Calilo

Calilo in Ios is truly a work of art and artisanry. The entrance feels like getting immersed in a magical world. The lobby is very cool, in an unconventional type of way. Every single wall in the bedrooms seems handmade, with little stones in mosaic style. It incorporates the elements of the island and merges with its nature. Marble all across the floors, it’s truly beautiful. It is secluded in its own bay and does not have many rooms so it really feels boutique, spacious. Perfect place to relax. The staff is also fantastic and attentive to detail, first class treatment from everyone; from the check in staff, to the breakfast staff, beach bar staff, cleaning services staff, everyone. Breakfast features both buffet and a la carte and you can order as much as you want.. Room is cleaned and tidied twice daily, and it is really cool because in the evening they prepare the ambiance for sleeping and relaxing, putting music on, turning off the lights, setting up the slippers by your bedside. you really need to experience it to see how cute it is. The beach has large bungalows complimentary for hotel guests and the bay itself is gorgeous, the best in Ios if you ask me. Crystal clear water with tiny grainy rocks which I find very therapeutical for the feet. The guests who complain about the beach are odd (thats nature made anyway, so how is that the hotel’s fault?). Preferring man made invasion is a disrespect to the island’s nature, which this hotel does not do! The only thing I did not appreciate regarding the beach is the lack of showers, toilets and changing rooms nearby. Going all the way to the bar is unrealistic, and I didn’t see any showers by the pool area anyway, only a small one by the chess board for feet only. Lastly, if you plan to go here, do your research because it is very secluded (30 min from chora) and if you do not have a car, you will feel stuck. Hotel does however offer transfer service to and fro for a very reasonable charge. We loved it!

Must try if you have plan to go in Greece for holiday , i had with my wife fantastic 6 days , all the staff are amazing , kind , and ready for any kind of help you need , included if you fall down as i did ( stupid me ) and need to take care of my knees :). I will not attaching any pics because what they show is 100% the true , if you go to Calilo you no need to think about plan a trip outside of there , just go there for relax for try all the different kind of restaurant they have , my favorite was the fine dining one , with perfect view from restaurant , quality of foods , service and introduction of the plates and pairing of wines , in the main restaurant and bar you always have at least 4/5 waiters will never leave you alone and managers araund you for help you to choose what you need , honestly coz i never been to greece before even i am italian but live in china from too many years i can say for foods and beverage Calilo is even cheaper of Santorini and this surprise me a lot. If you really wanna have a nice honeymoon , private , with a super huge villa only for you and your wife , in Greece please pick up it , they even provide to us one night to discover another villa because was the only one free .....impressive . And what make this place with a PLUS for me are all the PEOPLE work there with passion , smiling and give you a feeling to know them already from long time.

Calilo was the reason we decided to visit Ios. We were greeted by our private driver by the ferry and the ride took about 20 minutes. They welcomed us with a signature drink and escorted us to the breakfast area while they were checking us in. The breakfast buffet and a la cart were included in our room rate. The entire property is artsy and trendy. We stayed in the Panoramic Smiles suite which was extremely spacious and had a swing and several private pools. The beach area was amazing and we spent several hours every day lounging and swimming in the sea. The food was excellent. We never had a bad meal. We used the spa for a massage and a facial- both were excellent. We enjoyed our stay very much and highly recommended it to anyone looking for a relaxing vacation.

Getting off the ferry at Ios was the most pleasant of 4 stops. Our hotel transfer was waiting for us immediately after exiting ship. This whole exit the ferry process took less than 5 minutes to sit in the transfer. The ride was lengthy but scenic, lots of mountain, valley, coastline and sun plants. When you arrive at the property you immediately see this picturesque resort in the middle of the rocky island with beautiful natural appeal. Exiting the private transfer and walking up to the front entrance you are greeted by a concierge front desk staff member to show you the property and offer you a welcome drink. We were blown away by the design of the property filled with custom statues and murals all with the purpose of separating negative from positive and help set the tone for your stay. Our concierge specialist Ioannis also assisted me in setting up a birthday surprise for my wife via email, he arranged for her favorite flowers, balloons, a delicious birthday cake and a staff birthday card to make my wife's special day that much better (he must have told the entire staff of her birthday because she was celebrated everywhere we went), my only responsibility was to get my wife out of the room and their beautiful spa provided the perfect cover. We both received spa treatments and I for one almost fell asleep during the massage. Breakfast (included) provides lots of a la carte and buffet options, leaving any taste satisfied. The lunch and dinner options are room service, main restaurant, and a fine dining experience with optional wine paring. Sommelier Fillipos expertly selects the accompanying wine for the 9 course meal, he explains why he chose the wine, where it comes from, its history, and some of the flavor profile in a way that is not overbearing. The fine dining meal was fantastic every dish named after a different Greek island really gives you a sample of places you may not have the time to visit. Our personal favorite was dish 6 (a cacio e pepe) and our least favorite was 2 (sardines presented in a finger food dish). Mariana was our waitress staff member at the fine dining restaurant Chez, she was really nice and even helped my wife down a flight of steps since her heels were of the 'ooolala' variety. The main restaurant is simple yet refined, and the selection is varied for all tastes (includes vegetarian, vegans, pescatarians, and carnivores like myself). 2 of the most memorable wait staff members were Maria and George, both assisting us on multiple occasions throught our stay (there were more great staff members but I failed to gain their names during our 3 night stay). The F&B manager Taros (I hope spelled that way *sorry if not) was great and very welcoming, he was always present and observing the performance of the establishment. Our most memorable moments were at the beautifully designed main bar conveniently located in the middle of the main restaurant and stocked with some of the rarest fine whiskeys, tequilas, gins, and rums

How has this Hotel not got a higher score in reviews? It is literally heaven on earth! As far as negativity regarding pricing on some of the reviews- don’t come here if you’re counting the pennies. It’s a luxury resort. It has cost me a fortune but it’s a holiday I will never forget. The upkeep on this place must be staggering but it’s unparalleled. There is not an inch of this retreat that hasn’t been thought through. The design concept and the individuality of rooms is amazing. I can honestly say I have never stayed anywhere like this before. I am not one for holidaying somewhere only to stay on the resort. Our plan was to hire a car and explore the island since the hotel is so secluded. Once we got here it all changed. The staff are outstanding, the food is excellent. We’ve had spa treatments, yoga session and been to the gym almost every day (which incidentally is not your basic hotel gym, state of the art equipment). Now we are ready to leave refreshed and relaxed. I will 100% be coming back with the rest of family next visit. Also, you’ll be the envy of everyone on insta!!

This hotel is truly one of a kind - you are situated in an exclusive, remote area with access to great beaches, modern amenities and friendly/dedicated staff. The entire experience is almost like having your own private island with the peak capacity of the resort at only ~80 guests. If you know what you are getting into (this is not your typical Ios experience) and have the means to splurge on a luxury experience, you can’t go wrong with choosing Calilo.