Belvedere

Belvedere Andros is a small, design-conscious property on Leonardo da Vinci street in Batsi, the main resort village on Andros's west coast. It holds just four individually named suites, was designed in collaboration with Coco-Mat Hotels, and carries a 4.9 rating from 91 guest reviews — an unusually high score that points to consistently attentive service rather than accidental good luck.

The property sits above Batsi's seafront, giving most suites an unobstructed view over the bay and the terracotta rooftops of the village below. The beach itself is within easy walking distance — described on the property's own materials as "a stone's throw away" — so you get the elevated panorama without sacrificing beach access. For a relatively quiet Cycladic island that draws Greek families and hikers as much as international tourists, Belvedere pitches itself at the upper end of what Andros offers in terms of accommodation quality.

The property is owner-managed by Anna Kontotsita, whose family connection extends to the interior decoration: the suites are hung with original paintings by local artist Stella Kontotsita, giving the rooms a grounded, place-specific character that generic island hotels rarely achieve.

What to Expect

Belvedere operates four suites, each with its own name — Aelia, Harmonia, Galene, and Estia — which suggests meaningfully distinct configurations rather than a set of interchangeable rooms. The fit-out uses high-quality materials sourced with Coco-Mat's input: the brand is best known for its natural-fibre mattresses and a philosophy of thoughtful, non-synthetic interiors, and that sensibility carries through the Belvedere rooms.

Breakfast is served at your suite rather than in a communal dining room, and the property has moved to a contactless ordering system (tap2order), which keeps the morning routine low-friction. The menu goes beyond a basic continental spread, though specific dishes aren't detailed in publicly available information — worth asking about when you book.

The terrace pool is a practical centrepiece: it looks out over the bay and, given that the property has only four suites, it rarely becomes crowded. Guests who want to move between the pool and the sea can do so easily, since Batsi beach runs along the lower edge of the village.

Concierge service and daily suite housekeeping are both listed as standard features, and the property offers airport and port transfers — useful on Andros, where Gavrio port is roughly 8 km north of Batsi by road and there is no scheduled airport on the island itself. Ferries arrive at Gavrio from Rafina on the Attica mainland.

How to Get There

Batsi is on the northwest coast of Andros, about 8 km south of Gavrio port along a winding coastal road. Ferries serving Andros dock at Gavrio, not Batsi; journey time from Rafina (Athens side) is around two hours. From Gavrio, a taxi to Batsi takes roughly 15 minutes. The property offers its own port pickup service, which removes the need to negotiate with local taxi drivers on arrival.

If you're driving, the address is Leonardo da Vinci, Batsi 845 01. Parking in Batsi's centre is limited in peak summer, so confirming on-site or nearby parking with the hotel before you arrive is worthwhile. The village is walkable once you're there: the main beach, tavernas, and the small marina are all within a few minutes on foot from the hotel's location on the hillside above the bay.

Andros has no commercial airport. The nearest airports are Athens International (Eleftherios Venizelos), from which Rafina port is about 40 minutes by taxi or bus, and Syros airport, though the ferry connection from Syros to Andros is less frequent.

Best Time to Visit

Andros has a longer practical season than some smaller Cyclades because it has a resident population and functions year-round as a weekend destination for Athenians. That said, Belvedere's four-suite format means availability in July and August is genuinely tight — booking several months ahead for peak summer is not overcautious.

June and September offer the best balance: Batsi beach is swimmable, the Batsi seafront restaurants are open, temperatures sit in the high 20s Celsius, and the island is noticeably less pressured than in August. The Meltemi wind, a recurring feature of the northern Aegean from mid-July through August, hits Andros's exposed east coast harder than the more sheltered Batsi bay on the west, so the hotel's position gives some natural buffer.

Spring (April–May) is genuinely attractive on Andros for walkers: the island has an extensive waymarked trail network, the hills are green, and wildflowers are out. Belvedere's website indicates the property aims to be a base for full island experiences rather than just beach visits, so the shoulder season suits that brief well.

Tips for Visiting

• Book early for summer. Four suites fill quickly in July and August. Contact the property directly via email at [email protected] or through the website to check availability.
• Ask about the port transfer when booking. Gavrio to Batsi by taxi is straightforward, but the hotel's own pickup service is a simpler start to the trip, particularly if you're arriving after dark or with luggage.
• Request suite-specific details. The four suites — Aelia, Harmonia, Galene, and Estia — likely differ in size, floor level, and view angle. Asking which has the best unobstructed sea view or the most privacy is a reasonable question before confirming.
• Factor in the breakfast arrangement. In-suite breakfast is a distinctive feature, but it does mean your morning schedule ties loosely to delivery timing. If you plan early hikes or early ferry departures, flag that at check-in.
• Bring or rent a vehicle for island exploration. Batsi is compact, but Andros Town (Chora) is on the opposite, east coast — about 35 km by road. The Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art in Chora, the Sariza natural spring in Apikia, and the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi all reward a full day's drive. Car rentals are available in Batsi and Gavrio.
• Use the concierge for trail recommendations. Andros has one of the best-maintained footpath networks in the Cyclades. The hotel's local knowledge is a practical asset for choosing routes suited to your pace and the day's weather.
• Pack layers for spring and autumn visits. Andros is greener and wetter than southern Cycladic islands; evenings in May and October can be cool, particularly at the hotel's elevated position above the bay.
• Check the pool terrace hours with the hotel. Given the small scale of the property, the terrace is more likely reserved for guests than open to walk-in visitors, but confirming your access window on arrival avoids any ambiguity.

Facilities and Location

Belvedere's documented facilities include four suites, a pool terrace, daily suite service, in-suite breakfast, concierge, and port and airport transfers. The property sits on Leonardo da Vinci street in Batsi, a position that puts it above street level and away from the noise of the waterfront while remaining close enough that the beach, the main square, and the handful of good tavernas around the port are reachable in under ten minutes on foot.

Batsi is the most tourist-oriented village on Andros — it has supermarkets, ATMs, pharmacies, a small marina, watersports operators, and a reliable line of seafood restaurants along the harbour — so Belvedere guests have practical amenities immediately at hand without the hotel needing to replicate them on-site. The property's own positioning is deliberately low-volume and high-quality rather than all-inclusive.

The Coco-Mat design collaboration gives the property a credential that resonates with guests who know the brand's mainland and island hotels (Coco-Mat operates properties on Santorini and in Athens). The use of natural materials, artisan craft, and original artwork by Stella Kontotsita gives the suites an identity tied specifically to Andros rather than a generic Cycladic aesthetic.

For direct contact: phone +30 697 760 3702, email [email protected], or visit the booking page at belvedereandros.com.