Skiathos Palace Hotel
Skiathos Palace Hotel is a 258-room, four-star hotel built on a pine-covered hillside at Koukounaries Bay, on the south-west tip of Skiathos in the Sporades islands of Greece. It looks out over two Blue Flag beaches, its own quiet Maratha beach and the famous golden sand of Koukounaries, with sea views from the pool, the terraces and many of the rooms. Families come for the setting, the two beaches and the views, and take it on bed and breakfast or half board.
On this page
Is it worth it?
Who it suits, how you get around the hillside, then the facts to skim before the detail.
Skiathos Palace is a long-established four-star hotel in one of the best positions on the island, high on a pine hillside above Koukounaries Bay with two Blue Flag beaches below it. The draw is the setting and the sea views, which carry across the pool, the terraces and many of the 258 rooms. It runs on bed and breakfast or half board rather than all-inclusive, so lunches, drinks and anything beyond the buffet dinner are paid on top. The single most important thing to picture before you book is the terrain: the hotel is built up a hillside, there's no lift, and you reach it, and the beaches, by steps or a sloping driveway.
Families single out the views, the two beaches, the warmth of the staff and the rooftop grill restaurant. The recurring gripes are the steep access and the steps down to the sand, older rooms that show their age, and the cost of food, drinks and sunbeds. Two structural points decide it for a young family. There's no kids' club, only a playground and babysitting on request, and the single pool has no separate shallow section for toddlers. It suits families who are happy to carry a baby in a sling or manage steps rather than rely on a pushchair all day, and who'll watch pool time closely, more than those wanting flat ground and a children's pool.
Best for
You want a hillside setting with sea views and two Blue Flag beaches, you're happy on bed and breakfast or half board, and you can manage steps with a young child rather than needing flat ground.
Maybe not for
You rely on a pushchair around the site all day, you want a children's pool or a kids' club, or you'd rather everything was a flat, level walk.
Best ages
Babies upwards, with a caveat. There's no crèche or kids' club, and the pool has no shallow toddler section, so pool time needs close supervision.
What stands out
The clifftop position and the panoramic views, two Blue Flag beaches from one hotel, and a rooftop grill restaurant guests rate highly.
What to check
That you're comfortable with the steps and the no-lift hillside, and whether you want a bathtub for bathing a baby, since the top room tiers have walk-in showers only.
Where is it?
On a pine hillside above Koukounaries Bay at the south-west tip of Skiathos, in the Sporades islands of Greece, about 15 minutes by car from the airport.
Quick facts for families
What the hotel is like
Where it sits, how the 258 rooms spread up the hillside and what the awards strip stands for.
Skiathos Palace sits on a pine-covered hill at the south-west point of Skiathos, directly above Koukounaries and Maratha bays. It's one of the older established hotels on the island, at 258 rooms and suites, and the grounds are mature, with trees, vine-covered trellises and a children's playground set on a patio between the buildings. The rooms are decorated in the bright, simple colours the hotel describes as traditional island style, and most look out over the bay. It's a long-established hotel that has had refurbishment work over the years, so the newer rooms feel fresher while some older ones show more wear, which is worth knowing when you book.
The hotel holds a Blue Flag and a Green Key for its environmental standards, along with Travelife and Greek Breakfast certification, ISO quality, environmental and food-safety standards, and a Great Place to Work award from 2024, with recognition from Tripadvisor and HolidayCheck. Pets are allowed up to 5 kg.
The hotel gives these distances from its own front door.
| Place | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skiathos Town | 6 miles (10 km) | The island's only town, with the harbours, shops, restaurants and nightlife. |
| Skiathos port | 7.5 miles (12 km) | Ferries and hydrofoils to the Greek mainland. |
| Skiathos airport (JSI) | 7.5 miles (12 km) | Around 15 minutes by car. |
| Koukounaries beach | 250 metres | Down the hillside, by the beach shuttle or on foot. |
| Maratha beach | 150 metres | The hotel's own beach, also down the hillside. |
| Local bus stop | 100 metres | At the foot of the driveway, for the south-coast bus route into town. |
Getting around the hillside
The thing that shapes a stay here more than anything is the terrain. The hotel is built up a hillside and reached by steps or a driveway, with no lift anywhere in it, so it isn't suitable for guests with mobility problems. A pushchair is hard work as a result, and many families manage a young baby in a sling instead. A local public bus stops on the road at the foot of the driveway, about 100 metres away, for the south-coast route into Skiathos Town.
