Portiani Suites

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Greek, so you can deal with the useful things without resorting to diving signs on dry land. Portiani Suites is a hotel for a stay built around Adamas: breakfast, the waterfront, a beach walk and the option of arranging diving excursions with local centres rather than having a dive operation inside the property.

The atmosphere is more town-and-sea than isolated retreat. You have a private balcony, air conditioning and your own bathroom waiting when the salt, sun and boat have done their work. Couples can keep things simple with a smaller suite and sea views, while families have roomier suite options that make more sense than trying to fit four people into a double room and calling it character.

Portiani Suites sits in Adamas, on the Greek island of Milos, in a quiet area close to the waterfront. The nearest beach, Lagada Beach, is about 500 metres away, with golden sand, sun loungers and parasols. Papikinou Beach is roughly 850 metres away, while Skinopi Beach is about 1.5 miles from the hotel.

The setting also works when you want something other than another stretch of coastline. The Ecclesiastical Museum of Milos is about 150 metres away, and the Milos Mining Museum around 550 metres. Sarakiniko Beach is approximately 2 miles away, and the ancient theatre and catacombs are within roughly 2.5 miles. For an evening drink, Plori Bar is about 300 metres away; Art of Bakery is around 1 mile away when coffee and something baked sound more convincing than a formal plan.

The smaller suites suit a couple who would rather spend the day outside and return to a neat, air-conditioned base. The Deluxe Suite with Sea View is the obvious choice when the view matters: you get the balcony and a direct sea-facing angle instead of treating the room as somewhere to leave your sandals. Air conditioning matters on Milos, particularly when you return warm, tired and still carrying the day on your skin.

For four guests, the Family Suite or Deluxe Family Suite is the sensible direction. The latter has two extra-large double beds, which removes at least one familiar holiday argument before it starts. Children of any age are welcome, with children aged four and over treated as adults for occupancy purposes. Each suite has a private bathroom with a shower, towels, slippers, bathrobes, toiletries and a hairdryer.

You also have a wardrobe or cupboard, a flat-screen television, free WiFi and a balcony. The room setup is straightforward rather than overloaded with gadgets, which is no bad thing when the main requirement is a shower, dry clothes and somewhere to sit before dinner. Honeymoon travellers have a dedicated suite category, while the sea-view option gives couples a more obvious reason to choose one room over another.

Portiani Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on its terrace, with Mediterranean cooking and views towards the sea. The kitchen works with fresh, local ingredients, so the focus is on the sort of food that belongs on an island rather than an international buffet trying to be everywhere at once.

Breakfast is included and served as a buffet. That gives you a useful start before heading out for the day, while lunch and dinner keep the hotel relevant when you would rather not go searching for a table after returning from the water. There is no need to turn every meal into an expedition; sometimes the most valuable restaurant is the one downstairs, especially when your appetite has arrived before your enthusiasm for walking.

Lagada Beach is close enough for an uncomplicated change of scenery: take the short walk, claim a lounger under a parasol and let the afternoon become someone else's scheduling problem. The hotel also offers access to snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding, with equipment rental available for days when you want to stay on the water without putting on a full kit.

Boat trips and island tours broaden the choice beyond the immediate shore. They are useful for couples travelling together when one of you wants a day on the water and the other prefers seeing more of Milos without turning the outing into a dive timetable. Cultural excursions are also available, with museums, the catacombs and the ancient theatre giving you a land-based alternative when another marine activity would be one wet day too many.

The beach facilities are practical rather than theatrical: golden sand, sun loungers and parasols. After that, your balcony and air conditioning do much of the heavy lifting. Add the restaurant terrace, and the evening can remain pleasantly simple.

Milos Island National Airport is about 2.5 miles away, around 15 minutes by car. An airport transfer can be arranged on request, either as a private service or in another form agreed with the hotel. Car hire is also available if you want to reach beaches and island sights beyond Adamas.

Check-in is available from 14:00, with arrivals handled through 22:00. Check-out is at 12:00. There is no age requirement for checking in, and children of all ages are welcome; the property does not provide cots or extra beds, so choose the room around the people actually travelling rather than hoping the furniture will negotiate on your behalf.

WiFi is free throughout the hotel. You can also use luggage storage, a concierge service, laundry and dry-cleaning services, while a safety deposit box is available at reception. Visa, Mastercard and cash are accepted. The hotel is non-smoking throughout, and pets are not allowed.