I have been going to the Greek islands every summer since I was a kid. Normally my family just gets on the next boat to whichever island and someone at the harbor has a room, but not the case in Folegandros! My best piece of advice is to be sure to reserve a room in advance. Folegandros is tiny and is enjoying a moment right now, and when we landed on a Monday night, there was not a single room available. We ended up getting incredibly lucky but the rest of the week I saw many people turned away in a similar fashion, left to catch the next ferry to nearby Milos, Paros, or Santorini.

That being said, if you can get a room here, book it!! Anna, the sister of the owner of the resort, saw my mother and I looking sorry with our luggage in our hands in the center of Chora at 11:45 PM. She had miraculously had a cancellation and we spent the next week at Ampelos. The location was perfect, the service and rooms were impeccable, and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. I am so glad we didn't leave!! If it wasn't for Anna, we would have taken the next ferry out of there as many of the innkeepers were quite rude in informing us there were no rooms to be let (the same people who during low season are throwing themselves at you). However, Anna is a kind, generous, and thoughtful person who really went out of her way to help us, and we are so glad she did since we loved Folegandros!

In any case, the location is just outside the lovely Chora, so you don't have to deal with the noise from latenight drinking (which is lightweight compared to a place like Mykonos or Paros) but you can still walk to the action. We found Folegandros to be quite expensive in terms of buses and taking caiques to nearby beaches, so it is important to be able to walk to Chora to save some $.

Restaurants: I would be sure to eat at either Spitiko (portions are big and food is delicious), or Kritikos. If you want Gyro, there are only two places. Do NOT eat at the gyro place that is in the main square. Eat at the one next to Kritikos, it is much better quality with better service and prices as well. In general, anywhere in Chora is great. This is one of the rare islands that is busy and touristic but still has maintained its charm and not overbuilt like crazy (probably why it is such a hot destination).

Beaches: We went to every beach, and Katergo is by far the best. Sadly the only way to get there, unless you have your own boat, is with an 8 Euro ticket per person (round trip). There are no umbrellas, chairs, or places to eat, so be sure to bring a picnic and an umbrella unless you are planning to leave the beach before the day is over! The other beach that we loved was Aigios Nicholaos. There is a nice taverna with OK food (the only place to eat) and there are lots of little trees, so if you get there early you don't need an umbrella! You can also walk along a cliff path to this beach from Karavostasi instead of taking the caique, if you want to save $.

I have been to pretty much every Greek island in the Ionian and Aegean and would definitely go back, with my family as well as with my boyfriend! It is a great place that everyone can have fun, just don't expect a crazy nightlife or to meet too many people (most people come with family, groups of friends, or as a couple). And don't forget to book ahead of time! :)

Great place with an exellent view! Me, my wife and our kids age 5 and 8, stayed at here 3 nights during our 2 weeks holiday in Greece. Ampelos is set in the hillside overlooking Chora. We had an exellent tripple room with an extra bed. There are verandas in front off the rooms where you can enjoy a glass of vine or beer in the evenings.
The place also have a nice little
swimmingpool.
Its only five min walk from the nice
city center of Chora.
I can surely recommend Ampelos and Folegandros. In fact 3 days are not enough - you should at least spend a week on this lovely Island with its nice beaches and crystal cleaer water!

Recently returned from this hotel. Feel I must say what a lovely place to stay, and good value compared to the other hotels around. Situated just outside the Chora with a view of it and of the magnificent church up the hill. The hotel keepers, Anna and Theo are extremeley helpful and friendly,went out of there way to help us and another couple when it looked like our ferry back to Athens was to be cancelled., even let us use the internet to track the movemements of the ferry to see if it was on it's way, and took us to the port on short notice when the ferry finally arrived.I fell in love with the island of Folegandros and will return some day to this hotel.

We stayed for seven nights at the Ampelos hotel in Folegandros. Our room was equipped with a TV, fridge, A/C and an incredible balcony. A pool is also available to the guests, but it could use a few more lawnchairs. This hotel is a real bargain when the prices drop at the beginning of Sept. and the staff also arranges free transportation to and from the ferry. The walk into town goes along a dirt road and takes about five minutes. The donkey along the way always appreciates a pat on the head or an apple.

Our stay at the hotel was a perfect complement to the laid back way on this island. The staff isn't out to pamper you, which is what we prefer anyway. We were on Folegandros primarily to explore the great beaches and hike a lot. This hotel is a great place to return to in the late afternoon and enjoy a nice bottle of wine and a little reading on the balcony.

You might try eating breakfast in town on one or two occasions instead of only eating the breakfast offered at the hotel. The crepes at Pounda (near Hora bus stop) are a great way to start the morning.