Getting down to the two beaches is the same picture. A hotel shuttle bus runs to and from Maratha and Koukounaries beaches, which helps, but it covers most of the way down rather than the whole route, and there are steep steps at the end, roughly 100 up from the beach and around 85 up from the road. The shuttle is commonly reported to run every ten to fifteen minutes, though the hotel doesn't publish a timetable. Koukounaries beach itself has Seatrac, a mobility-assist track for step-free access into the sea once you're down there, which is useful to know even though it doesn't solve getting down to the beach in the first place. If you need a step-free or adapted room, check directly with the hotel before booking.
Every restaurant and bar
The two restaurants, the three bars, room service and how the rooftop grill differs from the rest.
Skiathos Palace has two restaurants and three bars, plus room service. It runs on bed and breakfast or half board, so breakfast, and dinner if you're on half board, come as buffets in the main restaurant, and everything else is paid on top. There's no all-inclusive option.
The Main Restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and is where the day starts, with an American-style breakfast buffet. For half-board guests it also serves a buffet dinner in the evening, and there's an à la carte menu for anyone not on a meal plan. The buffet format suits young children, since there's no fixed menu to work around and there are plenty of plain options. The indoor dining room can feel a little dated, though the food is generally well rated.
The White View Grill Restaurant sits up on the hotel's roof garden, with a view over Koukounaries Bay. It's Greek taverna style, with a barbecue, local dishes and fresh fish, and it's the venue guests rate most warmly in reviews. It's the one restaurant that needs a table booking, which you make through the hotel's own website.
There are three bars. The Pool snack-bar serves juices, cocktails and light snacks by the pool through the day and into the evening. The indoor lounge bar is the spot for cocktails and long drinks, and it also hosts events. The Maratha Beach Bar sits down on the hotel's own Maratha beach, with sun loungers, parasols and towel service alongside cocktails, coffees and light snacks. Room service brings breakfast, light snacks and in-room celebrations, and it's payable on top.
How booking and meals work
You're on bed and breakfast or half board here, not all-inclusive, so budget for lunches, drinks and any à la carte meals on top, and guests find on-site food and drink pricey against the tavernas nearby. The White View Grill is the only outlet that needs a table booked ahead, through the hotel's website; the Main Restaurant, the bars and room service take you as you come. High chairs are available at the restaurant.
Rooms and suites
Every room category with its official size, the single pool and the two Blue Flag beaches below.
The hotel has 258 rooms and suites across nine categories, from Standard rooms up to two-bedroom Double Suites. Most look out over Koukounaries bay. The table below is the full line-up with the official sizes and occupancy; the guidance after it is which suit a family with a baby or toddler, and why.
| Room | Size | Sleeps | View and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Room | 32 m² | 1–4 | Most overlook Koukounaries bay; private balcony or shared garden; bathtub-shower; empty mini fridge |
| Superior Room, Koukounaries view | 32 m² | 1–3 | Balcony framed for the beach; adds robe, slippers, kettle and a minibar |
| Executive Room | 36–45 m² | 1–3 | Private veranda with sunbeds; 48-inch TV; minibar |
| Executive Plus, panoramic sea view | 36 m² | 1–3 | Veranda with sunbeds; walk-in shower; free non-alcoholic minibar; tea and coffee facilities |
| Suite, panoramic sea view | 50–80 m² | 1–4 | Veranda with sunbeds; two 43-inch TVs; free non-alcoholic minibar |
| Suite with outdoor Jacuzzi | 50–80 m² | 1–4 | As the suite, plus a private outdoor Jacuzzi on the veranda |
| Double Suite, panoramic sea view | 80–140 m² | 2–6 | Two bedrooms and a living room that converts to a third; three bathrooms |
| Double Suite with Jacuzzi | 80–140 m² | 2–6 | As the Double Suite, plus a private outdoor Jacuzzi |
| Interconnecting Rooms | 64–90 m² | 4–8 | Two categories combined on request, not a single bookable room |
There's no room actually called a Family Room. For a couple with one baby or toddler, a Standard Room (32 m², sleeping up to four) is the natural fit, or an Executive Room (36 to 45 m²) for more space and a private veranda. Once a baby is on an early bedtime and you want your own evening space, the Interconnecting Rooms option gives two separate rooms combined into one booking (64 to 90 m²); it's arranged on request rather than booked as a single category. For a larger family the Double Suite with panoramic sea view (80 to 140 m²) is the standout, with two bedrooms, a living room that converts to a third and three bathrooms.
