ブルー ドルフィン(Blue Dolphin)

We had a week’s stay on the island of Andros and we chose to stay at the Blue Dolphin in Batsi resort. The hotel is positioned on a hillside which is what gives it the spectacular view but this does mean you have to get up and down the hill when you want to explore Batsi. It’s not a huge hill but it’s worth bearing in mind for those with mobility issues. Getting the suitcases from the roadside to the hotel was also a little sweat inducing due to the terraced nature of the hotel garden. We did know this in advance of arriving but we didn’t let that put us off from booking. The beach is only a short walk from the hotel. There are some steps linking the hotel road with the beachfront making the total distance from the hotel to beach to be around 200m. It only took us about 5 minutes to walk, maybe a little longer on the return journey! Once down on the beachfront there are a few restaurants at this end of the bay but the majority of the restaurants/cafes are located on the other side of the bay. That said, even the other side of the bay isn’t a long walk and it’s all on the flat once you get down to the beachfront. The hotel had an incredible view over the bay and we got to see this every time we walked out onto our balcony or when we sat out on the terrace. We found our room to have everything we needed and we were very comfortable for the duration of our stay. Our bathroom had recently been refurbished so had modern bathroom fixtures and décor. The shower was great; very roomy and had good water flow and pressure. The only slight negative was the bed- the mattress was a little firm for our liking but we appreciate that we all have different likes when it comes to mattresses. That said, we still enjoyed good sleep thanks to the peace and tranquillity of the hotel location. We spoke with Christos, the owner, nearly every day. He showed an interest in the activities we were planning and gave suggestions and he regularly enquired as to whether we were happy with the hotel/room and if we needed anything. We felt welcome from the moment we arrived. Staying in a small, family run hotel like the Blue Dolphin allows for a much more personal service. This might sound odd but it was a pleasure to return from our day trips and discover what coloured/patterned sheets had been put on our bed or what the colour of our towels were going to be. In large hotels these things will always be the same, usually white so we found it quirky and homely for these things to be different. We were extremely happy with our choice of hotel and enjoyed our stay.