Princess Tia Studios

Peacefully situated in the small coastal village of Balos, Princess Tia Studios have been a consistently popular choice amongst our guests ever since we first started our programme to Samos 25 years ago. Set beside a long, unspoilt shingle beach, Balos has grown a little since then, but remains the quintessential Greek seaside hamlet, offering all the ingredients of a truly relaxing break, including a good selection of tavernas, without any of the superfluous trimmings of large-scale tourism. The road leading into Balos simply peters out a few hundred yards beyond the village square, and the ambience remains delightfully laid-back.

Princess Tia Studios stand towards the far end of the bay, separated from an uncrowded stretch of the sweeping beach only by their own gardens and a small access road. They belong to Tia and Yiannis, a charming couple who live in the pretty bougainvillaea-covered house at the back of the garden. Both speak excellent English (in fact, Tia grew up in Connecticut and only returned to the island of her ancestors as a young woman), and succeed in making every guest feel as welcome as a dear old friend, which is in fact what many returning guests have become over the years. Their two daughters, who were young children when we first started offering holidays here, have since grown up and got married, and both are now involved not just in running the family business, but also expanding it, with a small cluster of smart new accommodation due to open on the family's plot of land just east of the existing property.

The original Princess Tia building contains a total of 14 studios, arranged on two floors in a V-shape. Whilst not extravagantly luxurious, they are well-appointed, maintained to a high standard and kept spotlessly clean. All the studios have open-plan kitchenettes with a fridge and a two-ring hob, en suite shower rooms, ceiling fans and air-conditioning, as well as balconies or terraces with views across the garden to the sea. Two sets of studios are inter-connecting and therefore suitable for families of four, with a double bed in one studio and twin beds in the other. The remaining studios all have twin beds.

Incorporated into the gardens between the studios and the beach is an enticing, L-shaped swimming pool, surrounded by a stone-flagged terrace. Next to this is Princess Tia's café-bar with its covered terrace, where guests can enjoy the optional breakfast each morning, and light snacks and refreshing drinks throughout the day. Open until early evening, the bar is a pleasantly social gathering point to meet your fellow holidaymakers (and a handful of locals), or perhaps chat to your hosts and seek advice on some of the local walks and other secluded beaches.

The first of the new buildings is due to open for Summer 2026 and will comprise ten compact but stylish Junior Suites, each with a double bed, a sitting area and a modern en-suite shower room. Whilst each has a mini-fridge and coffee-making facilities, they do not have kitchenettes and are therefore offered with breakfast included, served à-la-carte in the café. The five upper-floor Junior Suites enjoy particularly good sea views from their balconies, whilst those on the ground floor have spacious terraces leading straight onto their own small private pools.

Those who wish to explore other parts of the island will want to hire a car for at least part of their stay, but for those simply seeking a thoroughly relaxing beach holiday with a generous dose of authentic Greek hospitality can easily get by without their own transport. There are around half-a-dozen enticing tavernas - some of which set out their tables right on the edge of the sea in the shade of the wispy tamarisk trees - within easy walking distance, and whilst there is no shop in Balos, a bakery van visits every morning, and Tia can arrange grocery deliveries from a shop in a neighbouring village.