Best Halki accommodations and top areas to stay
Halki is one of the most boutique Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, easily reachable from Rhodos
You will fall in love as soon as you enter the harbour, with the beautiful view of the colourful Dodecanese houses and the characteristic shining red roof tiles
It is actually a pity that many travellers come to Halki only for a day trip because it is at night that you will discover the magic of this island
This is when this beautiful island transforms itself into a local small community that you can experience only if you stay for one or more nights (I suggest at least 3).
Another reason to stay overnight is also that the Halki accommodations are actually amazing value for money, a world apart from other nearby destinations like Rhodes or Kos.
That is why I have organised this guide, with the best Halki accommodations, with a full description of their locations.
But let’s dive into it
Best places to stay in Halki – In a nutshell
I have listed in the table below the 3 major areas where you can book your Halki accommodation.
For each destination, I have listed my favourite hotel/Airbnb as well as a ranking on the main elements of the areas to quickly understand how the island is organised (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest value)
| Area Town | Best for | Avg. Cost | Suggested Hotel | Km from ferry | Beach | Character | Nightlife |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour Area | Character, practical, restaurants | $$-$$$$ | Amazing House (1BR) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Countryside | Budget stay, nature | $-$$ | Kleanthe | 1-2Km | NA | 3 | 1 |
| Ftenagia Beach | Quiet, Beach Seclusion | $$$ | Cohili Villa (2BR) | 2Km | 4 | 2 | 1 |
If you are running out of time, here below you find a quick list of the top three Halki accommodations, all in a distinct part of the island.
However, I suggest continuing reading below to discover more about the 3 different areas of the island and other hotels and holiday rental options
- 🥇 Amazing House (1BR): I am enjoying so much this accommodation, I am actually writing this post from my private balcony, facing the beautiful bay. I cannot recommend it enough!
- 🥈 Villa Antonis (2BR), with lots of space, it is ideal for a family stay. The view from the balcony is to die for. It’s a stone away from everything.
- 🥉 Kleanthe is the budget solution. The location is 5 minutes from the harbour, on the east side, and 5 minutes to the main beach, on the west side. Very quiet.
The island has essentially only one town, called as the island itself, Halki.
As a rule of thumb, the closer you stay to the Harbour area, the more expensive it gets.
As the town extends to the inland, you will mostly find holiday rentals with a bargain price.
This is the area I like to call In Between, located between the harbour and Pondamos Beach, the biggest beach in Symi
And lastly, there is a newly built area, with a few houses facing the tiny boutique Ftenagia Beach.
Below you will find more information about the 3 different areas, pros and cons, and a few suggested Halki accommodations for each place
Harbour area
- 🌎 Best area to stay in Halki for an overall experience 🏩 Amazing House (1BR) is the recommended accommodation in this area
- 👍 Pros: characteristic and traditional, practical, plenty of restaurants
- 👎 Cons: no beaches
- 🍷 Best restaurants and bars: Mavri Thalassa, Chalki Barbeque and Kifi Grill
- 🧛♂️ Nightlife: La Piazza Club
This is the most characteristic and traditional part of Halki. How can you not love it!
Typical colourful Dodecanese houses, red tiles roofs. They somehow remind me of the houses from my grandpa’s village, close to Venice.
In fact, the Republic of Venice ruled in this part of Greece for many years till the end of the 17th century, leaving behind the own architecture style.
This is why you will notice many similarities in the house’s design, even more evident in other Dodecanese islands like Rhodes.
The majority of the Halki restaurants are in this area, mostly facing the little bay.
Yes, it can get busy in the morning when the day trippers arrive from Rhodes, but it all suddenly becomes so quiet as soon as they all leave in the late afternoon.
Quickly the harbour area transforms itself into a true local village, to enjoy and share with just a few people.
It’s magical, and that is why I suggest spending at least a night on this beautiful island, and possibly 3 or more, to fully enjoy this unique experience.
True, there are no beaches in town, but you can easily walk to a couple of them or take a small boat to the famous and beautiful Kania Beach
These 3 Halki accommodations below are just so lovely, with my preference given to the Amazing House.
Amazing House (1BR)
This Halki accommodation has been my base during my stay on my last trip. I am actually writing this post from the beautiful balcony facing the turquoise sea.
You can rent it as a couple or with a kid that can sleep on the sofa in the spacious living room.
It’s literally within 5 minutes of walking from the restaurants and the supermarket.
It is so quiet during the night and also during the day, with the many day trippers arriving from Rhodes.
Inside, the house is modern but still with plenty of character
Spitakia (Studio/1BR)
This accommodation is conveniently positioned right by the harbour, with superb sea and village views while giving ample space for you to have a comfortable stay.
The host usually leaves a welcome basket for guests staying here – such a great way to start the holiday.
You will find a cosy bed and an air-conditioned room, particularly important since the area gets quite warm and humid during the night.
