I stayed at Phaedra Hotel for 1 week in May 2007, and had the opportunity to stay in 3 different rooms, so I feel like a bit of an expert. All were excellent, but my favorites were Phaedra (upstairs with windows on 3 sides so it feels like a tree house); and Olympia (a 2-story room with bedroom loft upstairs, living room downstairs and its own private courtyard).

The bathrooms in all rooms were beautiful. All had showers with real shower doors! I’ve stayed in many Greek hotels, and they often have shower curtains that are too short or no shower curtain at all. All rooms also have kitchenettes.

While the hotel is top-notch, Hilda is really the best thing about the place. She’s always helpful, whether it’s arranging transportation; recommending places to eat (don’t miss Vigla) or things to do; or assisting with the occasional inconveniences that occur when you travel. I was sick when I arrived, and one of my friends discovered she’d lost her credit card in Athens. Hilda was extremely helpful in both cases. When she found out I was going to be there on my birthday, she even served champagne and strawberries and bought me a small gift! I’d definitely stay there again.

After contacting the owner directly by phone we received a confirmation by email with pictures of the room which we appreciated very much. The room was very spacious, clean, beautifully decorated and modern - everything you would hope for in a hotel room but rarely get. Hilda, the owner, gave us great tips on where to eat and go for walks and service was fantastic in general. Breakfast was served on the terrace which has a lovely of the surrounding hills. The food was an above standard continental breakfast with strawberries and honey on greek yoghurt as a special treat.

We highly recommend Phaedra Hotel and Hydra for a very relaxing and romantic Greek island experience.

After a couple of days spend for business in traffic-crazy Athens Hydra is the place to get relaxed again, no traffic at all!
I stayed at Phaedra Hotel. What makes this hotel different from the rest of Greek hotels? Fine and spacious rooms, perfect location and tasty breakfast, it's all there. But more important, in my opinion, the owner Hilda makes this hotel a special place to stay on this special Island. She is very kind, and helpful if needed.
For Greek hotels this is definently value for money. I have seen four hotels in five days and Phaedra Hotel is on my list for next time, for shure.

We're a family of five who stayed at the Phaedra Hotel three nights over Palm Sunday weekend 2007. The hotel and the island of Hydra both exceeded our expectations greatly. This is one of those rare cases in which the hotel's website photographs manage to understate the attractiveness of the accommodations. The combination Athena and Artemis suite at the Phaedra is perfect for a family of four or five (and we've found that five is a tough number to accommodate in many European hotels). There is plenty of space, lovely furniture, very comfortable beds, and a truly wonderful terrace. In one direction, the terrace puts you at eye level with the rustic tiled rooftop of an Orthodox church, beyond which is the town of Hydra. In the other direction are the mountains. Just beautiful. Our kids could not get enough of the breakfast, and as other reviewers have stated, Hilda is the Phaedra's excellent hostess. She clearly keeps everything in a near-perfect state and offers good advice to her guests. We were especially grateful for her suggestion that we take the strenuous but very rewarding hike up to the monastery at Hydra's highest point. The Phaedra is ideally situated, a very short walk from the harbor but far enough away to provide for some unique character and additional serenity. As for Hydra itself, why this island is not more "top of mind" for travelers is beyond us, though we hope it stays that way. The reason is probably that Hydra is not bursting with organized, off-the-shelf "things to do." Instead, it requires you either to do nothing (often a very nice option) or to shape your own adventure (and on foot, donkey, or water taxi, since there's not a single wheeled vehicle on the island besides the trash truck). Hydra Town is an architectural and aesthetic jewel, and the vehicle ban is a godsend. For us, Hydra was truly an ideal way to end a European adventure. The Phaedra is priced competitively with its real peers on Hydra, and is worth every cent.