My wife and I eventually managed to return to the Almyra for first time since June 2019 for two weeks. The welcome we received off Eleni was so warm and welcoming and felt as if we hadn’t been away that amount of time. We were disappointed to notice Jacob and Marrianna had left as well as one of the house-keeping staff but hey, Pavlo (Paul) and Thorvorish (Tayo) did ok in the two bar areas and the lady who replaced the house-keeper was very pleasant.
Regards COVID, we felt safe at all times and there was more of a problem with wasps, albeit this was a problem on the entire island and not confined to the Almyra or Fiskardo. Breakfast was the usual and more than adequate for that time of day. COVID testing prior to flying back wasn’t a big issue as you could make arrangements to be tested in Fiskardo at the Medical Centre. I understand in some cases, Eleni and Elina made prior arrangements for some of the guests, which proved very helpful for them.
There had been some nice improvements to the hotel’s exterior since we were last there in the form of a metallic gazebo with mechanically operated slat roof on the upper landing level beside the end of pool stairs. There was also a new canopy installed along the length of the external dining/seating area.
All restaurants in the marina were open and there was an ever changing presence of yachts and super yachts. It was great to be back!! Eleni and Tayo continue to do the shuttle bus operation from the Almyra to marina and vice-versa. If you prefer a taxi outside of the designated pick-up times, it’s still 4 Euros. Having mentioned taxis, Eleni still arranges the airport pick-ups using Fiskardo taxis and the price is still 80 Euros each way.
I noticed there was a higher presence of other European nationalities staying at the hotel this time than previous, as well as Greek. A nice mix overall. There were also more families staying but you can expect that during school holidays I guess. We normally stay in June or September.
Overall, we had an excellent two week stay and as usual, Eleni is the mainstay of the hotel. She works tirelessly to ensure she makes everyone’s stay so welcoming. Nothing is too much for her!! Having praised Eleni, the other staff members contributed to our excellent stay in a nice way too. We are certainly hoping to return next year.