Princess Tia Studios

Peacefully set on their own just a 3-minute stroll from the village centre, the Princess Tia Studios offer what is arguably the best location in Balos, separated from an uncrowded stretch of the sweeping beach only by their own gardens and a small access road.

The studios belong to Tia and Yiannis, a very charming couple who live in the pretty bougainvillaea-covered house at the back of the garden with their two young daughters. Both speak excellent English (in fact, Tia grew up in Connecticut and only returned to the island of her ancestors as a young woman), and succeed in making every guest feel as welcome as a dear old friend, which is in fact what many returning guests have become over the years.

There is a total of 14 studios, arranged on two floors in a V-shape. Whilst not extravagantly luxurious, they are well-appointed, maintained to a high standard and kept spotlessly clean. All the studios have open-plan kitchenettes with a fridge and a two-ring hob, en suite shower rooms, ceiling fans and air conditioning (local charge), balconies or terraces with views across the garden to the sea. Two sets of studios are inter-connecting and therefore suitable for families of four, with a double bed in one studio and twin beds in the other. The remaining studios all have twin beds.

In spite of the fact that the beach is so close that you needn't be an athlete to throw a stone and hit the sea, Tia and Yiannis have made their property even more desirable by adding an enticing, L-shaped swimming pool embedded in a stone-flagged terrace. Whether you choose to relax by the pool or on the beach, Princess Tia's small bar, which operates as an honesty bar in the low season, is on hand to provide a refreshing drink with the minimum of effort. Open until early evening, the bar is a pleasantly social gathering point to meet your fellow holidaymakers (and a handful of locals), or perhaps chat to your hosts and seek advice on some of the local walks and other secluded beaches.

With the village's enticing waterside tavernas just the shortest of strolls away and the mobile bakery serving Balos stopping just outside the studios every morning, Princess Tia Studios are the perfect venue for those in search of a thoroughly relaxing holiday with a generous dose of authentic Greek hospitality, although car hire is recommended for those wishing to explore beyond Balos.