Villa Antonis (2BR)
Here you get a spacious 2-bed, 1-bath holiday home, complete with a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, spacious dining area, entertainment units including a satellite flat-screen TV.
While here, you get an elegant view of the harbour and the Aegean Sea – which you can enjoy while right on the private balcony.
The traditional stone house has been well maintained, with the hosts putting intricate details into the property decoration, including the artefacts, furniture and vintage fridge.
Countryside – In Between
- 🌎 Best area to stay in Halki on a budget 🏩 Kleanthe is the recommended accommodation in this area
- 👍 Pros: budget accommodations, close to the main beach and to the centre of the town
- 👎 Cons: no sea views, more of a country experience
- 🍷 Best restaurants and bars: go to the harbour town
- 🧛♂️ Nightlife: go to the harbour town
This is the area between the Harbour and the stunning Pondamos Beach, the biggest on the island
You will be within a 10 or even a 5-minute walk to the beautiful sandy beach with lovely turquoise water (west) or the restaurants in the main port of the island (east).
Not bad, isn’t it?
Moreover, this is the place where you will find the most budget oriented Halki accommodations.
What is the catch then? Well, you will not have any water view and you may feel more in a country house than an island villa.
These two places below are real bargain, besides being so characteristic.
Kleanthe
This double room with a private bathroom is located in a quiet location within a traditional Halki house
The accommodation is well maintained, with high cleanliness standards, and with amenities ranging from the work desk to the stocked kitchen for use during your stay.
You will be within walking distance of the medieval castle, and there is easy access to Pondamos Beach.
It includes air conditioning, free Wi-Fi all across the property, and the rooms come with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels.
The lounge, garden and terrace are shared.
Casa Piedra (1BR)
This is a 1-bed 1-bath accommodation, with the host providing towels and bed linen for use during your stay.
The kitchen comes with all the utensils that you can use to prepare your meals, from the oven to the toaster, and the fridge.
There is an ample seating area and a flat-screen TV for your entertainment.
The property is air-conditioned as well and comes with garden views and a children’s playground
Ftenagia Beach
- 🌎 Best area to stay in Halki for quiet time by the beach 🏩 Cohili Villa (2BR) is the recommended accommodation on this beach
- 👍 Pros: isolated and facing the sea, with a boutique beach just metres from the door
- 👎 Cons: 15 minutes walk to the restaurants
- 🍷 Best restaurants and bars: the Beach Restaurant for lunch and go to the harbour town for dinner
- 🧛♂️ Nightlife: go to the harbour town
Ftenagia Beach is a lovely small boutique beach that should be on your island must-see places anyhow.
It is only 1 km from the Harbour area, but you will feel a world apart and totally isolated from the rest of the planet.
The little beach is so beautiful, connected by a 20-30 metres walking path to the only houses there.
There is a restaurant on the beach, of course, with amazing food and service. Unfortunately, it does not open at night.
This area is perfect if you are looking for a quiet stay, facing the Mediterranean sea, ideal for reading books, but still with the possibility of walking to the harbour area in 10-15 minutes (less than a km) for dining at one of the many restaurants or having a drink.
Cohili Villa (2BR)
Catch the sunrise right from the patio, enjoy the direct access to the beach, relax on the wrap-around terrace – this villa has it all.
There’s even an outdoor shower. The property itself is located in a private setting, with a sun deck, and you get unobstructed views of the Aegean Sea.
You won’t have to worry about mosquitos here, since the windows are fitted with screens and shutters.
Accommodation wise, the villa can sleep four, and the outdoors are also spacious enough for sunloungers.
Aretanassa Hotel
Facing a private beach area (man-made), this is a hotel that is halfway between Ftenagia and the harbour.
Set in a historical building, the Sponge Factory, delivers big time with its spotless rooms and the amazing panoramic views of the village
You can easily walk to the main square of Halki Island in less than 10 minutes. They also provide transportation if needed.
Check out my 20 best photos of Halki
Other Halki accommodation
It is always very difficult to find a place to stay in Halki because it is a small island and there is a limited number of accommodations
If you were not lucky to find availability with my previous suggestions, here is another short list of places in the harbour area (or next to it):
- the neoclassical Marina Castellana Studios,
- Matinas House,
- Atlantis Houses,
- the family-run Villa Katingo,
- the neoclassic Villa Amalia, providing lovely apartments and studios with panoramic views of the Aegean Sea
How to get to Halki
The nearest airport is the Rhodes International Airport.
From there, you have two possibilities:
- you take the bus to Rhodes town and the direct ferry to Halki
- you take the bus/taxi to Kamiros Skala where you can catch the smaller ferry (Alko Ferries) to Halki.
The second option is quicker if you take the taxi to Kamiros Skala (Skala Kameirou) or if you are lucky enough that your flight matches the timetable of the bus.
You should check out the Alko Ferries website for the timetable and tickets. They run the buses as well.
The direct ferry from Rhodes Town to Halki is not daily, unfortunately.
