Review: Belvedere Studios, Astypalea Town, Greece
In this review we will stay at Belvedere Studios in Astypalaia Town, a wonderful accommodation on the outskirts of the main town of the Greek island of Astypalea.
Arrival
Once I arrived at the remote port of Agios Andreas after an excellent boat journey from Naxos, the host of my accommodation on Astypalea was already waiting at the dock.
For my three night stay on the island of Astypalea (often spelled as Astypelaia as well) I had reserved a studio at Belvedere Studios.
It seemed to offer a boutique hotel-like experience with beautifully decorated rooms and commanding views over Astypalea Town.
I’m a sucker for a good view, and although the freshly cooked breakfasts and great ratings and reviews were definitely a factor in my decision, in the end it were the pictures of the panorama over Astypalea Town which was the deciding factor.
Maria, the owner and host of Belvedere Studios, kindly offered a complimentary ride to the accommodation.
Given Astypalea’s main port is located in the middle of nowhere, this was most welcome as I only planned to take a rental car on day two of my stay.
Belvedere Studios
The building in which the studios are located a few steps down from the main road at the northern edge of Astypalea Town.
The path with the steps has to be one of the prettiest on the island with its red and purple bougainvillea!
Belvedere Studios is located on the left side of the steps, with the path going down further all the way to the small fishing settlement of Pera Gialos, which formerly was Astypalea’s main harbour.
At the small complex, the entrance to each of the studios is located on a large, shared terrace which has absolutely stunning views over the fishing harbour of Pera Gialos and Astypalea Town (Chora) with its hilltop castle (Kastro).
Each studio has its own table and chairs, which makes for a perfect spot to eat breakfast, have a nightcap, or just sit during the day to read a book and to admire the panorama.
Studio
The studios are all designed in a kind of Cycladic style (yes, I know that Astypalea is part of the Dodecanese).
Think of whitewashed walls, round archways and touches of deep blue and you get the idea.
I thought the studio was nicely decorated and certainly cosy!
For 70.50 euro per night, I had booked a triple room studio, which at the time of booking was the only option which was left.
Belvedere Studios also has a full apartment for rent and smaller two-person studios.
Upon entering my studio, you first step foot into the small kitchen, which features a tiny cooker, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and a sink.
Further down the long but narrow studio is a small dining table and a couch which can be used as a bed for one.
Around the corner all the way in the back there is a raised double bed a couple of steps up from the floor.
Although I certainly liked the design of it and had a great night of sleep, it might be a bit narrow for people who don’t like to be too close to their significant other at night or who need a lot of personal space.
Power sockets were plentiful throughout the studio, even though there was unfortunately one missing directly at the double bed, which I always think is a minor negative point.
WiFi internet worked fast and was certainly reliable, both inside the studio and outside on the terrace.
The studio also featured a small TV and air-conditioning, which I barely had to use given that the design of the studios already ensured natural cooling.
Bathroom
The bathroom door is located in the front of the studio right after the kitchen.
Just like the studio itself, the bathroom was long and narrow, although that meant it had the advantage of the shower being located at the other far end than the toilet and sink.
As I wrote before, a common problem in many Greek accommodations is that showers do not have a good partition and are thus prone to the floor being flooded after you take a shower.
Fortunately, that was not the situation here!
Just like the rest of the studio, the bathroom was perfectly clean.
Breakfast
Breakfast was not included with the room rate but could be added to the booking for an extra surcharge of 7.50 EUR per person per night.
As online reviews were all raving about the quality of the breakfast, I decided to go for it as well.
The breakfast is served each morning by Maria at your time of choosing.
You can either eat it inside your studio or outside on the large terrace, which was my preferred spot because of the great views.
There is plenty of space on the terrace to move your table from the shade into the morning sun or vice versa.
The cooked breakfasts certainly did not disappoint.
There is no menu option, so you basically have to tell Maria in advance if you have any dietary wishes or if there is anything in particular which you like or don’t like.
Given that I basically eat everything, I just told her to surprise me with some Greek delicacies.
Maria justifiably prides herself on the quality of her homecooked breakfasts, for which she mostly uses locally sourced, organic ingredients.
In fact, most of them actually come out of her own garden what she told me!
On the first morning, my breakfast consisted out of a salad, some bread, boiled eggs, homemade jam and cookies, as well as some soft, feta-like cheese.
