Ypseli Anafi's Hive

Ypseli offers peace and tranquility away from our fast-paced digital world. This refined and beautiful place is very special along with those who look after their guests. Soft voices whisper around you while you gaze out at the vast horizon reminding you what an amazing planet we live on. 8 rooms offer you the comfort of your own home and more which enables you to rest and restore from your everyday life. The food, local wine, setting, and staff are second to none and I will return very soon....

Ypseli Anafi’s Hive is an exquisite boutique hotel with wonderfully warm, friendly and informative staff across every area of the hotel’s operation. I was met at the port at 5am by Sofia and together with two others we were taken on the short drive uphill, past the Chora in a comfortable minibus to the hotel with Sofia providing information about this being the very best time of the day and encouraging us to enjoy the sunrise. On arriving at the hotel, the velvety silence was all embracing. I immediately knew I was going to love it there. My suite - Honeycomb - was delightful. Everything was spotless; the bed was marvellously comfy; there was a settee to relax on in the living area/mini kitchen; a coffee machine; and a sink big enough to rinse through costumes/clothes after swims/walks. The en-suite shower room had a very powerful shower and there was a plentiful supply of gorgeous toiletries. I also had a wonderfully shaded patio which I would sit out on to respond to emails in the mornings. The garden was full of flowers which were selected to encourage bees, and I could smell the herbs which also grew there. Breakfast was served on the terrace 8am-10.30am and there were four choices including a vegan option, plus bougatsia and glyka daily. Filter coffee included-if you wanted another type of coffee that was also possible for a small charge. There was advice if you needed it about beaches to walk to - I visited four different beaches in the week I was there - the bus service (limited but available) and restaurants in the Chora. In the evenings staff were happy to call a taxi to get me into the Chora at a charge of between 5 or 8 euros each trip, and I’d ring the taxi myself to arrange a return trip after a dinner in town. On the Saturday of the week that I stayed, the hotel opened their restaurant. I never tried lunch there (I was always out walking somewhere) but I had dinner twice. The pasta dish with local sausage and fennel was delicious and the sea bream risotto fabulous too. It was always nice to sit with a pre-dinner drink watching the colours change as the sun went down. Sofia, Dimitri, Katrina - thank you all for making my visit so incredibly relaxing and enjoyable. Also I don’t think I’ve ever met nicer hotel cleaners - they were so lovely and I enjoyed my morning conversations with them too. I could not have been happier and I was incredibly sad to leave. Ta leme Ypsili’s team

The hotel is peaceful and beautifully laid out, well maintained and sympathetic to the landscape. It is tranquil, and although there are beaches and walks to do, it is easy to just gaze at the view from the terrace. The suites are comfortable and well appointed. We stayed in sting, which was a reasonable size 1 bedroom. It is easy to get to from the port, maybe 20/30 min walk to town, bus stops right outside. Staff really friendly and helpful, resolving issues, such as ferry problems We would definitely visit again

The place raises the bar on the island and in Greece on the whole. The vibe, the design, the staff, the rooms all excellent. The peace and calm of this place and its surroundings is the most precious thing and a quite rare to find feeling in Greece. Great attention to detail in everything including the lovely gardens around it, unique for Cyclades places, where owners can just rely on the wonderful views. We came back this year after staying last year. The only thing I would kindly suggest is having some more simple lunch options rather the current ones. The closest town has different variations of similar Greek food so an interesting twist on light Greek dishes would make business sense and would make people lounge at the pool more. I understand the vibe is peaceful and calm but I don't think it would be spoilt with a few more choices as the hotel is so nice to hang out. Will definitely come back! Thank you to all again!