Studios Petra

We chose this place for the location and the small size of the establishment. Indeed it was as we expected - a relaxing place to return to after a full day at the beach and the island's attractions. We appreciated that the studios are somewhat secluded, tucked between vegetable farms. There is virtually no car traffic to be heard, the larger vacation rentals in the area are situated at a distance, to give us a sense of privacy and serenity. Unlike the larger holiday resorts there is no indoor communal space or entrance area so in this time of the pandemic we didn't have to put on masks to get from our car to the room. The lawn area features a seating area and a barbecue corner if one wants to have a meal there. The room we had was the double bed with the mosquito net (sixth photo in the slide deck) located on the middle level of the structure. No mosquito repellent was provided, fortunately we had our own to plug in and some citronella candles, when enjoying our dinner on the balcony overlooking the lawn. At 11pm the sprinkler system switches on and the water jets attract the insects (this could be fixed by reprogramming the system to a later hour). If you are in bed by then, no worries! Zakynthos is blessed to be green and fertile, unlike the mostly arid islands of the Aegean. The vegetation and water however means mosquitos near bodies of water or watering time, and cicadas chirping all day. So come prepared with mosquito repellents and earplugs. The furniture is more than adequate - a spacious closet, a two-drawer dresser with mirror and bench seat, a luggage bench, two side tables one on each side of the double bed, a square dining table and two chairs indoors for breakfast as well as a "cafe" table and two chairs out on the balcony for a sunset meal or drinks. The balcony receives direct sunlight from the early hours so breakfast is better served indoors. There's also a small TV unit on the dresser which we did not switch on. The kitchenette provided basic amenities - an electric hob, a cooking pot, a frypan, a cutting board, a plastic strainer basket, an electric kettle, plates, coffee cups, glasses, cutlery. We were able to cook dinners and prepare lunches everyday. There are ample light fixtures as well as switches and wall sockets so you don't have to go back and forth. The bathroom was spacious, with a square shower space and a large enough sink fixture to place your toiletries left and right of the faucet, in addition to the glass shelf above. A mop is provided to deal with the water spray (the curtain doesn't come down all the way to the tiles) but we didn't mind that actually. Some things we would have appreciated: - Four glasses instead of two, so that we could have both a beer and a water glass at dinnertime. - A small plastic tub to wash and carry our wet bathing suits from the bathroom to the clothesline out on the balcony - to avoid a wet floor. - Additional clothes pegs. We found only 3 or 4. - The fridge had several issues: no closure for the freezer compartment - we improvised by placing a piece of cardboard. And you had to push hard to shut the door to make sure there was no gap. The first day we were wondering why the ice cubes weren't crystalizing and our water was still room temperature. - We stayed 6 days but our bins were emptied only once. The other days we took our trash (and the recyclables) out ourselves by car as there is no bin in the carpark or the road leading to the rental. Personally I don't mind as I am somewhat OCD regarding recycling and prefer to make sure the plastic ends up in the proper bin by doing it myself. I am mentioning all of the above in the hope that these details can be improved, not to downgrade our stay. Overall we were satisfied with the bed and furnishings, the kitchenette, the balcony and the view, as well as the rental price! The location of Studios Petra we found to be ideal. That was what stood out when browsing the hotel listings when planning our trip, and we were not disappointed at all. Conveniently located midway between the attractions to the north and south of the island, but most importantly in a rural enough environment to feel we were "away on holiday" and not in a cookie cutter resort or Disneyland-like entertainment area, yet at a driving distance from everything we wanted to taste, see and do. In the small farms surrounding the studios you will see tomatoes, zucchini, onions and potatoes being cultivated. We found some of this local produce on sale at the Express Market on the main road to the port town and were able to savor the "farm to table" tastes of the island! Don't forget to try the local olives, cheeses and beers as well. There's the Kypseli Supermarket at the intersection close to the studios for all your basic provisions (not sure if they had fresh local produce, that's why I mention the Express market next to Grigoris coffee on the main road to town). At the same crossroads you will find To Stavrodromi (Greek for intersection) with excellent grilled meats (whole chickens on the spit, pork or chicken "kontosouvli", "kokoretsi" and your typical souvlaki/gyro fare) - they also deliver to your room. Last but not least the excellent Anemomylos (windmill) bakery with traditional breads, rusks, biscuits, spinach pies, cheese pies, pasta frolla with apricot or pomegranate preserves, and other desserts - possibly the most authentic bakery on the island. Your host will also recommend the several tavernas by the sea, which we did not try. Walking distance there is also one of the few last remaining Venetian guard towers, the Kipseli "Vardiola" overlooking the sea coast. A short drive away is Kypseli village, a traditional settlement on the hill overlooking the olive groves and farmlands along the coastline which are gradually disappearing as they are being converted to holiday resorts. Did I say this location has almost everything we were looking for?