If you’re looking for a beachfront resort on Skiathos that’s still just a few minutes from maintown, Kassandra Bay Resort & Spa is one of the island’s best five-star options. Set right on Vassilias Beach, surrounded by olive groves and gardens, it’s a popular choice for couples and families alike. We had the most wonderful stay on our recent trip to Skiathos with Jet2, so here’s my full review.
Disclaimer: This was a gifted trip with Jet2holidays, however as always, my review of the resort is entirely honest and based on my own experience.
Why We Chose Kassandra Bay
There are dozens of hotels in Skiathos, so it can be quite working out where to base yourself. A key factor when deciding where to stay in Skiathos was location. We wanted to be located on a beautiful beach, but within easy reach of restaurants, bars and a main town area. Kassandra Bay offers precisely that. We were minutes from Skiathos Town by bus or water taxi, yet set on a calm, relaxing beach.
Our next priorities were to choose a hotel with excellent food and drink, and a kid friendly pool setup. After going over the online reviews, the comments concerning F&B were amazing, and then the hotel also offered a separate kid’s pool within the main one.
In the end, our prior research served us well, as Kassandra Bay was perfect for us!
Overview
| Kassandra Bay Resort — At a Glance | Rating |
|---|---|
| 📍 Location | 5 / 5 |
| 🛏️ Room | 5 / 5 |
| 🍽️ Food & Drink | 5 / 5 |
| 🏊 Facilities | 5 / 5 |
| 👋 Service | 5 / 5 |
| 💰 Value | 5 / 5 |
Review of Kassandra Bay Resort
First Impressions
We arrived around 8.30pm, after having only landed at Skiathos Airport at 8pm. Jet2holiday’s transfer service was incredibly efficient and slick. We were being dropped at the doors of the hotel before we knew it! It was such a warm welcome from the team, and check in took a matter of minutes. Always appreciated when travelling with a baby.
Although we couldn’t see our sea view as it was dark when we arrived, we could hear the waves lapping the shore. It made us incredibly excited for the morning.
Location
Kassandra Bay sits directly on Vassilias Beach, around 3km from Skiathos Town. It’s also about 10 minutes by car from the airport. It’s the ideal set-up if you want a proper beach resort but still like the idea of heading into town for dinner.
There are three main ways to go and from town.
A water taxi runs between Vassilias and Skiathos Old Port. This is a lovely way to get into town without worrying about taxis or parking. There is a small jetty directly in front of the hotel, and you have to walk across around 40m of sand to get to it, which is useful to note if taking the stroller to town. It runs at set times throughout the day and costs
The island’s only bus route also passes nearby, with the hotel located at stop number 8, marked by big blue signs on the road. There are 26 bus stops overall that stretch around the southern part of the island. From the hotel, you can hop off at stop number 4 for an easy walk (less than 5 mins) into the heart of the action in Skiathos Town. You can also use the bus to head on the opposite direction towards Koukounaries Beach, which is the last stop. The bus service was so easy and fares to town were just €2.20 one way. Buses ran every 15 minutes so you were never waiting for long!
Lastly, walking to town! We were pleased to find that the road from the hotel to town was walkable, and even with the stroller. It wasn’t perfect the whole way, with a few overgrown bushes creeping onto the pavement/sidewalk. But in just 30 minutes, we were in the centre of Skiathos.
We ended up hiring a car too one day which gave us greater flexibility for exploring the coastline. Kassandra Bay arranged this with delivery and collection from the hotel too. Super easy!
Our Room
The resort has around 100 rooms and suites spread across the hillside and gardens. Most have balconies or terraces looking out to the sea, pool or gardens. The options range from sea-view doubles and family rooms to split-level maisonettes, jacuzzi suites and suites with their own private pool. There’s also an adults-only Suites section of the resort for couples wanting a quieter stay.
We had a split-level room, which was incredibly spacious with an open plan living area downstairs, plus a big bathroom. Upstairs was another bedroom with a smaller bathroom. It was wonderful when travelling with a little one, as we had so much room for sterilising bottles and what not. They also arranged a baby cot which was in our room on arrival. #
We even had two TVs and electric blinds. It was so nice just pressing a button and then being greeted with a stunning sea view.
Our balcony had the most glorious sea view, and one where I could also see the planes coming into land at Skiathos airport! Loved it.
I could also see the pools and the restaurants easily from our room, so as some days were more autumnal, it was helpful as I could decide what to wear based on what others were wearing outside.
The room was kept spotlessly clean by the housekeeping team and had properly the most storage I have ever seen in a hotel room. A really great mix of cupboards, drawers and wardrobe space, as well as a huge extended cubby hole under the TV for shoes and storing Oliver’s playmat.
My only gripe about the room was the lack of coffee machine. We just had a kettle and coffee sachets, and as someone who adores a morning coffee, I was disappointed. Plus, with a view like we had, it was a shame to not settle into our balcony furniture and start the day that way!
Facilities at the Hotel
The heart of the resort is its large wooden sun deck and saltwater swimming pools. They’re set just above the beach and surrounded by gardens and all the hotel’s eateries are set here too. It creates for a wonderful, flowing atmosphere, even though there’s plenty of space for everyone!