One practical point on bathrooms: the Standard, Superior and Executive rooms have a bathtub-shower, which is easier for bathing a baby, while the Executive Plus rooms and the suites above them have walk-in showers only. The two Jacuzzi suite categories have an open outdoor Jacuzzi on the veranda, which is a drowning risk around a baby or toddler and needs an eye kept on it rather than being a feature to seek out with a very young child.
Every room has air conditioning, a private bathroom, a hairdryer, a safe, satellite TV and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Where the tiers differ is the minibar. Standard rooms have an empty mini fridge for your own things; Superior and Executive rooms add a minibar; and from Executive Plus upwards the minibar is free and non-alcoholic, with tea and coffee facilities added at that tier too.
Pools and water features
There's one pool, a large freshwater outdoor pool set on a wooden deck with sunbeds, parasols and a sun terrace looking out to sea. It's a genuine swimming pool with no separate shallow or toddler section, so it suits confident young swimmers with an adult alongside better than a very young toddler just finding their feet in water. A free beach and pool towel service is provided. The pool runs through the main summer season, roughly spring to autumn in line with the island.
The beaches
Skiathos Palace has organised access to two named Blue Flag beaches, reached differently.
Maratha beach, 150 metres away, is the hotel's own. It runs the beach bar there and lays out sun loungers, parasols and towels, and it's a quiet, tucked-away stretch of sand off the main road, with the hotel's bar the only one on it. The access road is rough for a low car, and there are steep steps down near the bus stop.
Koukounaries beach, 250 metres away, is one of the most famous in Greece: two kilometres of fine golden sand with calm, shallow water and pine forest running down to the shore, widely rated the best family beach on the island. It has tavernas, beach bars and water-sports rentals, and it's a large public beach rather than a hotel-only one. Reaching it from the hotel means the shuttle or a steep walk down and back up, since the hotel sits above the bay rather than on it.
Water sports at Koukounaries are run independently, not by the hotel, and cover waterskiing, windsurfing, parasailing, pedalos, canoeing, barefoot waterskiing, banana-boat rides and towable rings. A diving school sits about half a mile (1 km) away at the beach.
Babies and toddlers
What's provided for a baby or toddler, everything there is to do, and the days out beyond the hotel.
This is the section that decides the hotel for a young family. There's no kids' club, so there's no structured childcare programme for children of any age. What is provided is a children's playground, set on a patio between the buildings, with swings, slides and toys for younger children, and a babysitting service on request, arranged and paid for locally.
For baby kit, high chairs are available at the restaurant. Cots are reported available on request, so confirm one when you book rather than assuming it's in every room category. The buffet meals give natural flexibility for soft, simple foods, so plan to bring anything particular your baby needs. A doctor is available on a 24-hour basis from the nearby medical centre.
The honest read for a baby or toddler is that the hotel wasn't built around the very young. The no-lift hillside, the steps to the beach and the single pool with no shallow section all mean it suits families who are comfortable carrying a child and keeping close watch at the pool, rather than those wanting everything laid on and level.
On site and on the waterThings to do
On site there's a tennis court, table tennis and the pool and its sun terrace, and one operator also lists a card-games area. A weekly barbecue theme night runs by the pool, and there's occasional piano music at the bar in the evening, but no structured evening shows or mini-disco. There's no gym or fitness room.
Down at Koukounaries, the water sports covered above are run by independent operators, and the diving school half a mile (1 km) away reports water temperatures of 20 to 26°C and visibility up to 30 metres. A horse-riding centre is listed about half a mile (1 km) away too. For walkers, Skiathos promotes a network of 25 mapped hiking routes across the island, around 125 miles (200 km) in all, as a destination-level activity rather than anything the hotel runs.
The hotel arranges its own excursions and water outings: a tour around the island, a visit to the National Marine Park of Alonissos, a sunset cruise to Skopelos, and speed-boat rental. On the practical side it has car and motorbike rental, a mini market, an ATM and currency exchange, an internet corner with a computer, EV charging, a laundry service (payable), a massage room, a concierge, a lobby lounge, 24-hour reception and parking.
