At the end of September, my husband, I and our 4legged Toska enjoyed a lovely early autumn break at the Six Keys Seaside Lodge, the dog friendliest hotel we know in Greece, that is located directly on the beach of Kalifteri in Affissos; a 22 km drive from Volos.
It was our second visit to the former boatyard transformed into a boutique, all-suite hotel. Our first visit was in June of 2011, shortly after the hotel opened and it was nice to see that the quality of their services was still great, without being intrusive or fussy!
Inspired by the architecture of Provence, the Six Keys two-room suites are fitted with comfy king-size Cocomat beds and have a terrace that leads down to the beach where guests are offered free sun loungers and beach towels throughout the day. I’m told that in the summertime it can get really crowded but on both our visits we really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, a deserted beach, magnificent views and swimming in gorgeous azure waters!
During our stay, our days started with long early morning walks with Toska, followed by a refreshing swim and then, a splendid breakfast on our private terrace;
sometimes with a tumultuous sky and unstable weather . . . which we didn’t mind, as it always cleared up really quickly and we got plenty of sun to enjoy the rest of our days on the beach or making fun excursions to beautiful nearby mountain and seafront villages.
If you like, the hotel staff can arrange organized tours on horseback, scuba diving, as well as walking and hiking tours to nearby villages . . .
and for the less active I would suggest enjoying the peaceful garden with its seating areas and hammocks . . . and a good book!
The food served at the hotel restaurant was outstanding. I was truly impressed with many of the innovative combinations of traditional Greek dishes with modern twists prepared by the hotel’s talented young chef, Dionisi Zacharopoulos.
Also, I really liked the idea of ordering my breakfast, a la carte, from the restaurant’s varied breakfast menu in the evening and having it freshly prepared and served, in the morning, at your preferred hotel location; in the beach-side restaurant or on you private terrace.
Apart from breakfast, we enjoyed all our evening meals on the terrace just above the beach with candlelit tables and superb view . . . and about the best food we’ve had in long time; charming presentation and exquisite flavors!
From the various dishes I tried, my favorite were the grilled pie with herbs, served with Cretan xigalo cheese and parsley cream, the veal sausage covered with spetsofai cream and topped with a poached egg as well as the fresh grilled tuna served with a hibiscus and red grapefruit sauce.
The only dessert we tried one afternoon, at the beach, was a medley of citrus delights with a cold meringue made with Tsipouro and lemon and vanilla ice-cream. This ultra-rich combination was a true delight . . . and even if I normally don’t eat many sweets . . . I would go back in a heartbeat for more! I think you would2!!!
NB! Please note that this hotel is open from May - October!