Guest User
June 26, 2024
We stayed in the Irides, Luxury Apartment Hotel (Aegina Island) in July of 2023 and enjoyed every minute of it. It feels like a Boutique Hotel renovated in a trendy sleek style and proudly owned/managed by a hard-working family. Very clean room, comfortable bed, plentiful breakfast. Every room has a gulf view. It is very soothing to hear the whisper of the waves when you wake up and go to bed. Bright sun and ever-changing colorful pallet of the sea, the sky, and hills call to step outside. You would walk along the water's edge and look around changing the angle of your sight. With its every new look, nature makes you believe you are in a special place on Earth full of peace and harmony. Be in shape to complete a two-hour walk up to the highest point of the island to reach one of the world’s cultural treasures, the Temple of Aphaea (490 BC, the oldest surviving temple in Greece). Now, imagine the point where you are standing is the vertex of the equilateral triangle. To the North-East (ten+ kilometers) there stands the Athens’ Pantheon and to the East - temple of Poseidon. At this moment you should feel happy and agree with others who appreciate smart ancient Greek architects who built the holy triangle of temples without Google Maps. On your way back, if the weather permits, immerse in the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Aegina. Beach rubber shoes are required. Do not forget you stand on the extinct volcano. Or you can step into a tavern on the half way to Irides. Surprisingly, you will find the service similar to an urban trendy place rather than a country-style eatery. Under the table, you can have a cat or a dog as your companion. We never felt annoyed by the animals: they seemed to be disciplined. When you are back to Irides, relax. If we say the place has friendly staff it will not do all the justice: we have been taken care of like we were part of the family. On top of all, we received a precious present: a can of handmade honeyed grounded walnuts. This energy-charged food could have kept us moving around the world. Instead, we have been eating it by a teaspoon for about a month after our return home to Miami (USA). Each time the mouth-sweetening palette indulged our senses we remembered what was unforgettable – our stay with Irides family. Unforgettable and priceless.