There’s also a separate children’s pool, and the adults-only Suites side of the resort has its own pool for guests staying there.
Below the main deck area, the hotel has direct access to Vassilias Beach, with sunbeds, umbrellas and watersports available along the bay.
It’s worth noting that despite being set into the hillside, there were sloped paths everywhere, even down to the beach. We didn’t struggle at all to get around with the buggy, and then there was a lift up to our room (by the spa) so it was one of the easier hotels we’d stayed in in terms of accessibility.
The spa offers massages and treatments along with a hammam and sauna, and there’s a fitness centre for anyone keen to keep up a workout on holiday.
On a rainy morning halfway through our stay, we booked a massage each which was honestly divine. Knowing it was wet and windy outside, but that I was relaxing in the treatment room was magical. I ended up staying in my gown for hours in our room just relaxing afterwards, it was so lovely.
The staff also in the spa were lovely and really committed to making sure the experience was as relaxing and soothing as possible.
Communal Areas
As mentioned, the restaurants were all set within the pools area, which really meant you had everything within close reach. Yet, it never felt busy or crowded. There was one day during our stay with inclement weather, and quite a few of us all settled into the comfortable sofas in the covered bar area by the pool. It was surrounded by glass on all sides, so we were able to watch the weather and the crashing waves from the warmth and dry bar. Loved it! There’s also a large living room area by the lobby. And although we never needed to spend time there, we appreciated the daily sweet treats on offer!
Food & Drink
Breakfast is a generous buffet in the main restaurant called Amvrosia, with plenty of Greek and international options. I know the Greeks have a sweet tooth, but I’m honestly not sure I’ve ever seen an array of more sweet treats at a breakfast in my life! But there was also a substanial cooked breakfast section too, as well as omelettes, salads, a bread station and cereals etc too. But I think at least 3 or 4 counters were otherwise dedicated to sweet treats. It took a lot of self discipline to not sample everything each morning!
For lunch, there is the poolside restaurant with sea views, plus a pool bar (K Bar) and a beach bar (Pelagos) for cocktails and snacks during the day. And for dinner, the hotel offers a la carte dining at either Black Olive, Mesoyios or more casual snacks at the pool area.
On the first night, despite not getting to the hotel until about 8.30pm, we ended up eating at Black Olive. I thought we’d originally save eating here until later in the week, and dress up the for evening, but as it was about 9.30pm but the time we were ready for dinner, it was basically empty and quiet.
It was such a good shout eating there that evening. The dinner we had was fantastic, and we devoured our meal. The staff didn’t seem to mind that we’d sat down so late or that we had a little person with us. In fact, in all the restaurants, they were always more than happy to bring over a high chair and one was always available.
A few nights later, we tried Mesoyios. Again, what an amazing dinner experience. I enjoyed the best moussaka ever, and staff were so attentive and helpful with Oliver in his high chair.
After eating in Skiathos Town a few times in various tavernas, I would say the hotel food was better!
Service & Other Nice Touches
The staff are incredibly helpful at the hotel, and everything ticked by really well. So you know it is a very well-run hotel. Food always came in good time, and we never had to wait long for service around the pool or at the beach. The team made such a fuss of Oliver too and made him feel so welcome!
Who Is Kassandra Bay Best For?
Families will appreciate the family rooms and maisonettes, the children’s pool and play area. They will also enjoy the shallow sandy beach right on the doorstep.
Couples can opt for the adults-only Suites or a room with a private pool or jacuzzi. It also suits anyone who wants a relaxing resort stay with Skiathos Town’s restaurants and nightlife close at hand.
As we went at the end of October, there were fewer children and more older couples. It had a very chilled feeling around the hotel, but you could see lots of people making use of the great location too to head into Town in the evening.
That being said, the hotel is not overly geared towards children over the ages of about 6, or teenagers. If you’re in need of kids club and facilities that stretches beyond the pool and beach, then Kassandra Bay may not be for you. For us with a 9 month old, it was perfect. We made good use of the grass stretch behind the pool for playtime and crawling during the day, and he loved playing in the sand at the beach. Yet he’s not at the age where we could avail of a kids club or a playground etc.
Price & Booking
Kassandra Bay is open from spring to early October. It’s best booked as a package holiday with UK operators. As mentioned, we booked with Jet2holidays, which offers great value and includes flights to Skiathos and transfers. As the airport is only around 10 minutes away, transfers are quick and easy.
The Verdict
Overall, we loved our stay. It was the perfect, restful late September break, combining a lovely hotel setup with easy exploring. After finding Corfu last September to be quite expensive to explore, Skiathos was so much easier. Kassandra Bay, despite being on a bed and breakfast basis, was much better value than our all-inclusive Grecotel experience in Corfu.
And having the flights to Skiathos arranged as part of our package with Jet2, everything was seamless from start to finish.
So there’s my full review of Kassandra Bay Resort & Spa. Make sure to also read my island guide to Skiathos here!
