APOLLON Design Boutique Hotel

APOLLON Design Boutique Hotel suits you if you want a small, adult-focused base in Parikia rather than a self-contained resort where everything happens behind the gates. The setting is quiet, the hotel has 28 rooms, and the beach is only 50 metres away. That gives you a straightforward daily rhythm: breakfast, sea, a swim, then back to a cool room before dinner in town.

English and German are spoken by the hotel team, so you can deal with the practicalities without hand signals or hopeful pointing at menus. There is also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, a concierge and a tour desk for sorting out the island days that do not involve diving.

The overall feel is design-led but usable rather than theatrical. A garden, terrace, sun terrace and shared lounge give you somewhere to sit when the room feels too small for lingering, while the location keeps you close to Parikia's restaurants, cafés and waterfront.

You are in Parikia, Greece, in a quiet area close to the coast. An organised golden-sand beach is 50 metres away, with sun loungers and parasols, so reaching the water does not require a taxi, a timetable or an expedition involving unsuitable footwear.

The traditional town and port are about 0.4 miles away. Livadia Beach is roughly 400 metres from the hotel, and Parikia Beach is about 0.9 miles away on foot. Cafés are nearby too, including Porto Bello di Paros at around 300 metres and Mikro Cafe Paros at roughly 800 metres.

For a little local history, the Archaeological Museum of Paros is about 0.5 miles away, while the ancient cemetery is around 300 metres from the hotel. A car takes you further afield: Naoussa, Antiparos and Parikia feature among the excursions that can be arranged, and the hotel also offers car hire.

Room choice matters here, particularly if you are bringing more than a toothbrush and a pair of sandals. The balcony rooms are the sensible pick for two people who want somewhere to sit outside, while the Comfort Triple Room gives three single beds rather than asking one traveller to negotiate a marital-sized sleeping arrangement with a friend. The smallest double room is better suited to a couple travelling light; its compact footprint leaves less room for sprawling kit and luggage.

Air conditioning is available for the hot, salty return from the coast, and soundproofing is built into the room specification. That combination should appeal when you want the door shut, the temperature down and the television ignored. Rooms also have a refrigerator and electric kettle, useful for keeping drinks cold and making a quick cup of tea before you head out.

Every room has a private bathroom with a shower, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. Extra-long beds are available, and the beds have been well received for comfort. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving, while a wardrobe, clothes rack, desk and bedside socket cover the basics without turning the room into an office.

Breakfast is included and served as a buffet with an American-style selection. That is the useful kind of start for a day on the water: you can eat properly before leaving rather than trying to build a meal from whatever happens to be hiding in the minibar. Breakfast can also be taken in your room.

Elias Restaurant covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Mediterranean cooking served on a terrace and views out towards the surroundings. It gives you an in-house option when you have no interest in walking anywhere in the evening. There is no need to put on a performance; sandals and a tired face are generally the natural uniform of a diving holiday, though the dress code is not specified.

For drinks, there is one named bar: Apollo Bar, a pool bar specialising in cocktails. A snack bar and an on-site coffee house add shorter stops during the day, while wine and champagne are also available. The hotel does not provide a continuous-snacking timetable or a late-dinner service in the information available, so plan the post-dive hunger accordingly rather than expecting food to materialise at every hour.

The outdoor swimming pool is the obvious place to spend the afternoon when you want water without putting a mask on your face. The pool has a bar, so you can move from a swim to a drink without having to cross the property in search of civilisation. The garden, terrace, outdoor furniture and sun terrace offer quieter alternatives when you simply want to sit down and stop moving for a while.

The beach adds a second, simpler option just 50 metres away. Sun loungers and parasols are available there, and the golden sand makes it easy to turn a non-diving day into a proper seaside day rather than an afternoon spent scrolling through weather applications. Snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, jet-skiing, fishing and boat excursions are among the water-based activities available.

On land, bicycles can be hired, while cycling and hiking are available in the surrounding area. Cultural excursions include Antiparos, Naoussa and Parikia, giving you reasons to leave the pool without pretending that every holiday day needs to be productive. Massage treatments and spa facilities are also available for legs, backs, feet, necks, heads, hands or the full body.

Paros National Airport is about 5 miles from the hotel, with the drive taking roughly 11 minutes. An airport transfer can be arranged on request, either as a private service or a shared shuttle through the hotel. Car hire is available if you want to explore beyond Parikia, while free private parking is available on site without advance reservation.

Check-in is arranged from the afternoon into the evening, and check-out runs through the morning into midday; the exact window attached to your booking should be treated as the one to follow. Private and express check-in and check-out are available, along with luggage storage, concierge assistance and a tour desk.

Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available when island dust and saltwater have taken liberties with your clothing. A safe is available, cash and major bank cards are accepted, and pets are not allowed. Children older than seven are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available, so the room arrangement deserves checking carefully if you are travelling with family.