The second day, the breakfast served was entirely different, as this time I got some Greek yoghurt with banana, some kind of deep fried bread and a homemade chicken meat pastry – which was especially delicious.
It made for the perfect start of each day and I can certainly recommend taking your breakfast at Belvedere Studios for an authentic touch of homemade Greek breakfast foods.
Terrace
I absolutely loved my stay at Belvedere Studios.
Sure, Maria’s homemade breakfasts and general hospitality as well as the nice studio all played a role, but what I loved most was the view, of which I simply could not get enough.
The view is perhaps even prettier in the night when the town lights reflect onto the whitewashed building walls and when the hilltop kastro shines in the floodlights.
It was simply an amazing place to sit down in the late evening with a bottle of wine, just taking in the surroundings.
Location
Although Belvedere Studios is located on the northern outskirts of town and thus not smack bang in the middle of Astypalea Town, I still loved the location.
First of all, you need to stay a bit out of the town centre if you want to have full panorama views like these.
It is also more quiet and you can easily park your (rental) car nearby on the main road, a bonus given that the small winding streets and alleys of the old town are car free.
If you walk the steps down for some 10 minutes, you will find yourself in the small fishing settlement of Pera Gialos at the foot of Astypalea Town (Chora).
Although this is actually the shortest path to Astypalea Town as the crow flies, you would have to climb again all the way up from Pera Gialos to Chora at the end, making it rather unpractical.
You are therefore better off to walk along the meandering but flat main road to Chora, a pleasant walk which takes about 15 minutes on foot or just 3 minutes by car.
A supermarket can be found a similar walking distance away in the opposite direction along the main road.
In short
If you are looking for a great accommodation in Astypalea Town, look no further than Belvedere Studios, which is located a short walking distance away from the old town on a lovely bougainvillea-covered path.
The actual studios are nicely decorated and offer a charming, cosy and quintessential Greek décor.
Best of all are the grand views from the terrace over Astypalea Town, something which you will surely enjoy both in daylight hours and at night.
Another factor which clearly sets Belvedere Studios apart are Maria’s homecooked breakfasts, which make for a great way to start your morning.
Maria in general is extremely hospitable and helpful when it comes to anything which you might need or want to know about the island.
Although there certainly are some other great accommodation options on Astypalea, you really cannot go wrong staying at Belvedere Studios.
Trip report index
This article is part of the ‘A Dodecanese Dream: Summer Island Hopping in Greece‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:
1. Back in the Skies – My First International Flight in the Age of Corona
2. Review: Kimon Hotel, Athens, Greece
3. Exploring Plaka: Through the Winding Streets of the Old Town of Athens
4. Climbing up the Acropolis: Visiting Athens’ Most Famous Sight
5. Review: Skyserv Melina Merkouri Lounge Athens Airport
6. Review: Sky Express (ATR 42) Athens to Naxos
7. Review: Studios Zafiri, Naxos Town, Greece
8. Naxos Town: The Gorgeous Historic Heart of the Cyclades
9. Review: Blue Star Ferries Naxos to Astypalea
10. Review: Belvedere Studios, Astypalea Town, Greece (current chapter)
11. Astypalea Town: The Unknown Crown Jewel of the Aegean Sea
12. Astypalea Island Guide: Exploring the Butterfly of the Aegean
13. On a Night Boat in Greece – Astypalea to Kastellorizo With Blue Star Ferries
14. Review: Traditional Apartments Alexandra, Kastellorizo, Greece
15. Kastellorizo: A Look Around Greece’s Easternmost Island
16. Hiking on Kastellorizo: Two Sunset Hikes Detailed
17. Review: Olympic Air Kastellorizo to Rhodes (Dash 8-100)
18. Guide: How to Travel From Rhodes to Halki by Ferry
19. Review: Dorothea Apartments, Halki, Greece
20. Halki Town: Eating, Swimming & Relaxing in Beautiful Emborios
21. A Hike to Horio: Exploring Halki’s Old Abandoned Capital
22. Guide: The Best Beaches on the Island of Halki
23. Review: Hermes Hotel, Rhodes Town, Greece
24. A Visit to the Delightful Old Town of Rhodes
25. Review: Aegean Airlines Domestic Flight Rhodes to Athens
26. End of a Dream Holiday in Greece: One Last Day in Athens
