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The Hotel des Roses
is situated in Platanias,
a lovely fishing village and summer resort in southeastern Pelion
62 klm from Volos and 60-80 minutes by boat from Skiathos and Skopelos
of the Sporades Islands in the vicinity. Platanias
is blessed with a unique natural beauty as it is surrounded by soft-rolling
hills covered with olive groves while its picturesque little port
and beach (100 metres from the hotel) opens onto the azure expanse of the Aegean Sea and is flanked by
magnificent beaches.
One of them is Mikro, a heavenly and much
photographed sandy beach 15 minutes' walk away. It is accessible
by a footpath over the cliffs on the shore. In springtime the track
is adorned with wild flowers and butterflies, dragonflies and bees
that happily flit in the foliage. The beach is ideal for children.
It offers a choice of tavernas and the protective shade of a great
plane tree under which one can enjoy a refreshing, cool drink or
a meal. In high season Mikro can also be reached by boat-taxi.
From Platanias starts
a network of paths and stone-paved mule-tracks that lead to the
neighbouring hamlets and villages, to sights of archaeological and
religious interest, and to spots and landscapes of great beauty,
all of them waiting for the adventure-minded visitors who like going
on walks and hikes which are particularly enjoyable in May and September.
Platanias'
miniature port comes to life in spring. Fishing trawlers dock here
and give it a colourful, working
rather than touristy aura, which embraces the place throughout the
summer. There are several tavernas where one can savour fresh fish
cooked on charcoal or traditional Greek cuisine. There are also
3 mini-markets, a bakery and 3 cafes that serve delicious pizzas
as well. The hustle and bustle of a highly developed tourist resort
is absent here.
 At
the Hotel des Roses the vacationer will be able
to appreciate the atmosphere of serenity and relaxation even more
as he will immediately feel as a family relation of the owners,
Nikos and Yianna Dovas and Toula, Nikos' mother. They are the descendants
of a Greek family from Alexandria, Egypt. The Dovas family have
a long tradition as hoteliers, for they have been in the hotel business
since 1950, when they built and ran the 32-room Hotel Zephyr
in Marsa Matrouh near the Shiva Oasis, Queen Cleopatra's favourite
summer resort. However, in 1965 the Nasser regime brought their
thriving business to an untimely end as thousands of Greeks were
forced to leave Egypt. This unfortunate turn of events did not discourage
John Dovas, the family patriarch. He brought his family back to
their roots at Platanias, where he erected the Hotel des
Roses, a pioneering venture for the area and the times.
John Dovas' vision and business acumen paid off. His family have
been running the hotel ever since with great skill and love and
respect of their clientele. Today, Nikos Dovas and his wife Yianna
continue the tradition and they have established an excellent reputation
for their hospitality and quality of service. They have renovated,
refurbished and upgraded the building by turning a 29-room facility
into a 14-studio operation specializing in family accommodation.
 The
hotel has a large courtyard lined with colourful pots of flowers;
azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, camellias and -- of course --
lots of roses are lovingly grown in and around them in order to
create a little paradise on earth. The building is also embraced
by orange, cherry, apple, eucalyptus, plane and poplar trees, whose
aroma and shade combined with the fragrance of the flowers make
for an ideal environment for unforgettable vacations. Amongst all
those carefully selected flowers and trees stands a most impressive,
enormous magnolia tree, which adds its own special note to the music
of colours and scents of the surroundings.
The Hotel des Roses has 12 spacious studios [twin,
double, three and four bedded]and 2 bedroomed apartments Kamelia on the 1st floor and Magnolia on the 2nd floor all with TV, w.c.-cum-shower, kitchenette
and balconies. There are also fans and thermostat-controlled central
heating in every studio. Two of the studios have jacuzzi. At the
kitchenette the guests can prepare snacks, simple meals and breakfast.
There is a reception hall at ground floor and a small bar area in
the courtyard, where light snacks [mezes] and tsipouro [the ouzo-type
local aperitif] or other drinks are served. On request, the family
can provide breakfast, which will be a real treat. A typical breakfast
will include butter and home-made jams, eggs, home-made cheese,
pita [home-made cheese and/or pumpkin pie], cookies, cake, bread
from the local bakery, orange juice, tea and coffee. In our garden there is an inflated children's swimming pool (4,50x4,50x1,20) and some toys.
Linen is changed twice a week.
 Cruises
to Skiathos and Skopelos can be booked with the local boat "
The Africana" in summer.
If your flight lands on Skiathos we can arrange your transfer to
Platanias by "The Africana". Should your flight schedule
not coordinate with the Africana we can propose that you use a private "speed boat taxi" for your transfer to Platania. We can book this for you if required.
The other option for inbound flights is the International Airport
of Volos, about 90 klm or a 2-hour ride by car or taxi from Platania.
To the visitors who wish to move independently and explore the entire
Pelion area we recommend car hire, which we can arrange on request.
Buses to and from Volos and the neighbouring villages run 3 times
a day on a regular 2-hour journey.
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Photography
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