Chios North Aegean Hotels

Chios Hotels & Villas: Where to Stay

Accommodation on Chios concentrates in the resort of Karfas near the capital, with quieter options in the mastic villages, the north-west and the estates of Kambos. Karfas and the nearby east coast hold most of the hotels and studios on their sandy bays, Chios Town suits a base near the museums and ferries, and the villages of Mesta and Volissos offer restored stone and medieval houses. The most exclusive stay is a converted 16th-century estate at Kambos. This guide covers hotels first, then villas and self-catering. Hire a car to explore Chios at your own pace, covered in our Chios car hire guide.

Hotels, apartments and villas on the island of Chios, Greece — Hotels and studios on Chios, Greece

Main resort: Karfas
Own beach: SeaBreeze, Agios Emilianos
Village stays: Mesta & Volissos
Most exclusive: Argentikon, Kambos

Panorama Studios, Karfas

Panorama Studios & Apartments stands on a hillside above Karfas, away from the noise of the bars and restaurants and 300 metres from the beach, with a panoramic view over the Aegean and the coast of Asia Minor. The fully equipped rooms suit families and travellers who want a quiet base with a view. Karfas, 7 km south of the capital, is the largest resort on the island, with a long sandy beach that shelves gently and is safe for children, watersports, a good spread of restaurants and bars, minimarkets and a bank. Because public transport on Chios is limited, a car helps for exploring, as set out on the Chios car rental page.

Residence SeaBreeze, Agios Emilianos

Residence SeaBreeze is a complex of 18 sea-facing apartments at Agios Ioannis, Agios Emilianos, 9 km from Chios airport and 10 km from Chios Town, with its own beach and a walk to Agia Fotini in between three beaches. The apartments range from 50 to 120 m2, each with a separate bedroom and living room, a kitchen with two cooking rings, a large fridge, a coffee machine, a toaster, a radio and CD player and satellite TV; air conditioning is an optional extra. Facilities include a minimarket, a pool bar, a swimming pool and internet access at reception, which makes it a self-contained base for a family or a group.

Mastic Island Studios, Agia Ermioni

Mastic Island Studios are in Agia Ermioni, a small fishing village with a little port and a traditional setting away from the tourist resorts. The building holds 10 spacious studios, each with a TV, a shower and WC, a kitchenette and a balcony, plus fans and thermostat-controlled central heating, around a large courtyard planted with flowers. The studios are 50 metres from the local beach and sleep up to four or six people, which makes them a good-value base for families who want serenity and countryside walks. The village keeps a few markets, bakeries, cafes and tavernas, several specialising in fresh seafood.

Argentikon Luxury Suites, Kambos

Argentikon Luxury Suites is the most exclusive stay on Chios, a 16th-century estate at Kambos turned into a luxury hotel that pairs a natural garden setting with imposing architecture. It offers highly personalised service for a demanding clientele, with extensive gardens and walking paths, a spa and sauna, and an outdoor swimming pool. The estate also works for business, with a multifunctional centre and meeting room fitted with current technology. Kambos, the walled plain of citrus estates just south of Chios Town, gives it a warm climate, a light sea breeze and secluded privacy, and it is described in the Chios sights guide.

Villas & self-catering

Chios also has villas and self-catering houses, mostly restored stone and village homes rather than large estates. The best of them sit inside the historic villages, where you rent a house within the medieval fabric, or in the north-west near Volissos. The areas below set out where to base a self-catering stay.

Medieval Castle, Mesta

Restored houses in the medieval village of Mesta, Chios

Medieval Castle is a set of restored houses scattered within Mesta, one of the best-preserved medieval mastic villages in the south of Chios, so a stay puts you inside a village continuously inhabited since the Middle Ages. The houses combine modern facilities with a 14th-century setting of stone walls and covered lanes, and the owners can arrange excursions around the island. It suits travellers who want atmosphere and history over a beach on the doorstep; the village itself is covered in the Chios sights guide.

Lithos Homes, Volissos

Lithos Homes in the hill village of Volissos, Chios

Lithos Homes are stone-built houses at the top of the traditional village of Volissos in the north-west, set just below a Venetian castle with views over the fertile plain of Kambos towards the sea. The houses are decorated in an authentic traditional style, created with respect for the original architecture, and they have free Wi-Fi. The beaches of the north-west, among them Limnos, Lefkathia and Managras, lie a few minutes below, and a car helps for longer trips. The beaches are described in the Chios beaches guide.

Chios Town, Kambos & Karfas

For a self-catering base with services on the doorstep, choose the Chios Town area. The capital and its citrus plain of Kambos hold apartments and converted estates within reach of the shops, museums and ferry, while Karfas just south adds studios and apartments a short walk from the island's main beach. This is the choice for travellers who want the town and the sand rather than the quiet of the villages.

Choosing an area

Where to stay on Chios depends on the holiday you want. Karfas and the east coast put you on the island's main beach with the widest choice of hotels and restaurants. Chios Town suits a base near the museums and the ferry, and Kambos just south holds the estates for a luxury stay. The mastic villages of Mesta and the surrounding south give you medieval atmosphere and quiet, and Volissos and the north-west offer stone houses above uncrowded beaches. A car helps wherever you stay, since the villages and the best beaches lie far apart, as explained on the Chios car rental page.