The Anchor House, Symi: A Harbourside Sanctuary in the Aegean
Symi — with its pastel-hued houses clinging to hillsides, turquoise bays, and gentle, luminous light — is one of Greece’s more poetic islands. Perched above Paradise Beach and only a short walk from the Gialos harbour, The Anchor House offers a place where one doesn’t just stay — one slows, breathes, connects, and is anchored.
First Impressions: Setting & Design
You arrive via winding island road, the sea glimmering ahead, as the colours of the harbour begin to take shape. The Anchor House, designed by architect Dimitri Zographos, perches in a spot few villas do: high enough to offer sweeping sea & harbour views, close enough that the sound of boats and salt air is a part of your daily routine.
The architecture is elegant in its restraint. Terraced levels give you terraces and balustrades that frame the sky and water. Spaces—both interior and exterior—are designed to catch the breeze, to draw in light. Every room looks outwards. Every balcony, every terrace invites you to watch the boats, the water, the changing colours of sunset across the bay.
Rooms & Retreats: Comfort Crafted for Desire
The Anchor House has five luxurious bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms, top-tier beds (Hypnos mattresses among them), quality linens, air conditioning, and reliable WiFi. There’s an easy elegance: well-curated materials, textures that feel both refined and warm.
Captain’s Room sits high in the villa, with a super-king bed and one of the most commanding vantage points across Paradise Beach and the harbour. Floor-to-ceiling windows, private balcony, a view that feels almost cinematic.
Olive Tree Room is lower down, with full-length windows opening to sea views, terraces shaded by ancient olive trees, climbing jasmine, and quiet corners to rest or read.
Other rooms like Jasmine Room, Yaya’s Retreat etc., each have their own mood and charm, which means that whether you come alone, as a couple or as a group, there’s a room that aligns with what you need.
Shared Gardens & Common Life
The outdoors at The Anchor House is as central as the rooms. Multiple terraces, a roof terrace perfect for twilight, vistas that stretch across the Aegean, gardens smelling of olive, lavender, jasmine. Sea access is easy; Paradise Beach is just below. Whether you want to swim, sunbathe, or just sit with a drink while the wind brushes salt into your skin, these spaces are built for reverie.
Breakfast is served on the main terrace each morning — fresh pastries, fruit, juice. Sunshine, soft sea breeze, and a view that begins each day gently.
Host & Atmosphere: Quiet, Friendly, Intimate
Guests repeatedly note the warmth & helpfulness of host Jenine: helpful recommendations, attentive service, creating a sense of home. It doesn’t feel like staying in a big hotel, but more like being welcomed into a beautiful private house.
The atmosphere is calm, relaxed. No loud crowds, no flashing neon, no rush. The Anchor House seems built for quiet connection: with the sea, with loved ones, or even with oneself. Solo travelers often feel welcome; couples find privacy; groups get luxury without losing intimacy.
Location & Access
Just above Paradise Beach, so sea bathing is within easy reach.
A short walk to the Gialos harbour (Symi’s main port), which means restaurants, cafés, boat trips, local shops are accessible. You get both peace and connection.
Views stretch across the bay. Rooms capture sunrise or sunset depending on orientation.
Why The Anchor House Anchors Memories
Staying here feels like the opposite of hurry. There’s enough beauty to slow you down, enough comfort to rest deeply, enough vistas to remind you what it means to be by the sea. It’s a place where time feels stretched in the best way — where light and water become companions, terraces are stages for the sunset, and each room a private lookout into something elemental.
For travelers who value elegance without ostentation, who prefer intimacy over impersonal scale, who treasure views, scent of salt and olive, and hosts who care, The Anchor House is one of those rare places that stays with you. You leave with camera rolls, memories, and often, a desire to return.
Official Website: The Anchor House, Symi
