Where to stay on island of Naxos

Do some research about St. George Beach. It's just a short distance away from Naxos Town so you can easily walk to the shops and restaurants if you want a change from what's available to you at that beach.

nan,

I very much enjoyed my stay at Hotel Grotta, which is an easy walk from the main part of Naxos town and all the shops and restaurants. The room was very comfortable, the staff were great and they served a wonderful breakfast.

The hotel was recommended by one of the Greek travel agencies on Matt Barrett's Greece Travel website, and they certainly provided me with a winner!

I have stayed both at Hotel Grotta (2x) and at St. George Beach. Most hotels offer transportation from Ferry dock, but not from airport, but it's just about a E8?? ride. Here's a handy map that shows locations so you can compare vistas and convenience of choices -- http://www.naxos-greece.net/villages/TOPOGRAFIKO.HTML

• Grotta Hotel is straight uphill from the ferry dock & Bus circle -- above #18 on map, in area showing streets; it has nice view of the causeway and arch, IF u specify a room on the sea side of hotel. It can be windy up there! Do note: it's a steep climb after dinner; take flashlight if you want to do the cliff path shown (shorter than the road). Grotta is handy to the bus circle, and OK if you don't want to walk out of your door & sunbathe on sand (early may, before 15th is a bit too brisk to enjoy swims). If you walk in from Hotel to outbound road, u can catch hourly bus to the outer beaches, they'll be v. empty in Early May.

• Agios Giorgios (St. George) beach is on the level... reached from ferry or portside cafes and shops by walking around seafront to #7, where the hotels begin. Almost none of the hotels/pensions facing right on the sand are large -- mainly family-owned 12-30 rooms. All have water-view balconies/patios, fridge in room, some have kitchenette ells. Best location, smack in middle of beach, is Hotel Asteria. Another just back from sand, Villa Naxia, excellent reviews. There are several tavernas right on the beach, but it's such an easy 10-15 minute stroll into town... no need to rent a car, except it's nice to get one for a day, to take a whirl around the entire island. In early May, just after rains end, it will be green with glorious flowers on mountainsides ... be prepared for "traffic jams" of herds of goats or sheep ambling across the road!

We also stayed at Agios Giorgios beach and can agree with the previous posters. It is an easy walk to town and there are a few good restaurants in the Agios Giorgios neighborhood; we liked Nikos Taverna. We also rented a car for one day and enjoyed visiting other small towns and sights on Naxos. Not sure if the ferries are running in May but we took a day tour to Delos, the archaeological island. The boat stayed at Delos for 3 or 4 hours and then 3 hours on Mykonos before returning to Naxos. If you are interested in history or ancient sights this might be an option.

Hello nanbussey. I liked Hotel Apollo. I was not there recently, but I guess it is still there. Hotel Apollo is at the north side of Naxos Town (Hora). A quick and inexpensive Taxi ride from the Airport to Hotel Apollo. I walked from Hotel Apollo to the Bus stop at the Waterfront. Busses go from there to the beaches. And I walked from Hotel Apollo to a good restaurant and to the Pharmacy located at the Pedestrian road at the water front (near the Pier for ferry boats). When I was at Naxos, Hotel Apollo was evaluated as being more pleasant than the hotels located near Agios Georgios Beach. Hotel Apollo had a good breakfast buffet in the pleasant breakfast room that adjoins the hotel lobby. Friendly staff.