Athina Beach

We stayed for a week at the Athina hotel. Simple property, but super clean and fragrant. Friendly staff Maki the owner makes the difference; he is a true host, super welcoming and super helpful. The location is excellent for visiting Myrthos and Antisamos beach. The area is very quiet. Added value: you can use the pool at the hotel next door.

We stayed at the Athina Hotel in Sami, Kefalonia, at the end of May 2026 during the school holidays, and it was a fantastic experience. My husband, our eight-year-old daughter, and I felt truly welcomed. Makis, who runs the place, was wonderful—he introduced us to other guests and made us feel at home. The bar area had a warm, friendly vibe, and although the rooms were quite basic, the overall atmosphere more than made up for it. We had access to the hotel pool across the street, owned by the same family, which was great. The beach was calm and lovely for snorkeling—just remember coral shoes since it’s a pebble beach. We hired a car and explored the island. Asos was stunning, Myrtos Beach was breathtaking, and Antisamos offered some of the best snorkeling we’ve had. All in all, it was a simple, lovely stay, with minimal screen/tech time and lots nature/ stunning scenery/ family time exploring the island and we’d absolutely recommend the Athina Hotel!

We visited Sami in May, right at the beginning of the season, so places, venues etc were just opening up. The Athena hotel is conveniently situated a few yards from the sea and is very pretty. Lovely flowers and shrubs surround the exterior and the inner courtyard. The rooms are off the courtyard and only a few have a sea view. Unfortunately, when we visited, those had been already taken. However, we noticed that the sea view rooms, were subject to the strong winds that we experienced on a couple of occasions, so perhaps we were fortunate to be at the back of the property. Disappointed though. I read all the reviews of the hotel, prior to our visit, and agree that the welcome was warm and the accommodation satisfactory. Our room was on the second floor, although there are ground floor rooms as well. The room was twin bedded, with a shower room, including toilet and wash hand basin. The shower was typically Greek, in that it was a small square with a curtain around. The beds seemed to be separated bunk beds, with a slatted base. The bedding and towels were changed daily, which was a nice touch. Breakfast was included and was continental style with cereals, fruit, bread etc and boiled eggs, in the second week cake was added. I loved Sami/Karavomilos. The colours of sea and the friendliness of the people at the hotel and those we met, all made the holiday perfect.