“Beautiful island, lovely hotel”

The owners are very accommodating, friendly and seemed keen to make sure our stay was as enjoyable as possible. It was a theme repeated throughout all our dealings with the local people. Their knowledge of the island meant we got the most out of Ikaria in the 10 days we stayed. Booking cars, ferries, lifts into town to the nearest cash machine - nothing was too much for them. They even gave my girlfriend a present on her birthday. Make sure you get one of the balcony rooms overlooking the sea.

“Best Kept Island Secret”

At the Ikaros Star, I woke up to the roosters and the sunrise over the ocean view from my balcony every morning, drinking tea and feeling like Ingrid Bergmann. Our bed was comfy, the shower was large by Euro standards, and we felt like we had the entire cliffside manor to ourselves. The staff (a lovely Greek family) speak good English and are attentive and extremely helpful, with directions, maps and a full, gorgeous brekky spread daily (try the Ikarian honey!). Gialiskari is incredibly hilly, with steep, private roads, so bring shoes with good traction, and definitely stay at the Ikaros Star.