of this but unable to change. Day 3 was a struggle to get a towel since some beds, which were great by the way and comfortable, had four towels on them. It would seem the Grey Goose sponsored towels were in short supply some days and still going around the dryer instead of being ready for the hotel guests after 0800. The pool though lovely on closer reflection and inspection had a lot of algae in the grout and under the grates that ran around the pool. These need thoroughly jet washing when the hotel is closed for winter and grates replacing as many are discolored and ill fitted between tile and pool on both sides. I stubbed my toe quite badly on day four near the stage area, which actually could have been a lot worse and a rather large complaint. Ironically once you start experiencing a few issues you notice more and more things that are not quite right, and so unintentionally a person begins looking for things that are not representative of a 5 star hotel. Granted the rustic charm from cracked tiles hidden by plant pots, or character aged uneven floor tiles around the pool area that could see those less steady on there feet have an accident, or the plants devoid of water on dining tables shimmering in the sunlight, all adds to the overall ancient Greek look and feel of the place especially when swimming viewing rusty chair legs and tables at eye level, yes it certainly all added to the ambience and overall general demeanor of the hotel that could be so improved upon and uplifting. All this said, at night, the place took on a different twist and looked fantastic and although the pool had some lights out the whole area was well lit where al fresco dining could be enjoyed. Whilst the hotel may not have reached a 5-star rating, the pool staff shone brightly as did the house keepers where our room was perfectly cleaned everyday, so a tremendous big up to all the staff especially the lads, as the ladies just need to engage a bit more with guests since they always seemed quiet. The dated appearance of the hotel does add a touch of nostalgia, reminding guests of times gone by with its slowness and attention to detail. The once a week entertainment, or the wonderful house cat and his colleagues who live around town only added to the whole authentic experience. All the above said we still had an amazing time in Skiathos and would not count out returning to the La Piscine following many changes I have mentioned in order it climbs the star rankings. Location is everything but we would certainly hire a quad or scooter to fully experience the island and all it has to offer since many of the beeches and inlets were dreamy but also on the other side of the Island where the buses don't go. I wish anyone visiting Skiathos a lovely holiday since the Island was an amazing place with lovely people and guests alike but be sure to do your homework around what star rating you deem to be appropriate so to not be disappointed. A full make over in some areas is necessary for this hotel chain to meet the standards of a top-tier establishment, but in the meantime, guests will enjoy the quirky charms this place has to offer and will make unforgettable memories.

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