Around the islandThe area and days out
Skiathos Palace sits at the quiet south-west end of the island, so getting to the main town and the wider island takes a little planning. The public bus stop 100 metres away runs the south-coast route without needing a hire car, and the hotel's excursions and on-site car hire cover everything further afield.
Skiathos Town, about 6 miles (10 km) away, is the island's only town, built up the hillside in an amphitheatre of narrow streets and white houses, with two harbours split by the Bourtzi headland, the main Papadiamanti shopping street and the island's nightlife. Behind Koukounaries beach, close to the hotel, is Strofilia Lake, a protected nature reserve with an easy walking path around the lagoon that works with a buggy. Further out, Lalaria is a striking remote beach with a natural rock arch, reachable only by boat, and Kastro is the abandoned mediaeval capital on a headland, reached by boat or by car with some walking and steps. The island has more than 60 beaches in all, the developed ones along the southern coast where the hotel sits and wilder, less accessible ones to the north. For the wider island, its beaches and when to go, see our Skiathos guide.
Loves and gripes
What guests rate and what frustrated them, the ratings we found, how it compares and the journey and weather.
What families love
- The hilltop position and the panoramic views over Koukounaries Bay, the most repeated praise across the reviews.
- The warmth and attentiveness of the staff, named in recent reviews.
- The two Blue Flag beaches reached by the shuttle.
- The cleanliness of the rooms, described as immaculate in recent stays.
- The White View Grill Restaurant on the roof.
- The children's playground and the staff who run it.
Common gripes
- The no-lift hillside, the steep access and the steps down to the beach.
- Dated decor in the older rooms.
- The cost of food, drinks and beach sunbeds, felt high against the nearby tavernas.
- No kids' club.
- No shallow children's pool.
- The quiet, out-of-the-way location, with little within walking distance and a drive or bus to the town.
- No gym.
On service, the recent picture is warm. Reviews through 2025 and 2026 single out staff by name, among them Efi at the pool bar and Melica in the children's play area, and describe rooms cleaned daily and kept immaculate. As with any large, long-established hotel, some older reviews note service that varied with the season, though the recent run is consistently positive.
The sentiment we foundRatings we found
Across the review sites the hotel comes through as a strong, well-liked choice with consistent caveats about access and cost. On Tripadvisor it holds 4 out of 5 from around 3,000 reviews, ranked in the low 20s of 99 hotels in the Koukounaries area. On Booking.com it scored 8.6 out of 10 from 75 reviews when we checked in July 2026, with location (9.4) and staff (9.5) its highest marks and Wi-Fi (7.0) its lowest, and a ranking of 17th of 20 hotels in Koukounaries; both the score and the count move as reviews come and go. Trip.com shows 8.4 from 41 reviews. Treat these as a rough steer rather than a fixed figure, and read recent reviews close to your own dates.
Against the other Skiathos family hotelsHow it compares
The natural comparisons on Skiathos are Skiathos Princess, Elivi, the Atrium and Kassandra Bay. Skiathos Princess and Kassandra Bay both sit on flatter, more level ground, so they're easier with a pushchair than Skiathos Palace's hillside. For structured childcare, Skiathos Princess and Elivi both have kids' clubs where Skiathos Palace has none. What Skiathos Palace offers against all of them is its clifftop position, the sea views and organised access to two Blue Flag beaches from one hotel. The Atrium has its own, different hillside and steps to weigh. In short, its setting and views are its edge, and it's harder work on access and thinner on childcare than several of its neighbours.
Getting there and the best monthsGetting there and when to go
Skiathos airport (JSI) is about 7.5 miles (12 km) from the hotel, around 15 minutes by car, and the port is the same distance. Seasonal charter flights reach Skiathos over the summer from several UK airports, among them Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted, and Olympic Air flies in from Athens in about 40 minutes. There are also ferries and hydrofoils from the mainland at Agios Konstantinos, Volos and Thessaloniki, covered in our Skiathos guide. Most UK families arrive on a package with transfers arranged by the tour operator. The hotel also lists its own transfer service to and from the airport or port, so arrange and confirm it at booking if you want to be met.
