What an extremely pleasant surprise we had when we stayed at the Villa Marandi in Naxos. We were here in early June, as part of our honeymoon trip through the Cyclades. We were initially dubious about our travel agent's recommendation to go to Naxos and stay at this hotel, especially since we were otherwise staying at more frequented islands such as Mykonos and Santorini in 5-star hotels. We thought Naxos might be "dead" with not much to do and not as great beaches as the other islands -- boy, were we wrong! Naxos is so unique and wonderfully off-the-beaten-path (although it is more frequented by tourists and honeymooners than we had realized). The greatest thing about the Villa Marandi is the unbelievably amazing service. The manager, Julie, who has been mentioned in other reviews goes well above and beyond her call of duty. Her British accent is the only thing that gives away that she is not a native of Naxos -- she absolutely loves the island and is full of wonderful suggestions of things to do. She will help you rent a car, suggest great beaches (she suggested a wonderfully isolated one on the south side of the island for us; there were only 2 other people on the entire beach and it was simply breathtaking!), suggest restaurants, etc. We definitely recommend renting a car -- it's very affordable (and you are at an advantage if you know how to drive manual, which we didn't) and allows you to explore this beautiful island. Naxos is not very big but there are beautiful groves and beaches to see -- some gorgeous drives where you are right along the coast. Naxos Town is also a wonderful little gem -- great restaurants and shopping, and it's so nice to walk along the pier in the evening and watch the sunset from the temple of apollo. Do bring something a bit warmer to wear at night -- no matter how hot it is during the day, it does get windy and cools off a bit in the evening. As for the hotel itself, it is small enough that it feels very cozy and you get very personalized service but not so small that you feel trapped, which is very nice -- and it has a wonderfully Naxian feel. We stayed in a cute little Junior suite with a little canopy around the bed -- very romantic. The only thing I wasn't so happy with was the bathroom -- a bit cramped, and although modern, the shower was a little tight. You can't have everything! Overall, I definitely HIGHLY recommend visiting this island when you are in Greece - it is truly unique. This hotel is one of the best on the island, and the service makes it all the more wonderful. We hope to return some day!

We also chose the Villa from the Internet - wanted a luxurious end to our European vacation. The site and room were the best of our trip (and many others). A welcoming glass of Citron and berries made us feel special from the beginning. George helped us find a private tour with a photographer, Stuart Thorpe, who took us high in the mountains for some of our best pictures and a lovely day. The entire staff was gracious, the view lovely and a 20-minute walk to the most beautiful beach we have seen in Greece (Agias Prokopios). It was quiet, private and very romantic. We would love to return. Thanks, George and Julie.

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