álas cycladic suites

If your ideal island base is a small aparthotel rather than a large resort, álas cycladic suites keeps things pleasingly straightforward. You stay close to Agios Prokopios Beach, with a private bathroom, air conditioning and a balcony looking onto a quiet street. The atmosphere is more useful than theatrical: come back from the water, shower, open the fridge and decide whether the evening requires a restaurant or simply a chair outside.

You will be understood in English, German and French by the hotel team. The property also offers the practical shape of a self-contained stay, with a kitchen area, coffee machine, kettle and refrigerator in each unit, while daily housekeeping keeps the domestic side from becoming another task on your holiday.

You are in Agios Prokopios, on Naxos, with the golden sand of Agios Prokopios Beach about 50 metres away. Agia Anna Beach is roughly 400 metres away, while Plaka Beach is about 1 mile from the property. A beach day therefore needs no planning committee: step outside, choose your patch of sand and get on with it.

The immediate area is set up for an easy stay. Traditional Greek Tavern Giannoulis is about 100 metres away, Zafiris Bakery Cafe around 200 metres away, and shops and supermarkets are close by. Naxos town is about 5 km away, with Naxos Castle, the Archaeological Museum and Portara all in the same general direction. Naxos Island National Airport is roughly 2 km away.

The room choice matters here because the layouts serve different sorts of stay. For two people wanting more room to spread out after a day by the coast, the Superior Suite is the sensible direction. Couples who prefer a more compact base can look at the Junior or Standard Suite, while the Standard Double Room has a king-size bed and sits on the semi-basement level. That last detail is worth taking seriously if natural light and being above ground are high on your list.

Every unit has air conditioning, soundproofing, a balcony facing a quiet street and a mosquito net. The refrigerator is useful for keeping water cold, the coffee machine and kettle cover the first drink of the day, and the desk gives you somewhere to deal with messages without turning the bed into an office. A flat-screen television with cable, satellite and streaming services is there for the evening when your legs have had enough of Naxos.

The interiors combine Naxos marble with local wooden furniture, while the private bathrooms include a shower, towels, slippers, toiletries and a hairdryer. Upper floors are reached by stairs only. Daily housekeeping is included, and laundry is available when salt, dust and a few days of island living have caught up with your suitcase.

Alas Restaurant handles the main meals on site, with Mediterranean cooking, fresh local ingredients and traditional Greek flavours. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on a terrace, with a relaxed dress code that should suit anyone whose day has involved swimwear, sandals and a little too much sun. Breakfast comes as a buffet and is included in the stay.

For something colder, Alas Bar is a pool bar with cocktails. Room service is available on request, which is handy when the sensible plan is food without the return journey to a table. The restaurant serves breakfast from 07:00 to 10:00, lunch from 12:00 to 15:00 and dinner from 19:00 to 22:00. There is no need to decode an all-inclusive wristband here: the stated board is breakfast included, with the rest chosen as you go.

The outdoor pool gives you an easy non-beach option, with a swim-up bar beside it. There is also a hot tub for the part of the day when floating horizontally sounds more appealing than doing anything ambitious. Outdoor seating lets you stay outside without committing to another excursion.

For time on the water, the hotel offers access to snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, boat excursions and equipment hire. On land, you can take up cycling, hiking or cultural excursions, including island tours and visits to historical sites. Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna keep the simplest option close at hand; Naxos Castle, Portara and the Archaeological Museum give you somewhere to point the day when the sea has had enough of you.

If you are travelling with family, children of any age are welcome, and a children's menu and babysitting are available. The property does not allow smoking, pets or parties, so the evening is more likely to involve a quiet drink than a surprise nightclub.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight, and you need to tell the property your arrival time in advance. Check-out is scheduled in the morning, and luggage storage is available if your departure and your last swim do not line up neatly. Express check-in and check-out, a tour desk and concierge service help with the unglamorous but useful parts of island travel.

An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel; car hire is also available. The property is close to the airport, the beach and local services, so you can keep transfers short and leave the hire car question until you know whether Naxos has earned more than a few excursions. Free WiFi covers the hotel, and a laptop safe is available in the accommodation.

The upper floors are accessible by stairs only. All accommodation is non-smoking, and children are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available. Payment is accepted in cash, Visa and Mastercard.