Check-in is typically from 15:00 and check-out until 11:00. For families, September is the strongest month, still warm with a sea around 24°C and quieter beaches once the summer peak passes; July and August are the hottest and busiest; and May works but the sea is cooler for extended paddling. The island's season runs roughly spring to autumn, with many places closing by mid-October.
Month by monthWeather
Skiathos has no mountain spine, so the weather is much the same across the island and the hillside here tracks the general figures. Summers are hot and dry, springs and autumns milder, and from late July into mid-August the meltemi, the summer wind, can pick up and cool the evenings, which is felt more on this exposed clifftop than at beach level.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12° | 2.5° | 80 mm | 10 | 15° |
| February | 13.5° | 4° | 70 mm | 9 | 14° |
| March | 15.5° | 5.5° | 60 mm | 8 | 14° |
| April | 19.5° | 8° | 40 mm | 7 | 15° |
| May | 25° | 13° | 40 mm | 6 | 19° |
| June | 29.5° | 18° | 25 mm | 4 | 23° |
| July | 32.5° | 20.5° | 20 mm | 2 | 26° |
| August | 32.5° | 20.5° | 25 mm | 2 | 27° |
| September | 28° | 17° | 40 mm | 5 | 25° |
| October | 22° | 12.5° | 70 mm | 7 | 22° |
| November | 18° | 9° | 65 mm | 10 | 19° |
| December | 13.5° | 4.5° | 95 mm | 12 | 16° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer.
Questions
The things families ask most, the entry and health basics, and where to find the photos.
Is it manageable with a pushchair?
It's hard work. The hotel is built up a hillside with no lift, and the beaches are down steep steps, so a pushchair is a real limitation here. Many families manage a young baby in a sling instead, and use the beach shuttle for most of the run down. If wheeling a sleeping toddler around all day is your main need, a flatter Skiathos resort like Skiathos Princess or Kassandra Bay will suit you better.
Is there a kids' club?
No. There's a children's playground and a babysitting service you arrange and pay for on the day, but no kids' club or crèche of any kind. If daytime childcare is a priority, look at Skiathos Princess or Elivi instead.
Is the pool alright for a toddler?
It's a single freshwater pool with no separate shallow or toddler section, so a very young child needs an adult in the water with them rather than a safe paddling area of their own. Plan to supervise pool time closely.
How do we get down to the beaches?
A hotel shuttle runs to both Maratha and Koukounaries beaches, commonly reported to run every ten to fifteen minutes though the hotel doesn't publish a timetable, but it covers most of the way rather than the whole route, and there are steep steps at the end. Factor in the climb back up when you plan the day with a baby.
Are cots and high chairs provided?
High chairs are available at the restaurant. Cots are reported available on request, so ask for one when you book rather than counting on it being in the room.
Is it all-inclusive?
No. It runs on bed and breakfast or half board, so breakfast, and a buffet dinner if you're on half board, are covered, and lunches, drinks and à la carte meals are paid on top. Budget for that, and note that guests find on-site food and drink pricey against the tavernas nearby.
Is the airport transfer included?
The hotel lists a transfer service to and from the airport and port, but it doesn't say whether it's laid on by default or something you arrange, so confirm it at booking. On a package your tour operator usually handles transfers, so check which applies before you travel.
Do we need to book the restaurants?
Only the rooftop White View Grill needs a table booked ahead, through the hotel's website. The Main Restaurant, the bars and room service take you as you come.
Entry and health practicalities
Greece is in the Schengen area, so a UK passport needs to have been issued less than ten years before you arrive and to have at least three months left beyond your planned departure, and you can visit for up to 90 days in any 180. The FCDO had no travel warnings for Greece when we checked in July 2026. Under the EU's Entry-Exit System, Greek authorities have indicated they won't take UK travellers' fingerprints and photos, though this can vary, so allow extra time at passport control. For healthcare, a UK GHIC card, the post-Brexit replacement for the old EHIC, covers Greece's state system, and travel insurance with medical cover is worth having on top.
See more Skiathos Palace Hotel photos
Open the Skiathos Palace Hotel photo gallery →Useful links
- Skiathos Palace Hotel: the hotel's own site for rooms, restaurants and facilities.
- GOV.UK Greece travel advice: entry rules and safety updates before you travel.
- Skiathos with little ones: our guide to the island, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 17 July 2026.
