Agalia Luxury Suites, Ios: The Hotel Built Around Its Pools
Most Greek island hotels put a pool on a terrace. Agalia draws the whole hotel around one.
We filmed here at the end of August 2024. The hotel stands on the slopes above the port of Ios, with the Chora on one side and Koumbara Beach and the sunset on the other. There are only 19 rooms and suites, and that keeps it calm even in high season.
The pools
The main pool is 178 square metres, and it isn't a rectangle anywhere. It curves through the stone terraces in bright turquoise, with little wooden bridges crossing the water and a carved rock sitting in the middle of it.
The detail you'll remember is the covered bed that hangs over the water under a white shell of a roof. You reach it by crossing one of those wooden walkways. It's the most photographed spot in the hotel, and for good reason.
Some people will find all of this a lot. It's colourful, sculptural and not at all minimal. If your idea of the Cyclades is plain white walls and nothing else, this isn't your hotel.
Which suite to ask for
Five of the rooms and suites have private pools, and four newer suites have several pools each. If you're coming for this hotel specifically, ask for one of these. The pools are the point of the place, and having your own means you'll have it to yourself at sunset.
What to do on Ios
The hotel is a good base for an island most people only know for its nightlife. Yiallos, Tzamaria and Koumbara beaches are all a few minutes away by car.
On the water: private boats to coves you can't reach by road
On land: wine tasting and trekking
At the hotel: cooking classes, yoga and massages
Who should book it
Book it for a couple's trip where you'd like to spend most of the day at the hotel. Skip it if you want to walk to dinner every night, because you'll want a car or a transfer.
We've also reviewed Calilo, the other hotel on Ios worth your attention. For the full list, read the best luxury hotels in the Greek islands.
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