The Hydroussa Hotel
As you pass through the tall gates into the courtyard of the Hydroussa Hotel on the little Greek island of Hydra, you instantly experience its inviting embrace–even before stepping through the intricately carved wooden doors and into the marble coolness of the lobby. The allure of the property is a leafy courtyard sanctuary – shade trees, flowers, potted plants and vines – climbing whitewashed walls. This is most likely where you’ll begin your day with an al fresco breakfast at one of the wrought-iron tables with striped-cushioned chairs and end it with a moonlit nightcap. My husband and I recently did exactly that when we returned to the island where we were married ten years ago.
Formerly the Xenia hotel, the Hydroussa, is an arresting example of the distinctive Hydriot architectural style and was designed by notable Greek architect, Aris Konstantinidis. It proudly conveys a stately stability harkening back to Hydra’s heyday. The hotel likes to brag about its cinematic pedigree having starred in not one, but two, iconic films from the early era of Greek cinema, “Boy On a Dolphin,” and “A Girl in Black,” starring, respectively, Sophia Loren and Elli Labeti, legendary screen goddess of Hellas.
A charming drawing room off the lobby with an exquisite array of antique furniture and old nautical accoutrements like brass sextants and compasses greets curious guests trying to get a sense of Greek island culture. This hint at grandeur is softened by a sea of lace which bestows upon the space a coziness that carries throughout the simple surroundings. Lace is beloved by the Greeks and it’s one of Hydra’s specialties, made by local women noticeable on warm days sitting in their sewing circles working on their delicate creations. Our charming room overlooked a little of Votsi square, a small public gathering place with an oversized chess set, an occasional donkey tied to a tree and the most beautiful lemon trees. The soaring ceilings helped keep it cool and the small fridge stocked with chilled water was a nice touch especially considering the island’s scorching heat that beat down even in early September. The hotel is tucked on a winding street just far enough from the hubbub of the port just a few meters away so we never felt too far from the sea, a nice feeling when visiting any Greek island.
Here on Hydra as elsewhere in Greece, the siga, siga (slowly, slowly) ethos is valiantly upheld. This makes it a cinch to grab the island groove by the horns and take it easy especially since vehicles are completely banned here. We followed the code and began our days slowly at the hotel with a wonderfully filling Greek breakfast served buffet style off the ornate dining room. Most guests opt to carry their plates out to the bucolic courtyard where you can usually catch a soft Mediterranean breeze wafting through the open fence. There one can relax and just get lost in watching the island’s street scene with islanders and their donkeys providing a truly photogenic parade.
At dusk, pricey drinks at a crowded, open-air bar along the port leave us uninspired and we are compelled to head back toward the island’s upper reaches to what had become by then one of our favorite places – Hydroussa’s courtyard! The chirping birds that greeted us in the morning have been replaced by soft music and twinkling lights strung through the trees add a romantic touch as the sun begins to set and the courtyard is transformed for cocktail hour. Flickering candles light the tables where glass bowls filled with fresh pistachios invite intimate company.
The Hydroussa Hotel is located next to the small church of St. Yiorgos (George) where our marriage was performed in an ancient ceremony. Our stay there coincided with another wedding that took place one afternoon, announced by the church bells ringing out across the small island just as they had for us!
The Hydroussa Hotel
Votsi Square, P.C.
Hydra, Greece 180 40
www.hydroussahotel.gr
30 22980 53580+30